Section One: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project

Introduction,

Hello, and welcome to my teacher candidate elementary portfolio project. Before I began

my journey to become an educator, I had certain views and ideas about what educators did, who

educators were, and how educators should teach. These views and ideas, like most peoples, were

based upon my own personal experiences from Kindergarten all the way through to graduating

high school. From the very first day of the program and throughout my whole experience as a

teacher candidate, I have come to learn that my previous views and ideas were not even close to

hitting the mark and this portfolio will highlight the competencies, skills, and knowledge I now

possess as a teacher candidate.

Overview and Rationale

The purpose of this portfolio is for me the teacher candidate, to showcase to you, the

reader, the skills and competencies I have developed throughout my experience in the Masters of

Elementary Education program at Medaille College. This is an exhibit of the most stellar work I

have produced during my time in the classroom and in my field experience. This work will

validate and demonstrate my preparedness to become a teacher, while explaining my philosophy

of education and the theorists, theories, and experts who led me to this philosophy. This exhibit,

will use artifacts that I have created and used over the past 14 months which will be on display in

section three. In addition, this portfolio will introduce and make evident for you the

competencies and skills I have developed in planning, instruction, assessment, technology,

professional collaboration, classroom management, culturally responsive teaching/diversity,

curriculum standards and learner accommodations.

valuable resource and tool for me as a teacher candidate to draw upon and use not only when I

begin interviewing for teaching positions, but also in my future teaching career. Reflection is one

of the most important tools a teacher can use in their practice as it allows a teacher to

continuously learn about themselves and the effectiveness of their teaching practices, their

students, the learning environment they create, and how they can grow and continue to develop

into the type of teacher who inspires students to seek and crave knowledge. This portfolio will

allow me to do just that. It will also serve as a document to remind me of where my journey

began and where it has taken me throughout my career. As I mentioned earlier, I had certain

views and ideas of what an educator was, what they should teach, and how they should teach

before I began my journey. This document serves as an excellent way to remember what a parent

feels like and what they may think about a teacher which I know will help me in working with

them and their children in the future.

Portfolio Development

This section of my portfolio will explain the different sections within and provide details

into what each section is about. The portfolio is split into six sections, which will highlight my

preparedness to become an elementary teacher. Section one, The Portfolio Introduction, is where

I will introduce the Elementary Project Portfolio to you the reader. First, you will read my

introduction to the portfolio, then, you will read an overview of the portfolio, which will explain

what you will find in each section. Next, you will find a rationale, where I will explain the

purpose and the importance of developing this document not only for the beginning of my career

but for years to come. After, you will read about the important theories, theorists, and experts in

the field of education and how their work has inspired and guided me in my studies in the
creation of this portfolio. Finally, you will read a conclusion that summarizes section one and

introduces the second section of the portfolio.

Section two, Teacher Background Experiences, is where I will introduce you to my

previous work experiences, as a camp leader for a Chinese school in Canada and my time as a

supervisor in an automotive plant. You will next learn about my volunteer experiences in both

Ontario and Buffalo, my practicum experiences in a third grade and a sixth-grade classroom, my

previous school experiences from elementary through to post-secondary, my philosophy of

education, and finally, my resume.

Section three, Teacher Candidate Artifacts, is the section of the portfolio where you will

find examples of the most stellar work I have produced thus far in my educational journey. These

examples will be presented to you as artifacts and each artifact will exhibit the knowledge and

skills I possess in planning, instruction, assessment, engagement, ENL/ELL, SWD, SES,

Ethnicity, religion, and sexuality, literacy, math/science, professional development, technology,

and dispositions. A rationale will be provided for the importance of each artifact being included

in my portfolio as well as to how these artifacts connect to the curriculum and professional

standards. I will also connect these artifacts to the theorists and theories in education and best

teaching practices.

Section four, Alignment to Curriculum & Professional Standards, will exhibit my

knowledge of the curriculum and professional standards and my ability to align them to the daily

practice of an elementary school teacher. The significance of alignment to the curriculum and

professional standards as related to my artifacts will be addressed and I will also explain how the

artifacts in the portfolio support each of these standards. I will present how my artifacts connect

to the curriculum and professional standards in the form of a chart.

where I will exhibit my ability to reflect upon my overall experiences in developing this portfolio

and of my experiences during my journey to become an educator. My readiness to enter into the

field of education, my confidence in my abilities as a teacher will be addressed, and an

explanation of how I met the TEAC/CAEP Claims will also be discussed at length.

Section six, Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video, is the final section of the

portfolio. This is the section where I will be able to exhibit my technology skills and artifacts

visually. Here, you will be able to watch a video of me simulating an interview where I will

answer a set of pre-determined interview questions. I will also exhibit my technological talents

by displaying my teacher website and its various sections.

Theories, Theorists and Experts in the Field of Education

Since beginning my studies in the MSED program Medaille, I have had the opportunity

to learn about many different people who directly influenced and had a very significant impact

on the field of education. The ones that stood out most to me and who I will use to support me in

the writing this portfolio are Howard Gardner, Lev Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner, and Henry Wong.

Howard Gardner is a psychologist who came up with the Theory of Multiple

Intelligences, which has had a very large impact on the field of education today. Developed in

the latter half of the 1970s and early 1980s, his theory is that human beings are born with eight

intelligences including: musical intelligence, spatial intelligence, logical-mathematical

intelligence, naturalistic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, linguistic intelligence, bodily-

kinesthetic intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence. (Gardner & Davis & Christodoulou &

Seider, p. 2) Some intelligences are stronger and others are weaker in individuals and not one

person learns exactly the way another learns. (Gardner & Davis & Christodoulou & Seider, p. 9)
This is a very useful piece of knowledge when thinking about how to teach many young minds

content matter. Since everyone learns differently teachers should adjust their instruction to

accommodate all types of learners and I am a big believer in this theory and practice. Some

students need to be moving while learning, others may need to have music to help them learn,

and others may need to have lots of visuals. Throughout my portfolio, you will see that

Gardners theory of multiple intelligences holds a special place in my heart, in my pedagogical

practice and in my philosophy of learning.

In addition to Howard Gardner, another psychologist, Lev Vygotsky, had a significant

impact on me during my studies and my practicum and you will see this throughout my portfolio.

Vygotskys zone of proximal development and his method of scaffolding had a profound effect

on me and the way I approach lesson planning, instruction, and assessment. The Zone of

Proximal Development is the difference in the level of success a young mind can reach on their

own without direction and how much success they can reach with direction and reinforcement

from another, who is much knowledgeable and accomplished than they are. (McLeod, 2014)

Guided learning and social interaction between the students and each other and the students and

the teacher is absolutely important in classrooms today. Scaffolding as a method of teaching,

where the more knowledgeable teacher first, models a learning task for the students, then, has the

students work with him/her on the learning task, and finally, provides a learning task that the

students can do independently is in my mind absolutely imperative to a students comprehension

and mastery of a skill. (McLeod, 2014) When students work with their instructor and help him or

her complete a learning task it builds in them the confidence to practice using these skills

independently.
 Jerome Bruner, another constructivist theorist and psychologist, believed that it is the

teachers responsibility to make the content of the lesson of personal interest to the students by

drawing upon their background knowledge. In doing this, the student feels connected to the

material being taught and therefore will learn and remember more readily. (Cullatta, 2015)

I believe in this whole-heartedly and you will learn by reading further into my portfolio that this

belief influenced me heavily during my studies and during my practicum. If the student has no

interest in the content matter and has no way to relate to it then it is unlikely that the child will be

successful in learning. If the teacher takes the time and plans their lessons to include relevant and

interesting materials, not only will the student be engaged, it is very likely that they will look

forward to learning more about the subject matter and remember it.

Harry Wong, an author and expert in the education field, believes that to be effective a

teacher must have excellent classroom management skills and these classroom management

skills will in turn allow students to reach the highest levels possible. Establishing and ingraining

in the students the routines and procedures they are expected to follow throughout the school day

and throughout the rest of the school year is something that must take place the moment the

school year begins. Wong believes that those teachers who do not have classroom management

end up reacting to situations rather than being prepared for them. (Starr, 2006) As with the

theorists mentioned above, Harry Wong heavily influenced me during my experience in the

classroom and in my practicum. Without classroom management, a teacher will be lost in a

world of chaos and this of course will affect how the students perform in the classroom.

Throughout my portfolio, you will find that classroom management and establishing procedures

and routines was something I very eagerly learned to do and apply.

Becoming an effective educator requires a person to truly get to know their students on a

personal level. One cannot effectively teach in a classroom if they do not focus on or care about

how their students learn, their background experiences, their interests, and their needs. A teacher

needs to be well aware that all students learn differently and at different paces and thus must

make their best efforts to make sure that the needs of all students are met. Being energetic and

passionate about not only teaching but learning as well is a quality that all teachers should

possess. Learning truly is a lifelong endeavor and for a teacher and reflecting upon that learning

is absolutely paramount in growing as an individual and as a professional. The process of

planning, instructing, and assessing in the classroom absolutely needs to take into account the

needs and interests of the students. A teacher who is knowledgeable of the curriculum,

demonstrates effective classroom management, who is knowledgeable in the subject matter, who

sets out measurable learning objectives, and aligns those learning objectives to the curriculum

will be a successful educator. I believe that these competencies and skills, and the ones

mentioned above, are all ones that I now possess and because of that I feel that I am absolutely

ready to enter into the world of teaching. In this introduction, I have introduced you to the

portfolio, its overview and rationale, and the theories, theorists, and experts that have most

influenced me in my educational journey thus far. As you continue reading you will learn how I

have connected them to my philosophy of education and to the artifacts you will examine in

section three.

The importance of this portfolio cannot be stated enough. As mentioned above, it is an

invaluable tool and resource that I will be able to draw upon not only as I begin interviewing for

a position within a school, but throughout my whole teaching career. It will allow me to reflect
upon my past, present, and future experiences as an educator, and to learn from those experiences

in a positive and constructive way. This portfolio will exhibit for you, the reader, my readiness to

utilize the knowledge and skills that I now possess in my future classroom.

Section three of this portfolio will exhibit for you the most stellar work I have produced

in the form of artifacts, section four will exhibit my knowledge of the curriculum and

professional standards and my ability to align them to the daily practice of an elementary school

teacher, section five will exhibit my ability to reflect upon my overall experiences in developing

this portfolio and of my experiences during my journey to become an educator as well as

highlight my readiness to start teaching, and section six is where I will be able to exhibit my

technology skills and artifacts visually by showcasing my technology skills in the form of my

teacher website and a simulated interview.

In section two of this portfolio, Teacher Background Experiences, I will introduce you to

my previous work experiences, as a camp leader for a Chinese school in Canada and my time as

a supervisor in an automotive plant. You will next learn about my volunteer experiences in both

Ontario and Buffalo, my practicum experiences in a third grade and a sixth-grade classroom, my

previous school experiences from elementary through to post-secondary, my philosophy of

education, and finally, my resume.