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Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts

Introduction

In this section, I will be sharing my pedagogical evidence that supports my previous

claims that I have developed the necessary skills, knowledge and preparedness to become a

successful elementary teacher. This evidence, presented in the form of artifacts, is a diverse

collection of some of my best work done throughout the M.S.Ed. program. It showcases my

ability to plan, instruct, and assess successfully while using engaging and culturally responsive

methods; my superior technology skills; my knowledge of both the US and Canadian elementary

curriculum and professional standards; and my commitment to best teaching practices and

professional development.

The artifacts I chose to include in this portfolio are all independent projects and contain

curriculum standards for both New York and Ontario. They are as follows: a SMART Board

presentation, a Pecha Kucha presentation, my Weebly website, a literacy activity, a literacy

lesson plan, an educational survey, a math learning segment, my Dignity for All Students Act

(DASA) certificate, and my classroom management fun box. Creating these artifacts involved a

great deal of work and attention to detail; however, the value of these learning experiences is

immeasurable. I am so proud of what I have accomplished so far in this program, and I am

extremely excited to share with you some of the highlights.

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Artifacts and Rationales

Artifact #1: SMART Board Author Study Presentation.

The first artifact I have included in my portfolio is an author study on Jon Scieszka. I

created this interactive presentation for a grade 4 class using the SMART Notebook software.

This presentation supports Howard Gardner’s (1991) theory of multiple intelligences. It includes

numerous interactive components that get students interested and involved in their own learning

as well as a variety of different assessments that apply to all students. For example, there is a

story read-a-loud, a number of math and literacy games for students to play (individually or as a

team), and a hands-on science activity that allows students to create a virtual frog habitat. There

is also lots of information to be learned through ‘hide and reveal’ activities.

I chose to include my SMART notebook author study because it is one of my most

challenging yet rewarding projects from this program. I feel it is a great representation of my

creativity and attention to detail, and my ability to create engaging lessons for students. Above

all, it showcases my exceptional technology skills, which I feel are a necessity in today’s

classroom. The SMART Board is an incredible tool, and now that I know how to use it—really

well—my students will benefit from my engaging, impactful and collaborative lessons.

Standards.

The NYS and Ontario standards that I believe best align with my SMART notebook

author study are as follows:

Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium Standards (InTASC).

Standard #1: Learner Development

The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of

learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social,
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emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and

challenging learning experiences.

1(b) The teacher creates developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account

individual learners’ strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and

accelerate his/her learning.

1(d) The teacher understands how learning occurs-- how learners construct knowledge,

acquire skills, and develop disciplined thinking processes--and knows how to use instructional

strategies that promote student learning.

Standard #3: Learning Environments

The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and

collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in

learning, and self-motivation.

3(g) The teacher promotes responsible learner use of interactive technologies to extend

the possibilities for learning locally and globally.

Standard #4: Content Knowledge

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the

discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the

discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

4(g) The teacher uses supplementary resources and technologies effectively to ensure

accessibility and relevance for all learners.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators.

Principal 2: Educators create, support, and maintain challenging learning environments

for all. Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know
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the curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators

develop and implement programs based upon a strong under standing of human development and

learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary

resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of

behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work

necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and

enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning

individuals who reflect upon and monitor their own learning.

Ontario Teacher Ethical Standards.

Care: The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight

for developing students' potential. Members express their commitment to students' well-being

and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.

NYS P-12 Common Core Learning Standards.

ELA and Literacy, Reading, Grade 4. RL.4.9

Integration of knowledge and ideas. 9: Compare and contrast the treatment of similar

themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in

stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.

Mathematics, Operations and Algebraic Thinking. 4.OA.3

Use the four operations with whole numbers to solve problems. 3: Solve multi-step word

problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four

operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these

problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the
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reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including

rounding.

NYS Learning Standards.

Science, Key Idea 6: Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical

environment.

6.1(e) An organism’s pattern of behavior is related to the nature of that organism’s

environment, including the kinds and numbers of other organisms present, the availability of

food and other resources, and the physical characteristics of the environment.

Life Sciences, Standard 4: The Living Environment. P-LS1-1

1: Observe familiar plants and animals (including humans) and describe what they need

to survive.

Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum Expectations.

Science and Technology, Grade 4: Understanding life systems, habitats and communities.

Understanding basic concepts. 3.1: Demonstrate an understanding of habitats as areas

that provide plants and animals with the necessities of life (e.g. food, water, air, space, and light)

Language, Writing, Grade 4: Developing and Organizing Content

Organizing ideas. 1.5: Identify and order main ideas and supporting details and group

them into units that could be used to develop a summary, using a variety of graphic organizers

(e.g., a Venn diagram, a paragraph frame) and organizational patterns (e.g. cause and effect)

Mathematics, Patterning and Algebra, Grade 4: Expressions and Equality

Determine the missing number in equations involving multiplication of one- and two-

digit numbers, using a variety of tools and strategies (e.g., modelling with concrete materials,

using guess and check with and without the aid of a calculator).
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DOE Claims and CAEP Standards.

DOE Claim 2: Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through

effective pedagogy and best teaching practices.

CAEP Standard 1: Content and Pedagogical Knowledge

The provider ensures that candidates develop a deep understanding of the critical

concepts and principles of their discipline and, by completion, are able to use discipline-specific

practices flexibly to advance the learning of all students toward attainment of college- and

career-readiness standards.

International Society for Technology Education Standards for Educators (ISTE).

Standard 2: Leader

Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and

success and to improve teaching and learning. Educators:

2(a) Shape, advance and accelerate a shared vision for empowered learning with

technology by engaging with education stakeholders

Standard 5: Designer

Educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and

accommodate learner variability. Educators:

5(b) Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use

digital tools & resources to maximize active, deep learning.

Standard 6: Facilitator

Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE

Standards for Students. Educators:

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6(b) Manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in digital platforms,

virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces or in the field.

International Society for Technology Education Standards for Students (ISTE).

Standard 1: Empowered Learner

Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and

demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.

1(a) Use technology to seek feedback that informs & improves their practice and to

demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

Standard 2: Digital Citizen

Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and

working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal

and ethical.

2(b) Engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology,

including social interactions online or when using networked devices.

Standard 3: Knowledge Constructor

Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct

knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves

and others.

3(d) Build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues & problems, developing

ideas & theories & pursuing answers & solutions.

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International Literacy Association (ILA) Professional Standards.

Standard 2: Curriculum Instruction

Candidates use foundational knowledge to critique and implement literacy curricula to

meet the needs of all learners and to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based literacy

instruction for all learners.

Standard 3: Assessment & Evaluation

Candidates understand, select, and use valid, reliable, fair, and appropriate assessment

tools to screen, diagnose, and measure student literacy achievement; inform instruction and

evaluate interventions; participate in professional learning experiences; explain assessment

results and advocate for appropriate literacy practices to relevant stakeholders.

Standard 5: Literate Environment

Candidates meet the developmental needs of all learners and collaborate with school

personnel to use a variety of print and digital materials to engage and motivate all learners;

integrate digital technologies in appropriate, safe, and effective ways; foster a positive climate

that supports a literacy-rich learning environment.

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SMART Board Author Study Presentation

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Artifact #2: Pecha Kucha.

The next artifact I included is my Pecha Kucha about traumatic brain injury (TBI). A

Pecha Kucha is a presentation where you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds, to ‘tell your

story’. It is created using PowerPoint, and the images advance automatically while you speak to

them. It is a very simple format but, as you will see form my screenshots, it is very impactful. (I

used Screencast-O-Matic to create an online version.) This format is a great example of how to

conceptualize the idiom ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’.

This presentation addresses the key factors of working with a student with TBI. It focuses

on the learning and behavioral characteristics relevant to teachers as well as educational

approaches and placement suggestions. It also suggests some books to utilize in the classroom to

help with a ‘disability discussion’, and lists some helpful websites for parents and co-teachers.

I chose this artifact because it is a great example of how to be culturally responsive and

address the needs of students with disabilities (SWD). A presentation like this could be shared

with the class of the student with TBI or with the entire school, to educate them and create an

environment of understanding and compassion (information and images could be altered to suit

the audience). As mentioned, some of the information could also benefit parents and co-teachers,

so it could also be used to inform the staff at the school. Taking the initiative to create something

like this for students, colleagues and parents demonstrates respect, empathy, fairness and

thoughtfulness.

Standards.

The NYS and Ontario standards that I believe best align with my Pecha Kucha

presentation are as follows:

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Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium Standards (InTASC).

Standard #4: Content Knowledge

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the

discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the

discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

4(g) The teacher uses supplementary resources and technologies effectively to ensure

accessibility and relevance for all learners.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators.

Principle 2: Educators create, support, and maintain challenging learning environments

for all. Educators apply their professional knowledge to promote student learning. They know

the curriculum and utilize a range of strategies and assessments to address differences. Educators

develop and implement programs based upon a strong understanding of human development and

learning theory. They support a challenging learning environment. They advocate for necessary

resources to teach to higher levels of learning. They establish and maintain clear standards of

behavior and civility. Educators are role models, displaying the habits of mind and work

necessary to develop and apply knowledge while simultaneously displaying a curiosity and

enthusiasm for learning. They invite students to become active, inquisitive, and discerning

individuals who reflect upon and monitor their own learning.

Ontario Teacher Ethical Standards.

Respect: Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.

Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their

professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice,

confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.

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DOE Claims and CAEP Standards.

DOE Claim 3: Medaille College graduates are caring educators.

CAEP Standard 1: Content and Pedagogical Knowledge

The provider ensures that candidates develop a deep understanding of the critical

concepts and principles of their discipline and, by completion, are able to use discipline-specific

practices flexibly to advance the learning of all students toward attainment of college- and

career-readiness standards.

International Society for Technology Education Standards for Educators (ISTE).

Standard 3: Citizen

Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the

digital world. Educators:

3(a) Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible

contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

International Society for Technology Education Standards for Students (ISTE).

Standard 3: Knowledge constructor

Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct

knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves

and others.

3(a) Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and

other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

3(c) Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and

methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or

conclusions.
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Council for Exceptional Children (CEC).

Principle 3: Promoting meaningful and inclusive participation of individuals with

exceptionalities in their schools and communities.

Principle 6: Using evidence, instructional data, research, and professional knowledge to

inform practice.

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Link to Pecha Kucha video: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cFiUqdF8Qt

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