Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection Guidelines

Introduction:

Creating this Capstone Portfolio and my Masters of Elementary Education Program has

been a humbling and revealing experience. As I cultivate the core elements of teaching to empower

students’ growth, simultaneously, I am honored and humbled to be in a teacher’s position to guide

students become the best version of themselves through education. Teaching is a rewarding career,

where the trophies are student success in academic growth, social growth, and emotional growth.

My education program has provoked in –depth inquiries in education, necessary research skills,

student teaching practicums to learn more from experienced teachers within the field of education,

and for the reveal of theories come to life in the classroom community.

Also, the recognition that education is global. Becoming more worldly through travel and

research will develop the teacher’s understanding of other school systems in our world is essential

for high quality teaching. Recognizing success and limitations of other school systems

internationally, while critically analyzing and comparing our nation’s education system with other

countries will reveal more insight. This insight will enhance our teaching strategies, creativity, and

resources for professional growth by becoming more exposed and aware of more methods to

support student learning around the world.

Portfolio Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences:

My experiences in education from my Masters of Elementary Education Program has

brought much insight as I developed my pedagogy of teaching. Throughout my education program

I had the honor of learning from experienced professors with classroom experience. Their
knowledge and wisdom of education has deepened my appreciation of becoming a teacher.

Through assigned readings, lectures, and assignments I have been able to make discoveries in

education to teach to the diverse learning needs of the students. Additionally, I have learned why

discrepancy gaps develop in some students learning, and how the teacher can plan to close or

decrease this discrepancy gap. I have met the DOE Claims and CAEP Standards throughout my

education program, for my professors have graded my learning accordingly. My assignments from

my education program has been aligned and evaluated from the DOE Claims and CAEP Standards

as my professors have ensured their expectations have been incorporated into my grading

assessments.

In addition my experiences, research, and observation upon the importance of classroom

management for the emotional well –being of students and their academic success is strongly

correlated. Throughout my education program, professors in each class has emphasized the

necessity of a harmonious and respectful class; for emotional security and safety to elicit more

active student participation as they learn. Also, during my education program we visited a middle

school program for students whose abilities had an advantage, while being economically

disadvantage. The observations from this program was; students in one group who demonstrated

respectful and positive body language actively participated significantly more than a different

group of students who did not demonstrate respectful nor positive body language. As a result, the

teacher with the group of students who demonstrated respectful and positive body language dove

into the curricular content quicker. Verses, the students who did not demonstrate respectful and

positive body language, this group was not as participative and the teacher had to discuss the

importance of respect and empowering each other more extensively. Therefore, due to the lack of

respectful and positive body language, students did not feel emotionally secure nor safe to
participate. Thus, the teacher had to spend more time to build emotional security and trust, before

learning could begin. This informs me as a teacher the vitality of building and maintaining an

emotionally secure and safe learning community for students, starting on the first day of school.

Establishing this will develop students emotionally, socially, and academically as it illustrates best

practices to develop student success as a whole.

My lesson planning, instructional practices, and assessments completed during my

education program have influenced the creation of this education portfolio. Throughout my

education program I have planned, instructed, and assessed student learning through prior in –class

experience with my classmates, then on student placement. Prior in –class experience of how to

plan, instruct, and asses student learning before placement began was insightful. Through

professional reflection, collaborating, and implementing ideas, as well as, strategies to improve

student learning with classmates has developed my critical analysis of teaching. Professional

reflection, critical analysis, and re –evaluation of student learning, along with best teaching

practices are key elements of teaching. The in –class experience has deepened my awareness the

core elements of teaching. Additionally, my two student teaching placements practicum has

enhanced my understanding of the core elements of teaching and the importance of learning about

theorists during my in –class education program. Teaching is more than planning, instructing,

assessing, and reflecting; it is also getting students motivated to learn. Understanding the students’

diversity in educational experiences, their parents or legal guardian’s educational experiences,

along with their social and emotional state will tremendously influence their motivation to learn.

Courses during my education program has ignited my awareness of the different influences student

motivation is impacted. These discoveries were learned through theorists, experts, and research.

This has taught me the powerful correlation of Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy and student
achievement. Thus, it is important to foster a sense of belonging, security, and trust amongst

students and to create a positive and safe dynamic of the classroom community. The importance

of Piaget’s constructivism approach, along with Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development, and

how these theorist’s discoveries are incorporated into best practices for student success were taught

in my education program. My two student teaching placement practicum brought the theory to life

as I witnessed and connected discoveries from theorists, experts, and research to understand the

diverse influences of student motivation and achievement. Through a deeper and appreciative

understanding of student motivation has developed my research skills, critical thinking skills, and

creativity skills to inspire students to learn despite any obstacles. Fostering student motivation by

modeling enthusiasm, valuing their opinions, and encouraging student ideas had created a safe,

positive, trusting, and inquisitive learning environment. It is essential to provide students with life

skills, this is embedded within the curricular standards. However, resilience and persevere to be

successful, outweighs talent. Therefore, understanding student motivation and inspiring to

motivate students is a life skill they must attain in order to be successful in the future. If we teach

by encouraging student motivation it will ignite a passion for lifelong learning. They will develop

resilience, confidence, and perseverance to independently motivate themselves as adults despite

any obstacles; for they have successfully overcome obstacles in the past. Through my lesson

teaching experiences in my education program I have continuously reflected upon my best

practices as an educator for classroom management strategies, emotional well –being of students,

and lesson components to develop student success.

Learning about the evolution of the educational system, and Jon Dewey’s motion of change

to evolve the school system from authoritative to progressive by focusing on the student’s interests

and needs has brought much insight. Understanding the direction and purpose the school system
is progressing towards, as well as, the person who elicited this movement is vital information. This

understanding allows the teacher to reflect upon the necessity for this change and the best interest

of the students to be able to adjust their best teaching practices accordingly.

Lastly, recognizing that education is international is a key element in professional growth.

Conducting research educational systems in different countries around the world has significant

benefit for the teacher as they become worldly. This enables a teacher to learn teaching benefits

that may be incorporated into their classroom. Also, the teacher will learn about limitations of

school systems around the world, this will enable the teacher to discover how these limitations

exist, and recognize if their school system has the same limitations. Becoming worldly by learning

about different educational school systems is a reflective and research based process. Comparing

and analyzing multiple school systems of the world broadens more awareness as the teacher thinks

more critically and creatively how to interpret the different systems, by adjusting their best

practices to incorporate best practices used worldly. This will only benefit the students as they will

be exposed and experience an array of best practices used not only in their country, but in multiple

countries as their dedicated teacher has their best interest at heart.

Readiness to Become a Teacher

My passion for learning, dedication to persevere, positive attitude, and resilience are three

core personality traits I possess that makes me successful in any situation I would endeavor. My

passion and love for children, along with my personality traits are qualities that would make me

an exceptional teacher. My understanding of the vitality of planning in order to have effective

instructions; using the interests of the students to captivate their interests, and to plan continuous

assessments to evaluate and re –evaluate student learning makes me an effective teacher.

Additionally, my experience with classroom management as I have been a teaching partner in

kindergarten for a public school board in Ontario for four years is proof of my abilities to manage

a classroom as a teacher. Along with new strategies and insight discovered throughout my

education program has developed and strengthened my awareness and understanding of how to

promote pro –social behavior amongst students. In addition, throughout my courses and student

teaching practicum I have demonstrated my abilities to conduct research through assignments, and

throughout my student teaching practicum to learn more skills and strategies to support student

success.

My pursuit to learn more about technology and incorporate it into the classroom is another

quality skill I have implemented. During my student teaching practicum my primary and junior

geometry mathematics learning segment I designed included technology throughout. Through the

use of IPADS students were architects and created a digital portfolio to document their formative

learning. The use of technology was an enjoyable and different way for students to demonstrate

their learning as they also applied their learning through the three learning styles. Also, technology

was a discrete method to be inclusive for students with modifications and accommodations.

Students with diverse learning abilities needed to use the IPADS as part of their accommodations

and modifications to assist them with reading and writing, for they could audio and video record

their learning. I purposefully blended the learning accommodations and modifications of these

students with the class through technology. My planned accommodations and modifications

illustrates sensitivity and inclusiveness to the diverse needs of the students. Since all students in

the class were using the IPADS to document their trajectory of learning, providing the IPADS for

students who required them was undetectable by the rest of the students in the class. By doing this,

I have simultaneously nurtured the trust of these students by promoting security, value, and
belonging to the classroom community. Developing the trust of these students also creates a pro –

social learning environment for the classroom community for the dynamics of learning are safe,

reinsuring all students that no one will be isolated for any difference we all possess. This type of

positive community dynamics provides students with important life skills of acceptance and

kindness of others. Overtime, with more encouragement and experience these vital life skills will

be applied more frequently in more social settings in life, until they become second nature to

develop student into respectful adults. Lastly, I taught culturally responsive to the community the

students reside in, along with building on prior knowledge. Culturally responsive teaching is

important as it gives learning purpose and students understand how it is applied to the world around

them. Additionally, building upon prior knowledge is vital for student understanding. Beginning

with prior knowledge, then gradually building on complexity while connecting learning to the

world around them, using differentiated teaching strategies and manipulatives provides a deeper

conceptual understanding as learning is purposeful and reinforced. This will promote student

motivation as they drive their learning forward to be more inquisitive of their learning as they

make discoveries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, teaching is a refined art that is continuously evolving around the best interest

of the students. It is the duty of a teacher to continuously research to support students academically

and emotionally, and to create a positive dynamic in the classroom community to motivate multiple

domains of learning in a safe environment. Establishing and maintain this dynamic students will

be motivated and emotionally ready to learn. Thus, the teacher’s plans, differentiated instructions,

and continuous assessments student learning will be maximized. For students to make discoveries
using detective skills to achieve their goals both academically and socially. The next section of

this portfolio is a ten minute interview to answer interview questions on my pedagogy of teaching.