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Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artefacts

Introduction
Thus far, this portfolio has shown my journey as an educator through my education,
volunteer, work and student teaching experiences. I have expressed my sentiments toward
teaching and learning, the curriculum and the importance of building meaningful relationships
with students and members of the school community, especially through my philosophy of
education. However, these experiences and emotions about education as well as my ambitions
toward being the best educator I can be for the students I will have, mean little without evidence
of how to put these principles into practice. This section will contain artefacts from my Masters
of Science of Elementary Education for Canadian Teachers at Medaille College as well as from
my student teaching placements that support how I have developed various skills related to many
facets of teaching from planning, instructing and assessing to meaningful engagement and from
using technology effectively to accommodating the needs and abilities of each learner. The
artefacts are evidence that support my knowledge of curriculum, that demonstrate my abilities
and that validate that I have the skills and preparedness to teach in the elementary classroom, no
matter where that classroom may be.
No artefact should exhibit a single teacher competency because none are isolated. Lesson
plans and the day-to-day functioning of a classroom must address planning, teaching and
assessment as well as the accommodations and modifications for students that can only be
implemented once you have built relationships with them to know how you can best help them.
My first artefact will showcase all of these abilities and more. It will show my abilities to plan,
teach and assess my students as well as accommodations and modifications for English as a New
Language learners (ENL) and Students with Disabilities (SWD). It is a grade two/three

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introductory lesson about money. In this lesson, I effectively address the variety of needs and
abilities of my students, and utilise many different teaching methods to actively engage them all.
My second artefact exhibits both assessment and accommodation for learning styles. It is
a cross-curricular Media Literacy and Social Studies mid-unit assessment which utilises research
skills and knowledge and appropriate application of audience, purpose and media type in order
for students to delve deeper into a variety of topics covered in the Canadian Government and
Responsible Citizenship unit. While there were specific expectations, students were given
relative freedom to decide whether they would like to work independently or in a group
(intrapersonal or interpersonal according to Gardners Multiple Intelligences). Additionally, they
could create a variety of media types that would best reflect their strengths and chose from a
variety of topics that they found most interesting and thus that they would best be able to present.
For this project, I wanted to ensure that every student had a chance to succeed given their
personal strengths and interests. The results (not shown) were phenomenal and reflected each
students or groups abilities and interests.
The third artefact is a compilation of academic applications for the iOS gathered for
EDU571. Technology is an important component in the elementary classroom because it
encourages student engagement with the subject content and gives students the opportunity to
use technology in meaningful ways. This artefact demonstrates my comfort with implementing
technology with elementary students and the ability for it to become a useful engagement tool.
Technology plays an important role in the modern world and using it as a learning tool prepares
students for the benefits of using technology in life.
My fourth artefact is an educational research survey aimed at assessing the social and
emotional well-being within the classroom and school community. My survey aimed to assess

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how student victims of bullying in primary and junior grades feel at school, about school and
about their bully before incidences of bullying and after incidences of bullying. The findings
were indicative the need to adequately support the bully and the victim throughout the process
and my suggestions were in social and emotional learning being integrated into the classroom
routine as well as restorative justice for the bully. This artefact exemplifies my professional
ability to conduct academic, qualitative and quantitative research, to analyse the findings and to
develop meaningful solutions.
The fifth artefact I chose to include is an engagement lesson plan. This virtual field trip
was originally created for EDU503, but was edited to be used with the students during my first
student teaching placement. It is important because it exemplifies how I can differentiate the
activities to provide the students with hands on, (virtual) experiential knowledge. These are the
activities that are most memorable and the most fun, and often distract from the fact that learning
is even taking place. I chose this activity because not only did I have fun putting it together, but
when I got to implement it in the classroom, I was able to witness the same interest and
excitement in my students. Teaching is worthwhile when you can witness this joy and learning
happening before your eyes.
My sixth artefact is the cultural experience field trip and lesson plan. It begins with an
analysis of the different areas of culturally responsiveness within the film Spellbound, and
progresses to create a fieldtrip that would appropriately engage and respect one of those areas (of
culturally responsive teaching). This proves that I am able to identify the need for culturally
responsive teaching (CRT) as well as the ability to implement it without stigmatising or
ostracising those individuals. It is my firm belief that the things that make us all different are the
things that make us special, and further, that the things that perhaps may marginalise us are also

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the things that can have the most positive powers to propel us toward greatness. This is, I think,
also inherent in the growth mindset. As you read about this artefact you will also be able to
recognise how I strive to understand these differences in my students and use them to build up
confidence and a sense of belonging to a community and acceptance.
The seventh artefact I chose to use were two curriculum maps created during a
professional development day in-service at my second student teaching placement. The creation
of these maps aided in greater understanding of the curriculum for those units, as well as how to
teach and assess those concepts. This artefact demonstrates planning for instruction and
continued familiarity with curriculum. It aids in planning when and how to teach and the
different engagement tools that can be utilised through the lessons as well as for assessment. This
artefact is a useful tool to my teaching practice because it has the ability to help make the lessons
more engaging by connecting individual lessons to the more important big ideas. The curriculum
map also helped me to see how specific expectations were all related and how that relationship
could support individual concepts and lessons by linking them to commonalities as a means of
supporting instruction.
My eighth artefact is a grade two literacy lesson plan created in my first semester for
EDL550. This lesson plan was the first that I put together during my Masters of Science of
Elementary Education for Canadian Teachers at Medaille College. In this assignment, I
specifically focused on two things: the first was the curriculum standards presented to grade twos
learning about fairy tales (specifically, the traits of those characters), the second was how I could
accommodate for struggling students. I chose to present this artefact because it has a good lesson
plan and specific accommodations for struggling students, but when compared with some of my
other lessons presented it also shows the growth I have made professionally in such a short

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period of time. I have expressed that I wish to be a life-long learner, this includes improving my
lesson planning and developing new and engaging ways of supporting struggling students.
The ninth, and final artefact that I have chosen to include in this portfolio is my pecha
kucha presentation about oppositional defiant disorder, originally created for ESP600
Foundations of Special Education. I firmly believe that as a classroom teacher you can never
know enough about the special needs of each of your students. I chose ODD because it is an
extreme behavioural disorder, but one where if the teacher is knowledgeable of the triggers can
be well managed. Additionally, all of our students will have behaviours that educators will need
to learn to understand and accommodate. We expect certain behaviours from our students, and
some of us are more well-prepared to accept, tolerate or deal with other behaviours from our
students. This artefact gives reasons for extreme behaviours as well as gives the teacher
information for accommodating those behaviours and supporting those students.
Artefacts & Rationales
Each artefact presented in this section is material evidence that supports my competencies
as an educator. Each artefact demonstrates how I have merged my personal philosophies with
educational theories and pedagogy in order to create an inclusive and supportive classroom
atmosphere while aiming at teaching the curriculum standards in a way that is meaningful to all
my students, no matter where their interests or abilities may lie. My artefacts demonstrate the
relationships I have built with my students, as I strive to include them while I plan lessons and
create assessments. This section will no doubt prove that I have a well-rounded approach toward
education, where pedagogy must meet theory and be approached with the correct attitude.
[Back to Table of Contents]

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Artefact #2: Media Literacy and Social Studies Cross-Curricular Assessment

With this artefact, I intend to demonstrate teacher competencies related to assessment
including use of appropriate assessment, providing relevant choice given the subject matter and
knowledge of the strengths, learning styles and interests of the students. This was a mid-unit
assessment that intended to provide students the opportunity to link the brief media literacy unit
with several concepts taught during social studies. Students were expected to select a topic,
identify the audience to whom they would be presenting their topic, determine the purpose of
their presentation (to persuade, inform or entertain the audience) and create an appropriate media
presentation of their choosing. During each presentation, the remaining students, my associate
teacher and myself took on the role of the identified audience.
While there were clear expectations regarding the media literacy and topical research
requirements, students were given many liberties with how to approach the subject. The
suggested topics were those that I had taught already in the unit, the suggested media types were
ones that I knew my students would enjoy, most suggested with a specific student(s) in mind;
skits for the interpersonal students, speeches for the independent workers and posters for the
artistic students. The aim was to engage the students with a topic that they found interesting and
relevant and to have them perform meaningful research to substantiate what they had already
been taught in a conventional classroom setting. They were given the opportunity to inform
themselves in order to become the more knowledgeable other (Vygotsky) and share that
newfound knowledge with their peers. Their peers were not innocent bystanders, but they took
on the role of the audience identified by the presenters and asked relevant questions or gave
appropriate feedback. The assessment was popular, with all students asking for time to work on

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their research or media presentation. In the end, the students demonstrated a high level of
understanding of the expectations and the subject matter, and I was proud of their final products.
This lesson cross-curricular project demonstrates my preparedness to assess effectively,
while keeping in mind the strengths and interests of the students. To me, it is most important to
assess what the students know rather than what they dont know. Putting this project together
involved determining which curricula expectations I was assessing and knowing my students
interests, learning styles, strengths and weaknesses and developing a project that would bring
meaning to relevant topics in the unit. I connected it to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment
Support Consortium Standards Standard #2: learning differences, Standard #5: application of
content and Standard #6: assessment. The Ontario Teacher Ethical Standard utilised was Respect,
as the social studies unit focused on responsible citizenship and students engaged with social
justice topics that affected them personally and socially. Additionally, I kept in mind the New
York State Code of Ethics Standards for Educators Principle #1, to nurture the intellectual
social and civic potential of every student. Keeping curriculum expectations as well as social
responsibility in mind created a learning opportunity that was meaningful and relevant. Each
student was given the opportunity to learn, teach and succeed and to make meaningful
discoveries about the social and political atmosphere surrounding them day-to-day.

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Canadian Government & Responsible Citizenship

Media Literacy Project
What do you feel are the most important aspects of Canadian
government and responsible citizenship?
- How can you share your knowledge and your research with
others?
- Who do you want to share this knowledge with?
- What message are you trying to convey?
The purpose of this assignment is to choose a topic, relevant to
Canadian government and responsible citizenship, conduct
research and share what you know with an audience (suggested
topics are listed below). You are to think about the purpose your
media presentation will have (to persuade, to inform or to
entertain), as well as who your audience will be (adults, peers,
potential immigrants etc). Once you have done this, you can
begin to think about the best method to convey your message
(suggested media forms are listed below). What media forms do
you know? How can you use them to support your purpose?

List of Topics
Levels of Government: roles
and responsibilities
Immigration
Refugees
Becoming a Canadian Citizen
What it means to be
Canadian
Charter of Right of Freedoms:
(Rights we have, rights
people dont have)
Approval of free choice

Types of Media Forms

Individual: Collage or
poster, pamphlet
Partners: Interviews (live or
filmed) News clip, pamphlets
Group: News broadcast,
commercial, newspaper
Approval of free choice

What is the topic you have chosen to present? What is the

purpose of presenting this topic?

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____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Who is your intended audience? What do you want them to take
away from engaging with your media assignment?

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
What media form(s) would convey your message and support
your intended purpose most effectively? Why is the form(s) you
chose the best way to deliver the message to your audience?

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________

Social Studies and Media Literacy Project Rubric

SKILL

Level 1

Time
Manageme

Student(s) did
not utilise class

Level 2
Student(s)
sometimes

Level 3
Student(s)
often utilised

Level 4
Student(s)
always utilised

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nt and
Planning

/5

Topic

time to
research
aspects of their
topic or to plan
an effective
media
presentation.
Student(s) did
not have any
focused topic.

/10

Research
/5

Purpose
/5

Audience
/5

utilised class
time wisely to
research
aspects of their
topic or to plan
an effective
media
presentation.
Student(s)
chose either an
irrelevant topic
or unrelated
subtopics.

Student(s) did
not support
their topic or
subtopic with
any facts or
research.

Student(s)
used few
sources to
gather
information.
Some topics or
subtopics were
not supported
with any facts.

Student(s) did
not select a
purpose or
selected a
purpose that
was not
appropriate for
the chosen
topic.

Student(s)
selected a
purpose that
was not
effectively
demonstrated
throughout
their planning,
research and
media
presentation.

Student(s) did
not select an
audience or
selected an
audience that
was not
appropriate for

Student(s)
selected an
audience that
was not
effectively
considered
throughout

10
class time
wisely to
research
aspects of their
topic and to
plan an
effective media
presentation.
Student(s)
chose a
relevant topic
and more than/
fewer than
three (3)
related
subtopics.
Student(s)
used a variety
of sources to
gather
information. All
topics and
subtopics were
supported with
facts (less than
5).
Student(s)
selected an
appropriate
purpose and
maintained
that purpose
through most
aspects of their
planning,
research and
media
presentation.

class time
wisely to
research all
aspects of their
topic and to
plan an
effective media
presentation.
Student(s)
chose a
relevant topic
and three (3)
related
subtopics.

Student(s)
selected an
appropriate
audience and
gathered and
conveyed
research that

Student(s)
selected an
appropriate
audience and
gathered and
conveyed
research that

Student(s)
used a variety
of resource
types to gather
information. All
topics and
subtopics were
supported with
a minimum of
five (5) facts.
Student(s)
selected an
appropriate
purpose and
maintained
that purpose
throughout
their planning,
research and
media
presentation.

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the chosen
topic.

Media
Type
/10

Presentati
on
/10

Student(s) did
not select an
appropriate
media type to
convey the
topics purpose
to the selected
audience.

their planning,
research and
media
presentation.
Student(s)
selected a
media type
that did not
always convey
the purpose
and audience
of the topic.

Student(s)
presented their
topic, often
without clear
voice or
enthusiasm.
Presentation
demonstrated
little or no
preparation
and moderate
comprehension
of the topic.

Student(s)
presented their
topic, often
without clear
voice or
enthusiasm.
Presentation
demonstrated
some
preparation
and moderate
comprehension
of the topic.

11
way mostly
appropriate for
their audience.

was
appropriate for
their audience.

Student(s)
selected an
appropriate
media type to
convey the
topics purpose
to the selected
audience.
Purpose and
audience were
mostly
apparent.
Student(s)
presented their
topics
research with
clear voice,
and
enthusiasm.
Presentation
demonstrated
preparation
and
comprehension
of the topic.

Student(s)
selected an
appropriate
media type to
convey the
topics purpose
to the selected
audience.
Purpose and
audience were
apparent
throughout.
Student(s)
presented their
topics
research
thoroughly with
clear voice,
and
enthusiasm
throughout.
Presentation
demonstrated
preparation
and
comprehension
of the topic.