Section One: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project

Introduction, Overview and Rationale

Why do I want to be a teacher? When graduating high school, I had no idea what I

wanted a career in. I struggled, asking myself, what I am passionate about? One month before

post-secondary school was to begin for others, I finally saw what was always in front of me. It

was teaching! Every job or task that I took on, as early as a 10-year-old child, involved being

around children and it was what truly made me happy. This is where I felt I belonged and could

truly make a difference.

The purpose to creating this educational portfolio, is to share with you with my passion

for education and to be provided with the opportunity to display my areas of strength and

competencies as an educator. My goal, is that through this journey, I will be able to confidently

show my abilities as an educator in a beneficial light to all prospective employers. This

educational portfolio will show my learning and growth throughout my professional

development, while also focusing on my dedication towards education today.

The intention of this portfolio is to give insight to the person that is reading it and to

follow through my journey from beginning, middle and end, to becoming an exceptional

educator. My personal experiences, best practices, skill sets and extensive knowledge of teaching

will be presented in this educational portfolio. While creating this portfolio, I paused to reflect on

my own experiences as a student. It is through this reflection that I was able to recall the

teachers that made my school experiences positive and helped form my passion for learning from

then to now. On reflecting about all my years as a student, I have been reminded of the

wonderful teachers that had touched my life in a positive manner. It is these teachers that I have

never forgotten and that has made a lasting impression on me. These are the educators that
pushed me to be the best version of myself and to not give up even when things seemed

impossible. They modeled and guided me down the correct path both academically and

emotionally. It is through the guidance and mentorship of my teachers, that had shaped my

passion to support others in achieving their goals. It is those encounters that followed me

throughout life that inspired me to become a teacher. The philosophy of education was different

to what it is today. When I attended school, information was taught and we sat and listened,

memorized and then repeated. There were a few teachers that were thinking outside the box and

those are the teachers that I identified with as a student. They were the ones that were supportive

and nurturing and taught the forward thinking of today, which is hands on and inquiry base

learning. Instead of being the master of content and the head of the class, these teachers were

partners in learning. It isn’t just about standing in front of a class, grading assignments or tests,

it is about educators welcoming students in and providing all the necessary tools that are needed

in order to succeed. My elementary portfolio will show that I, as a teacher candidate, have

developed many of the skills and competencies that is needed to be an effective educator.

This elementary portfolio is composed of six sections, which includes an introduction to

the portfolio project, my personal background experiences, eight to ten artifacts, alignment with

the curriculum as well as professional standards, a reflection, and concludes with a teacher

candidate interview video. As a student at Medaille College, graduating from the Master of

Science in Education program, I was provided with the opportunity to attend classes that the

main purpose was to mold, shape and strengthen both old and new skills. These skills are needed

in order to be a well-rounded educator with the extensive knowledge of the necessary disciplines

to be an educator that can make a difference.

As a future teacher, I feel it is crucial to show that I understand all areas of competencies,
big or small, where students are able to be successful both in and out of classroom. The areas that

will be addressed are; the areas of planning, instruction, assessment, technology, learner

accommodations, culturally responsive teaching and diversity, classroom management,

professional collaboration, professional and curriculum standards, a most importantly

professional development. The knowledge of the learner and recognizing that everyone is

different, will help when planning the learning environment, individualizing lesson plans, use of

best practices, choosing appropriate teaching practices, help students grow, and selecting

meaningful assessments.

Portfolio Development

There are six sections in the Elementary Portfolio Project, which are Teacher Candidate

Portfolio Project Introduction, which is what you are reading now, Teacher Candidate

Background Experiences, Teacher Candidate Artifacts, Alignment to the Curriculum and

Professional Standards, Teacher Candidate Reflection, and Teacher Candidate Interview Video.

Below will briefly describe what is expected in each area.

Section One: Teacher Candidate Portfolio Project Introduction

The purpose of this section is to introduce the other areas of the portfolio to the reader as

well as making connections to teacher competencies such as planning, instruction, assessment,

technology, engagement, accommodations, culturally responsive teaching, classroom

management, collaboration and curriculum standards. This section also addresses my

competency to teach in the field of education.

Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

In this section, I have outlined my educational and work-related experiences while

making connections to the best practices and theories that have influenced me as an educator.

Artifacts are included in this section such as my resume, lesson plans, and my experience as a

kindergarten teacher in the province of Ontario. Other pieces of evidence include my philosophy

of education, where I have outlined the influence of three theorists, John Dewey, Johann

Pestalozzi and Maria Montessori that have shaped my practices as an educator. This section will

give you the opportunity to follow the journey that has brought me here and how I have utilized

my educational experiences to my work as an educator.

Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts

In section three, pedagogical evidence is shown through experiences that were provided

through Medaille College from the coursework that I produced. The artifacts included, draw

attention to my competence in creating meaningful learning experiences for all students.

Connections will be made to theorists as well as best teaching practices. Artifacts such as unit

plans, surveys, research projects and analyses, SMART Notebook presentations, Google

Classroom presentations, and certificates of professional development will be included as

evidence of my proficiency as an educator. The evidence provided will show my ability to work

as educator with the necessary tools to do so.

Section Four: Alignment to the Curriculum and Professional Standards

This section highlights my knowledge of and the ability to align curriculum and

professional standards to the daily work that is expected of me as an educator through the

connection of the artifacts chosen. This section will allow the reader to view my understanding

of best teaching practices, and the importance I place on myself to be a nurturing and supportive

educator.

Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection

 Section five will demonstrate my skills and abilities in regard to reflective practices. It is

important to take time to reflect on previous experiences that allows an individual to understand

the benefits of making changes whenever needed in order to achieve best teaching practices.

Reflective practice allows me to reassess all areas that could be improved upon such as

classroom management, making accommodations, and implementing appropriate assessments.

Section Six: Teacher Candidate Teacher Interview Video

The Teacher Candidate Interview Video is a mock interview for a job where in I will

display my work, and answer questions similar to those that can be expected at a job interview.

This will provide me with the opportunity to show my knowledge and connections to artifacts,

standards, strategies, and professional practices. The video allows me to verbally explain the

educator competencies that I have discussed throughout the portfolio.

Theories, Theorists and Experts in the Field of Education

The most meaningful theorists that I identify with, are John Dewey, Johann Pestalozzi

and Maria Montessori. Firstly, John Dewy, believed that the most effective process was the

scientific method for solving problems. Using the scientific method, allows students to learn

how to think reflectively and develop critical thinking skills which would help develop personal

and social growth. (Gutek et al. 2017) I believe that using the scientific approach offers the

opportunity for students to approach learning through a critical lens and to question the things in

their world. Secondly, Johann Pestalozzi, believed that learning took place in a caring and

emotionally healthy environment and that lessons were taught from children’s experiences in

their environment. (Gutek et al. 2017). It is with this concept in mind, that I believe today’s

learning should not be behind a desk but instead, using hands-on and inquiry base approach.

Lastly, Maria Montessori, advocated for preparing the student’s environment with practical
experiences from their lives. (Gutek et al. 2017). This approach is seen in today’s education

through inquiry-based learning. No longer should we see prescribed lessons repeated over and

over, but instead we should see the same concepts, but student directed, in how it is taught. For

example, young students need to learn to write letters and to eventually form words. Instead of

sitting them down and making them write the letter over and over and memorizing it, activities

can be created around their interest to get the same results.

Conclusion

Section One of the Elementary Portfolio Project serves as an introduction, highlighting

what you can expect of me throughout the portfolio. It is my goal that this portfolio will show

you that I am an excellent educator, well versed in many different areas that relate to the field of

education. Over these years I have worked in many different environments, including being an

educator in a kindergarten classroom, which has allowed my philosophy and pedagogy to grow

and influence the type educator I strive to be. You will be given the opportunity to see the

artifacts that I felt would showcase my strengths in planning, instruction, technology, learning

accommodations, classroom management, professional collaboration and my ability to be

cultural responsive within a classroom. These artifacts will elaborate on my driving force to be a

versatile teacher and a lifelong learner to adapt to the needs of my students.