Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection Guidelines

Introduction

Throughout my work experience, practicum and education at Medaille, I learned the

importance of reflections as a teacher. Previously I thought that they were tedious, redundant and

unnecessary. But as time went on, I realized that reflections are a vital aspect of teaching.

Reflections are integral to a teacher’s learning experience for various reasons. First of all,

reflections transform our experience into true learning experiences. A true learning experience

does not only allow the individual to retell the events they participated in. A true learning

experience allows an individual to analyze their experience. An individual should be able to look

back at their experience and look at the positives aspects, where they excelled, how they

achieved such great results, where improvements could have been made, and what they could

have done better.

As mentioned in the previous section of this portfolio, the Division of Education

(DOE) of Medaille are claims where graduates from Medaille College demonstrate their

potential, competencies and readiness to become to become a teacher. It organizes its courses of

study and assessment systems in the teacher education program based on the following three

claims; subject matter, pedagogy and best teaching practices and caring educators. The first

claim showcases the teacher’s knowledge on the subject matter. The second claim demonstrates

the teacher’s ability to effectively execute as a teacher and the practices that they illustrate to do

so. Lastly, the third claim gives teacher’s the opportunity to express how much they care for their

students in terms of their academic success and as individual beyond the classroom.

This section will take us through my experiences in this program as well as my

experiences writing this portfolio. I will explain how my experience displays a connection to the
DOE claims and how it can reassure administrators and hiring committees that I am ready to

enter the profession. I will cover my strengths and weaknesses throughout this process as well as

explain the next steps that can be taken to better my career.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences

As we have now reached the end of this portfolio project, I have come to the realization

that this project has been a fantastic exemplar of my preparation to entering elementary

education. In an earlier section of this project, I discuss some of my experiences that are relevant

to the teaching profession. At first, I did not think much of experiences that did not directly deal

with teaching. I believed that although they could be in school settings, the skills that were

acquired were not so significant to the profession. In spite of the completion of this project and

my reflection on this journey, I’ve come to terms with that the fact that I have learned a lot from

my experiences.

As I discussed in section two, I work as a Casual Special Educational Assistant for the

York Region District School Board. With this job, I interact with students who have various

special needs (i.e. physical, mental, emotional, academic/learning disabilities, etc.). I believe that

one of the most important aspects of this position was caring about the students’ well-being. The

teachers and staff members at one of the schools I worked at demonstrated compassion towards

their students. In spite of this, I to showed the same compassion towards the students in the

classroom (DOE Claim 3). I observed how the teachers were in constant communication with the

students’ parents. The teacher and staff members would email the parents to let them know about

their child’s progress. Both the teacher and parents would write the students’ communication

books. This book explained what the students did at school, important messages for the parents
and it also gave the parents a chance to let the teachers know if there was any incident that they

should know of that occurred at home that may affect their day(s) at school. Such practices are a

good representation of the DOE Claim 3. It truly shows how educators care for the students. The

constant communication with the family also ensures that the students are receiving the best care

and they can take precautions/further actions towards the success of the student.

Moreover, it is vital for teachers to understand that there are multiple aspects involved in

the success of the student. The students work habits, learning abilities, strengths and weakness,

etc. are all important considerations to the academic success of a student. However, sometimes,

we are unsure of the baggage and personal issues that the student may arrive to school with. In

the previous paragraph, I mention that at a school I worked at, the educators in the classroom

showed great compassion for the students and were in constant contact with the families to

analyze the child’s well-being. Unfortunately, parents and other family members may not always

know or being willing to speak about what issues the child is going through. The Child Abuse

and Maltreatment/Violence Prevention workshop provided great insight on how as educators we

can detect a child that is experiencing such issues. This workshop was important because it

allows educators to look at student issues beyond the classroom and it reveals that as teachers we

care about our students (DOE Claim 3). Educators have the ability to take action if such issues

arise to ensure the safety of our students.

When I completed my practicum for this program, one of the most important lessons I

learned was that preparation is key. Preparation is an important teaching practice to have because

it ensures that as a teacher, you are executing the best teaching instruction possible (DOE Claim

2). It enables you to foresee what will happen during the lesson, obstacles that may occur, and

materials that may be needed to support the lesson. I had numerous experiences where I provided
teaching instructions with little to no planning and it affected not only the effectiveness of the

lesson, but also the learning experience. Without proper preparation, the lessons may not run

smoothly. The teacher may find themselves preparing items throughout the lesson, start looking

for materials, etc. This can all be avoided with proper and effective planning.

Additionally, preparing ahead of time ensures that the teacher gives themselves a

thorough amount of time to review the content of the lesson. Teachers need to familiarize

themselves with the subject matter and ensure that they have become experts on the topic (DOE

Claim 1). This will not only aid in the success of the lesson, but it will also benefit the students

as well. Students will often have questions and concerns during the teaching instruction,

independent work, etc. If teachers are not confident with the subject matter, they may be unsure

of how to respond to some of the questions that may be asked. One of my artifacts was a math

lesson for a Grade 1 class on fractions. I begin the lesson by telling a story about a cookie and

how I had to share it with my brother. Due to the fact that I planned, reviewed and gained great

knowledge on the subject, I was able to provide a relevant story that was connected to the

objective of the lesson (DOE Claim 1). I also was able to provide an appropriate independent

task. Furthermore, I knew that the worksheet had some challenging questions. Knowing this, I

made mention that I would be available to answer questions while the students are completing

their work.

Readiness to Become a Teacher

The Medaille College Elementary Education program in addition to my work and

volunteer experiences are significant steps to prepare myself to become an effective teacher.

Throughout this journey, I have acquired a vast number of skills that are showcased throughout

this project. I have also obtained other skills and have learned great lessons throughout this

journey as well. As stated earlier, reflections are very important in the teaching profession. In
spite of this I believe that after my participation in various experiences, through observations and

as a result of many reflections, I am ready to enter the field.

One key point that I would love administrators to know about me is my knowledge about

classroom management. Classroom management in my opinion is one of the most important

components of being an effective teacher. It is important to have strategies to assist with

transitions in a classroom from one task to another. A strategy I find very effective is doing a

countdown. Counting down from five is a good strategy to get the students’ attention. This alerts

students that it is time to listen as well as give time to those who were in the middle of something

to finish up and now focus (DOE Claim 2). Furthermore, another strategy that could be

incorporated is pre-making groups for activities. One way I did this was by placing a colored

cube on the desk of each student. All the students with the same colored cube would be in a

group. This was effective because it limited the amount of talking amongst students when

transitioning into an activity, it ensured that no one was left out and it also saved time.

Creating lessons that were reflective of the students’ culture was a great way to connect

the students’ personal lives to school. Knowingly, this is how I demonstrated culturally

responsive teaching (DOE Claim 2). Not only can I just speak about the importance of CRT, I

also can give administrators of a personal example of when I demonstrated a practice as such.

For example, a part of the Grade 5 Ontario Curriculum is for students to understand the

components of a healthy breakfast. During my first practicum in the Junior division, one way

that I made a lesson reflective of the students’ culture was by asking each student to speak about

a cultural breakfast that they eat. The students would discuss what healthy foods groups were a

part of their breakfasts as well as what they could add to their breakfast to make it a completely
healthy meal. Creating a personal cultural connection made the lesson more tailored for each

student.

Moreover, the incorporation of technology in the classroom is another useful tool that is

quite important to teaching in present day. Children today grow up with computers, mobile

devices, tablets and other forms of technology. As a strategy to make lessons more exciting and

interactive, technology should be used often in the classrooms. Finding ways to use technology

in lessons and assessments will transform a teacher’s teaching instruction. One of the classes that

I found very useful at Medaille College was EDU 571. This was the technology course. In this

course I learned how technology can enhance a classroom and new technological resources that

can be used by students and educators (DOE Claim 1). These technological resources are not

only useful for teaching instructions, but they also can be used to assist with planning and can be

used to update parents on what is going on in the classrooms. I remember when I was teaching

during my practicum, I gave students the opportunity to use technology to complete their

assignment. While teaching the alcohol unit, the final project for the students were to create a

Public Service Announcement (PSA) poster to help young students refuse alcohol. Students used

the internet to find images, research statistics and facts and view other examples of PSA posters.

Moreover, after I finished teaching perimeter and area, instead of the students completing

worksheets and textbook work as review for their unit quiz, I created an online activity on

Kahoot. Kahoot is an educational online resource where students can work in teams and compete

against each other to answer questions. This is a fun way for students to review various concepts

using technology. This course as well as completing this portfolio has brought be great insight on

about ISTE Standards (DOE Claim 1). As explained earlier in this project, these standards

provide a framework for students educators, administrators, coaches and computer science
educators to create innovative learning environments with the inclusion of technology in the

classrooms. The standards provide knowledge and guidance for teachers as to how they can use

technology to teach, engage students and creative ways to assess students.

I believe that another major lesson I learned throughout my experience, especially as I

was in the classrooms was building a relationship with the students (DOE Claim 3). I have the

ability to make personal connections with the students and relate various lessons to my personal

life. When students find the teacher relatable, it makes it easier for them to communicate with the

teachers. It also encourages a safe learning environment where students can open up with their

teachers as well as trust them.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this section thoroughly reflected on my experience in the Elementary

Education program at Medaille College, as well as my experience completing this project. This

reflection discusses the significance of reflecting as a teacher, my observations and lessons

learned. As educators, there is always room for improvement. We may look back at experiences

and praise our achievements and strengths, but we should also think about what steps can be

taken the next time to be even better. We will always be faced with new challenges, different

students, teach an array of subject matter, etc. Knowingly, educators should constantly have

moments of reflection.