Section Two:

Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

Throughout section two of my portfolio, I will share some of my experiences in life that

have directed me to choose a career in education. I will include my educational background and

share some of my work experiences that have helped shape the type of educator I hope to be. I

incorporate a description of some of the classroom observations I have made as well as teachers

and best practices that have inspired me and how I hope to apply them in the classroom. Section

two contains my philosophy of education that demonstrates what I believe and value as an

educator. Finally, I have included a copy of my resume which contains the abridged highlights of

my professional life, demonstrating the experiences I’ve had and that I am well-prepared to earn

my teaching certification.

Teacher Candidate Educational Background

I do not remember much about my early years in school, but I know that I loved the

social aspect of school. I grew up in a large family, so was always surrounded by people, but it

was so nice to spend time with other kids the same age as me. I loved walking with my friends to

and from the bus stop; I loved group activities in the classroom; I loved field trips; I loved when

my teachers took the time to get to know me. Most of my memories from school had absolutely

nothing to do with the academic learning, but the environment itself. School was a place of

friendship, where second families were formed, and where I was taught innumerable lessons that

helped shape who I am as a person.

 My family moved to Israel just before I started first grade, and we stayed until about half-

way through my fifth-grade year; while we lived there, I went to a private American school, which

is where most of my school memories were made. The majority of my teachers during that time

were teachers from the United States who paid their own way to come to Israel to teach for a period

of time. When I was in 3rd grade, I had a teacher named Miss M. who is the earliest teacher that I

can actually vividly remember, as she impacted me greatly. Miss M. was one of the kindest

teachers I have ever had. I remember that my class was a smaller group with only 4 girls and many

more energetic boys. Most of the students at the school were Arab students whose second language

was English, so it was not an easy dynamic for a foreign teacher with a group comprised of almost

all ESL students. Miss M. never once raised her voice at the group and she treated us with such

care and respect. She would listen when I spoke, as if I was the most important person in the world,

and I know she made the other students feel the same. Then after many years, after I had finished

my undergrad, we ended up reconnecting over Facebook, along with the rest of my classmates; we

all received a message from her with a scanned copy of a worksheet that we had all completed in

the 3rd grade that she had saved, titled “When I Grow Up”. It was an amazing thing to see that my

favorite teacher had saved one of our worksheets to send to use when we were older; I was moved

to say the least. I have always considered her as my favorite teacher, but it is now as I reflect as an

adult that I truly understand how remarkable Miss M. was and how much she has inspired me and

helped shape the type of educator I hope to become.

It was in High School that I started taking my academics seriously; prior to that, I was

happy with a “B” and getting to spend time with my friends. I am not sure exactly when it

happened, but in a school with many more people than my earlier classmates, I started to excel. I

had teachers who encouraged me, and I started working much harder and desiring more and more
knowledge. I loved the fact that I could choose my own electives, and I am sure that choosing my

preferred classes had a greater effect on my grades. My favorite classes were Law and World

Issues, both of which I became very passionate about. I became quite zealous about justice,

particularly international social justice, as my teachers had been quite passionate and inspiring,

their influence led me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus in

International Relations.

Teacher Candidate Work Experiences

I have always loved working with kids. The first job I had was as the neighborhood

babysitter! By the time I was 13, I would volunteer with the childcare at church, help run different

children’s events and camps, and then later teach Sunday school. The summer I turned 15, I started

working at an overnight summer camp, and I ended up working at this camp every Summer after

that until my second year of university. I learned so much while working at summer camp; I was

working with a new group of kids every week leading a group to their activities during the day and

then was responsible for my own cabin of girls overnight. This is where I was exposed to working

with all kinds of children each with their own unique needs and personalities. I was responsible

for children with medical conditions, different mental and emotional abilities, physical abilities,

along with other diversity. This experience helped me grow a lot as a person in my experience

with working with children, but also in terms of leadership, care, and guidance.

After I finished my undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to move to Mexico for a

year to teach English at a private bilingual school. I was kind of thrown into the classroom without

any formal kind of training and taught 4th grade for half of the day and 5th grade for the other. This

was one of the biggest challenges I had ever faced, as I was entrusted to care for and teach English

to these large groups of students without speaking their native tongue. The first couple of months
were some of the most difficult, just trying to form an understanding and learn how to manage a

classroom. Around Christmas time that year is when I truly began to feel a connection with my

students and that we had started making progress; after that, the rest of the year was incredible! It

was amazing to see how much the students learned, and how much I had learned. After the year in

Mexico had ended, I moved back to Canada, travelled for a few months, and then when back to

Mexico to visit my old students and friends. While I was there for my visit, the director of the

school asked me if I would stay as the school’s English director and I accepted the position. Once

again, I found myself in a position that I was totally unqualified for, but managed to work through

it, leading a team of 10-15 English teachers each year, for almost 4 years. While I was in charge

of the English department, I continued to teach at least one group because that is what I truly

enjoyed. It was during this time that I learned to work with administration, state standards and

observations. I learned the value of working with other administrators and collaboration with

teachers. I learned the ins and outs of the Mexican education system and was able to implement a

more functional English program within the school over the course of several years. My time in

Mexico is what made me realize that I loved teaching. I became more and more passionate about

education and about what is best for students, that I could not imagine doing anything else. This

experience is what led me to pursue my certification in education; as much as I would love to

continue to teach abroad, I like the idea of having my certification and qualifications to hold a

more legitimate positon in education, with the option to teach in my home country.

School Observations and Classroom Application

During my hours of classroom observations, I witnessed many different teachers at work,

instructing at all different levels. Some of the best practices I saw were teachers who really knew

their students, with whom you could tell had good rapport with the students. Teachers greeting the
students at the door by name, asking them specifics about their weekends or extracurricular

activities, showing an interest in things they are interested in, knowing when a student may be

triggered to misbehave or understanding what sets them off, understanding their home-lives,

recognizing their level of ability when completing tasks in class; these are all practices of teachers

who truly know their students. This is incredibly valuable to observe as a new teacher entering the

field because I think that knowing your students helps create a positive classroom culture, where

the students feel valued and safe. These are the practices of teachers who stand out and whose

students demonstrate positive outlooks on school in general. Having an understanding of what

makes your students tick and creating a classroom culture of mutual respect also helps when it

comes to class management. It also provides a basis in knowing when your learners are improving

and growing, which is the ultimate goal, even though students will progress differently.

Throughout my fieldwork, I observed classrooms at Maranatha Christian School and

Buffalo Prep, as well as tutored through Inspiration Learning Centre. Maranatha Christian School

is a private school located in a small rural town in Mexico and I worked there from Aug. 2011 -

July 2016. During my time there, I worked as the English Coordinator and would spend a couple

of hours a day observing the English classes from Pre-K (age 3) through 9th grade (age 15). They

were all Mexican students, learning English as a second language. Some students were nearly

bilingual, while others could barely form a sentence. Classes were made up of both male and

female students and school took place during normal school hours, Monday – Friday, 7:50am –

2:40pm. It is a Christian School and put a great emphasis on biblical teaching and principles. The

majority of English teachers were not certified teachers, as many trained English teachers would

move to the bigger cities. Buffalo Prep is located in the urban city of Buffalo, NY, and takes place

in a building on the University at Buffalo campus. Classes are every Saturday from 9:00am –
2:00pm, and I observed mostly 6th graders. Classes are separated into two groups, boys and girls,

and all of the students in the program are of color. Inspiration Learning Centre is located in

suburban Oakville, ON, and provides ESL classes and tutoring to Chinese exchange and

international students. Classes normally last 2 hours and take place in the evenings, Monday –

Friday, and usually take place at the students’ homes in Oakville, though some students receive

tutoring at the Learning Centre, in one of the two small classrooms. For my fieldwork, I tutored a

6th grade Chinese boy, every Tuesday evening at his home, in a home office.

I observed many different teachers in the field but there are some teachers who stood out.

At Maranatha Christian School in Mexico, the English curriculum is taught through a levelled

book system, however the students are grouped by grade level, and not level of English, so you

would have students who were almost bilingual in the same class as students who were just

beginning or entering the school. It was very difficult for teachers to instruct and see progress with

such dramatic level variations. Unfortunately, some teachers I observed would just teach to the

higher-level students or book level standard, and the students with a low level of English would

fall behind. There was one 6th grade teacher who embraced the challenge of instructing students

from all different English levels, he understood that some students were getting left behind and

that the challenge to catch them up could not be done efficiently during class hours. He started

remedial classes twice a week after school for students who were not at the level of English that

was required for their grade at the bilingual school. In these remedial classes, the teacher started

at the very beginning of the English language, using the foundational concepts, like the alphabet,

numbers, colors, phonics, basic vocabulary, and sentence structure. He understood that the students

would continue to fall behind unless they had a strengthened foundational understanding of the

language. I could really see the teacher’s dedication to his students through his extra efforts, like
remedial classes, as well as altering the books progression depending on what the students

understood. He would also bring in outside resources and materials like books, music, vocabulary

posters, chart paper, and many other things for his classroom as the school is very poorly resourced.

He took the time to hang out with his students at recess and start up different games like soccer or

basketball. The students had such a respect for him and there was a very strong rapport within the

class. I think that the students were able to recognize that their teacher truly cared about them and

in return, they trusted him and respected him. He was able to maintain great class management,

whether it was a Friday after lunch, or decided to have class outside, the students understood the

expectations and followed his directions excellently.

While observing at Buffalo Prep, one thing that I really loved was that during the science

class, taught by co-teachers, the teachers would let the students ask questions that may have

seemed a little silly, but welcomed the questions as it led to further discovery of some aspect of

science or life, even if they got a little off topic. I noticed that the students’ hands were flying up

when they had a question or comment. This speaks volumes as to the classroom atmosphere created

by the co-teachers; that all questions and further discovery was warmly welcomed, and that

students felt safe and respected. The teachers would always bring it back to the lesson, and were

able to instruct wonderful science experiments, but did not avoid tangents if it meant that the

students questions were answered or that further learning was happening. I thought it was such a

great practice, that really established class rapport.

Tutoring through Inspiration Learning Centre, I was able to work with different students,

and in particular, a 6th grade student, for the purpose of this course. Though tutoring is a different

experience from the others, as I did not have the opportunity to observe specific teachers or

classrooms in action, I was able to observe how the tutoring center operates and the resources they
provide for their students. Many of the students at the tutoring center require homework help, as

some of them may struggle with the English Language. Other students are new to Canada and

require ESL classes to improve their English in order to enter the regular Canadian curriculum

streams or gain admittance to private schools. I tutored a 6th grade boy, and as per the arrangement

with the tutoring center, the student had a reading and grammar book that we were to work through.

He was moving through the material very quickly, so I would also include outside reading and

online reading comprehension passages throughout our classes, which were an hour and a half in

length. His parents dealt directly with the administration at the Learning Centre regarding next

steps and further classes, and as a tutor, I provided the tutoring center with progress reports after

each class.

Looking at the first teacher I mentioned, observing the 6th grade English teacher at

Maranatha Christian School, I was reminded of Marzano’s take on effective classroom

management, with some of the best practices observed, like knowing and addressing your students

by name, making yourself accessible to your students, and having good rapport with students

(Marzano, 2003). The strength of this is having a better understanding of how your students will

respond and learn and helps create a positive learning environment where students feel welcomed

and safe. The problem that some teachers seeking rapport with students may encounter is that when

students see you as a friend, you may lose respect in the classroom, so clear expectations and

boundaries need to be set from the beginning. I am also reminded of Vygotsky’s “Zone of Proximal

Development” theory which refers to scaffolding in education to provide better support for the

students’ to understand new material or gain new knowledge (Vygotsky, 1978). The 6th grade

teacher was unable to teach the low levelled students higher level concepts in the English language,

without going back and giving them some kind of background or support to stand on, which I was
able to witness through the remedial classes he provided to the struggling students. This practice

of scaffolding can also be seen through the resources provided to students at Inspiration Learning

Centre; when learning English, they progress through a series of books which build on one another,

leading and expanding their knowledge, scaffolding onto more complicated concepts as they go.

Marzano discusses allowing students to ask questions throughout the class, which reminds

me of the Science co-teachers at Buffalo Prep who allowed the students to ask questions about

science and the body, even if it was not directly related to the lesson. This is the result of the

students feeling open and safe in their classroom and provides opportunity for the students to grow

and learn, and also to direct and deepen their own learning through discovery. The only weakness

with this practice is if that class gets too far off topic that the objectives for the lesson are not met.

It will be the teachers’ responsibility to redirect the attention or provide the resources for the

students who have questions to find the answers on.

When I start out in my own classroom, I hope that I will be able to remember and

implement everything I have observed during my fieldwork, though on the other hand, I have also

observed some practices that do not work well, and I will be sure to avoid them, such as teaching

from a desk. I will definitely focus on creating a positive classroom culture, like I observed at

Buffalo Prep where the students felt like their questions and comments were welcomed, and like

the 6th grade teacher who had such great rapport with his class. I am aware that building this

classroom culture may take the first couple of months to accomplish. I will outline class

expectations on a daily basis, like Wong suggests (Wong, 2009), so the students are aware of their

responsibilities and develop consequences as a group, so that when expectations are not met, the

students will know what consequences to expect as they took part in creating them, giving them

more responsibility over their behavioral outcomes, similar to Glasser’s “Choice Theory” (Glasser,
1998). I will greet the students at the door by name, do what I can to learn about their home lives

or lives outside of school, and show them respect and kindness, proving to them that I am someone

who can be trusted. Creating a classroom culture, routine, and rapport with students will be key

and will allow me to better understand where the students are at in their journeys, so that I am

better-equipped to guide their learning. This also helps with class management, and when a class

is on task and is not always fighting interruptions, the environment is much more conducive to

student learning.

Something else I will consider is that not all students will be on the same level of

understanding or ability, and that I need to implement the practice of differentiation, modifications,

or accommodations within my classroom. Reflecting on the 6th grade teacher at Maranatha

Christian School, and how he embraced that all of his students were at different levels, but that he

could instruct and teach to their different abilities, inspires me to do the same. This can be done by

including a number of different forms of instruction throughout my week in order to reach different

types of learners, similar to Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, such as kinesthetic, visual,

and auditory learners; I could modify assessments based on ability, for example, if I have an ENL

student, it would be unfair to hold them to the same standard as a native speaker when it comes to

their abilities to respond on assessments without modifications or accommodations, such as being

able to respond verbally or through pictures instead of through written expression (Gardner, 2011).

This could also be applied with struggling students or students with disabilities; it ensures that all

students are still advancing and learning something, though they may be held to a different

standard, because equal isn’t always fair. I very much look forward to beginning my career as a

teacher, making a difference in children’s lives.

Philosophy of Education

Having a philosophy of education is important because it forces you to reflect and deeply

consider the big questions surrounding the matter of education. Ideas such as the purpose of

education, who should be educated, what should be taught, how someone should be educated, the

methods of assessment and classroom management, as well as the role of the teacher. All of

these areas require much reflection as many past philosophers have shown us. As I prepare to

enter the field of teaching, knowing what I believe about education and developing my

philosophy of education is vital in order to set the tone for my classroom and ensure that I am

working toward a transformation of the current condition of education. My philosophy of

education has been formed by reflecting on my time as a student and the actions of certain

teachers I had growing up, my time spent teaching English abroad, as well as the philosophies

and theories of education examined throughout this graduate program.

I. The School

The role of the school in society is to educate the future generations and prepare them for

entering the world as functioning participants. The school should be a safe place for students to

spend their days, as after the home, it is the place where they spend the most time and should feel

home-like. The school should be a place where students learn about themselves and the world

around them. The school is a place where students from all backgrounds are welcomed, valued,

and invested in. The school is a place where highly trained educators instill knew learning and

ideas into the ever-growing minds of the next generations.

The goals and objectives of the school should include so much more than just the academic

stream. Developing and learning new skills and concepts is one of the main goals of the school,

including the development of literacy and the writing process, scientific concepts, functions, and
processes, mathematical skills, as well as history, geography, government and structures, health

and physical education, arts and music, and languages. Though instilling knowledge in these areas

is of primary importance in the school, there are other objectives that are taught indirectly over

time. Socialization is one of the main goals of the school, in which students are exposed to living

amongst people outside of their immediate family; it is here that they develop their social skills in

daily interactions and play, as well as learn the societal norms in how to function as a group and

live and work as a collective. In the school, educators instill and pass on the societal values to the

students, exposing the students to concepts that hold both universal and national values, where as

they may only be exposed to a certain belief at home.

The school is where ideas and beliefs are taught to future generations, thus having the

power to alter society; it is here that school and changes in society interface. When an entire

generation is taught to appreciate diversity and differences, this value will become the new societal

norm down the line. We have seen this happen time and time again as we progress as a society;

the more people learn and question, the farther we are able to go as a society, whether in terms of

political beliefs, inventions, development, or personal well-being. In the past, school has been used

as a way to influence a generation to believe a certain way and some would argue that this is still

an objective of the school. So, the school has the power to change society and society has the

power to influence the school. I believe that the school role should be to present information and

teach the students to think critically and develop their own beliefs which in turn will bring

undeniable change to society.

II. The Curriculum

The curriculum is considered the heart of any learning institution as it directs the course of

content both taught and learned. A curriculum is important for to ensure that there is consistency
between what students are learning each year and that they are progressing from grade to grade in

a smooth and effective manner in each subject. Questions arise when considering what should be

taught within a child’s educational journey; in the West we have followed a subject-centered

curriculum with emphasis heavily based in math and language and include several different

standardized tests to ensure that students are meeting the expectations. However, I don’t believe

that this is necessarily reflective of an authentic education as a whole as many different students

will excel in different areas and should have the opportunity to follow their specific interests.

III. Learning

I believe that in order for learning to take place, the students need to be fully engaged in

what they are doing in order to create an authentic and memorable learning experience. Like Piaget

encourages, more hands-on learning experiences, and Montessori advocates that learning takes

place by touching, feeling, and doing, I believe that students will learn by doing and working with

their hands, creating a concrete understanding of the materials as well as making many more neural

connections (Montessori, 1964). When manipulating materials in our hands we are activating

motoric memory with leads to a much deeper learning experience. As the child matures, you may

move into more abstract concepts, like Pestalozzi suggests, however the foundational learning

should be done by using the concrete environment surrounding the child (Pestalozzi/Brühlmeier,

2018).

There are many different types of learners within a classroom, and the teacher needs to be

able to meet the needs of the learners. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences concludes that

there are 7 different intelligences that can be accessed to help promote learning for different

individuals (Gardner, 2011). As Dewey suggests, education should consider a child’s capacities,

interests, and habits, and utilizing these to find the most efficient way to communicate the content
and material and direct instruction (Dewey, 1938). I aspire to have the students lead the learning,

based on things that they have taking an interest in, have them become experts, and teach the rest

of the group. I will reach my different learners by varying how content is delivered; making sure

that I have a variety of visuals, reading, listening, manipulative, interactive and collaborative

lessons. On a practical level, I hope to include all of this in the learning experience within my

classroom to reach and inspire the different types of learners within my class.

Based on the fact that students learn differently and that there is not one way to instruct, I

look to differentiated instruction and assessment, hoping to access each of the students’ learning

styles to help engage many different students at a time. Tomlinson states that you can differentiate

the content, process, products, and learning environment to tailor a lesson, activity, or assessment

to meet the needs of certain learners (Tomlinson, 2003). Some students learn by seeing, others by

feeling, hearing, and doing. Differentiation will include a varying of content and material presented

to the students, allowing students to access more of the content in their preferred learning style.

Given the diversity within the classroom today, differentiation is essential for ensuring you are

meeting the needs of your different learners. Aside from the different learning styles, you may

have students in your group who are English language learners or students with physical or

learning disabilities, in which differentiating the lessons, activities, and evaluations will be

necessary. Differentiation is accepting the fact that your group is diverse and that not everyone

will learn the same way. For example, an English language learner may require translated material

or additional visuals; a student with a learning disability may require additional supports in

instruction and assessment accommodations, such as having the test read to them. Technology will

be a very useful tool in incorporating differentiation, as there is an endless supply of educational

resources available through technology. Whether it be to incorporate SmartBoard technology to

involve many of the different learning styles in an interactive activity or lesson, or by using

different apps, sites, games, or devices to assist in the classroom.

For effective learning, students must start with basic concepts and then build off of that to

more complex concepts, this is what we consider scaffolding. Pestalozzi argued that instruction

should begin with the concrete things surrounding the students, and then gradually, as the students

learn, progress to more complex concepts (Pestalozzi/Brühlmeier, 2018). Scaffolding is

fundamental in the learning process as students need to have foundational knowledge before

building on or expanding off of that, continually adding more and more as they are comfortable

and confident with what they have learned and receiving the support from the teacher. As a best

practice, when teaching I intend to first model a new concept for the students, then guide them as

they attempt it, and finally allow them to do it on their own, following the ideas of gradual release.

IV. The Learner

Piaget developed a blueprint of 4 stages of cognitive development; the sensorimotor,

preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages (Piaget, 1970). He stated that

some children may pass through these stages at a faster pace, but that no stage could be skipped as

each stage is marked with new intellectual abilities and a more complex understanding. Beginning

the sensorimotor stage (infants) with learning to recognize objects, and developing motor skills,

and the early stages of speech, to the preoperational stage (toddler-age 7) in which language

matures and memory and imagination develop, to the concrete operational stage (ages 7-11) where

children demonstrate logical concrete reasoning, and are aware of external events and differences,

to the final stage of formal operational (11+) where students can ponder abstract relationships and

concepts. Depending on what stage the child is at cognitively, will impact the way they should be
instructed. If a child if showing cognitive or intellectual delays, they cannot be expected to learn

at the same rate or level as their peers and may require additional supports.

Children are curious by nature and should be allowed to explore the areas that interest them

and should be guided in how to conduct exploration and research of a topic within the school. If a

student has a question about anything, the teacher should prioritize getting information or an

answer to the student or showing them or providing the resources to them to conduct their own

research; this promotes curiosity and asking questions, as well as prioritizes the interests of the

child. As children are still developing and growing, they need to be nurtured and treated with care.

You cannot assume that a child will learn or understand like we do, and we need to take care to

provide for the child’s developmental and emotional needs. Pestalozzi argued that the school

needed to be a home-like environment and that the teacher was to have a nurturing care for the

students. He argued that children needed a holistic education, which encompassed an education in

“the head, the heart, and the hands”; meeting the needs of all areas of the child’s well-being and

providing an environment of love and care where the child may develop and flourish

(Pestalozzi/Brühlmeier, 2018).

The role of the child is to actively participate and grow with their peers as they consider

new information and develop questions and theories of their own. The instruction should be child-

centered and focus on meeting the educational needs of the individuals as they journey toward

further knowledge and understanding. This includes activities based on a child’s cognitive

development, whether it be through play or group activities. The students should be enthusiastic

participants when it comes to their learning and the classroom structure and routine.

V. Assessment
 The purpose of assessment is to gage what the students know, or what they have learned,

in order to improve their learning, as well as for the teacher to be able to reflect on their instruction

and how they may improve on lessons, activities, learning processes, as well as evaluations

themselves. For example, an assessment may be able to inform the teacher that the intended content

was not understood, in order for them to go back and reteach the content differently. Likewise, an

assessment may identify if there is a particular student who is struggling with the content or with

the format of the assessment. Assessments should be reflective and given with the intent to improve

instruction and learning.

Formative assessments are those that are part of the class or activity, in which the teacher

is able to see their “in-process” understanding in order to go back and modify teaching and learning

activities to improve student achievement. This could be done through small group discussion,

short quizzes, survey, homework, or reflections. This is the most important form of assessment as

it assesses the present understanding and allows for correction of misconceptions, struggles, or

learning gaps, and may point out certain students’ needs in order to reach success. Summative

assessments evaluate the students’ knowledge and proficiency at the end of a unit, including

assessments like exams, standardized tests, essays, projects, and presentations.

Though I prefer formative assessments, I do believe that summative assessments have their

place in education. I do not think that standardized testing benefits the students in any way and

should only be used for diagnostic information. When giving a summative assessment, I think

having a few different options of assessment would work best as students are able to demonstrate

their understanding through a means that aligns with their interests and abilities. I feel as though

certain students would prefer to create a presentation, others a project, some may prefer to write

an essay, and others maybe a picture book; all of these would be alright if they were able to reflect
the content of the unit or learning. I feel as though teachers need to be creative when evaluating

their students, because a typical test is not often reflective of the students’ abilities.

VI. Classroom Management

Classroom management is just as important as what you teach your children, because if the

students are not on task and are all over the place, they will get through very little learning, thus

classroom management is imperative for instructional success. There are many different

approaches to classroom management, some teachers use authoritarian approaches where the

teacher is the sole power within the room, they come across as demanding and less warm, well

others are take a permissive approach and are very warm and passive, however this may lead to

chaos within the room or the teacher having very littler authority. I think the most effective

approach to instructional success is finding the balance between being authoritative and embracing

democracy in the classroom; the teacher must have clear expectations and authority but approach

the students warmly and take into consideration how the demands set affect them.

It is difficult to manage a large group of active children without having very clear

expectations put in place. I think it is absolutely necessary for the teacher to take the first few

weeks of school, or as long as it takes, to help create a classroom community with high

expectations for the group; developing a care for one another and mutual respect will help the

group function more as a family who looks out for one another. The students should take part in

creating the rules so that they have a sense of responsibility for what the classroom should look

like and have a deeper understanding of the rules, and willingness to abide by them; when an issue

in the class arises, the teacher will able to look to the students to identify the cause and remind the

students of the part they played in creating the rules. In order for the day to run smoothly, there

should be many different routines and rituals put into place; students need a sense of stability and
should know exactly what the expectations should be. This could include simple tasks as having a

specific place or folder where homework or classroom worksheets are turned in without the teacher

having to go around and ask for them; or a routine for transitioning between subjects or breaks.

Though I would hope to be able to inspire intrinsic values of learning and responsibility, I believe

that using incentives and reward programs assist in daily instructional success; just as rewards help

to motivate, there needs to be consequences to discourage bad behavior. The most important thing

is that the expectations are clear and that the teacher is consistent within their rewards and

discipline program, so that the students will know exactly what to expect when they behave a

certain way. It is also important that the parents are aware of your classroom management style

and that you have their support; the teacher must be consistent in communicating with the families

in both positive updates and areas that the student needs to work on, so that you have support from

home and that the students know that how they behave at school will get back to their parents.

VII. The Teacher

The role of the teacher in the classroom is to set the tone of the classroom and build a warm

and safe environment, nurture students and take an interest in their well-being, act as a role model

for the students, all while taking care of the group and ensuring that everyone is doing well and

that no trouble ensues. Within classroom instruction, a teacher should act as a guide or facilitator

of learning. As a facilitator, the teacher should not be the center of learning and instruction, but

instead create an active learning environment where the students take responsibility for their

learning, and are encouraged to share knowledge, as the teacher guides and offers resources and

information. In society, teachers should be known as encouragers, who inspire learning to take

place, and should be a wealth of information and provide resources to access information to those

around them.
 A teacher should be well prepared educationally, not only to become experts in the areas

of instruction, but to study pedagogy itself and educational practices for an effective classroom.

The teachers need to have the professional knowledge for meeting the standards and criteria,

whether it be for lesson planning, assessments, instruction, or curriculum, as well as the

understanding of how children learn best and classroom management. A teacher should always

reflect on their lessons and classroom and constantly seek to improve their practice. I believe that

teachers need to attend professional development workshops and seek out further learning as a

continued practice, as society changes so quickly, teachers must stay up to date or even ahead of

the changes as they are held responsible for the education of a generation.

When considering the personality of an elementary teacher, I believe that first and foremost

the person needs to have a genuine love for children in order to project love and care for the

students you are responsible for and nurture their emotional, educational, and physical growth. A

teacher should have a love for learning and thirst for knowledge, and for passing on your

knowledge to others. A teacher needs to be an encourager and believe in the students in their care.

A teacher needs to be positive, responsible and respectful, and it helps if they have a fun

personality. Professionally, a teacher needs to be reflective and motivated, to ensure that you are

always improving. Teachers need to be organized and prepared for the tasks at hand, as well as for

the administration. They need to be flexible and adaptable as there will always be changes or

surprises that occur outside of what you have planned. Teachers need to be creative as they need

to be able to reach many different learners within the same group. Teachers should have leadership

qualities and good time-management skills.

An effective teacher must collaborate with their colleagues, parents of students, and the

community. Collaboration is a big part of being part of a school, and the teacher needs to be able
to collaborate with their colleagues to make sure that they are all on the same page when it comes

to the child’s education. You need to collaborate to when it comes to the academics, schedules,

policies or rules, homework, and other structures. Collaborating with your colleagues will also be

a huge resource to you as a teacher as they can help you along the way, with either knowledge,

support, experience, or resources. A teacher must collaborate with the parents to make sure that

they have a good understanding of the child and learn more about them to be able to instruct

effectively. Teachers must also communicate with the parents regarding updates and progress, any

issues the child may have in school, great achievements seen within the classroom, events or

homework checks. The teacher must collaborate with the community to ensure the safety of the

children and also to be able to involve the community in the school activities or events, or likewise,

the students within activities or events within the community.

Forming my philosophy of education for this purpose, has forced me to think about my

beliefs within the structure of education. It is a good starting point for imagining my ideal class

and how to conduct myself as a teacher. A philosophy of education is something that grows and

changes as time passes, as I am sure mine will adapt and change when I am actually within the

classroom and actively involved in the education of children. I believe that my core ideas

influenced my inspiring philosophers and my personal experiences, will provide a good platform

for classroom and for myself as a teacher. I will seek to grow continuously as an educator and

develop new and improved practices as I go.

Resume

The following displays my current resume in which I hope to highlight areas that

demonstrate my experience working with children and preparedness to enter the field as an

educator.
 5511 Guelph Line

Mary Shaheen Burlington, ON

L7P 0A5
(905) 630-3202
A young professional with cross cultural experience in education, missmaryshaheen@gmail.com
management, established leadership and collaboration skills, extensive
travel experience, organized, punctual, responsible, and detail oriented.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE SKILLS

• Bilingual: English/Spanish
Inspiration Learning Centre, Oakville, (Fluent)

ON Private ESL Tutor
September 2017 - Present • Administration


As an English tutor, I provide quality tailored classes to foreign students and English • Customer Relationship
learning citizens. Management

• Assess and evaluate each student’s English level and provide lessons accordingly 
 REFERENCES
• Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Spelling 

Available upon request.
• Homework help and assignment revision 

International Au Pair, Gex, Ain, France
October 2016 - August 2016

As an Au Pair, I lived and experienced life on the border of France and Switzerland. I
worked for a family with 2 teenagers, as well as travelled through Europe. I also completed
a beginner’s French class.
• Supervised homework completion 

• Prepared dinner for the whole family 

• Drove the children to and from school and extracurriculars 

Maranatha Christian School, Linares, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
— English Director/English Teacher
August 2011 - July 2016

As English Director, I oversaw the everyday management of English classes for twelve
grades and over 400 students. Responsible for developing organizational processes and
materials to support the department. I assisted in growing the English program into one of
the highest performing and widely recognized in the community.
• Managed relationship with third-party curriculum suppliers

• Ensured that legal requirements set by state inspectors were completed and maintained

• Tracked and managed allocated department budget

• Interviewed, trained, and managed English speaking staff and teachers

• Established growth plans and evaluation standards for underperforming students

• Instructed the advanced English students; covered English classes for absent teachers

Crossroads Christian Communications Inc., Burlington,
ON— Tour Guide
August 2012 - October 2012 (Seasonal)

As a tour guide, I provided in-depth tours of the Crossroads Centre and the television
studios, as well as a tour through biblical tabernacle replica.
• Clearly communicated all relevant information to a big group

• Used a cash register for ticket and gift shop sales

Circle Square Ranch, Brantford, ON — Office Manager
May 2009 - August 2009

As Office manager, I was responsible for general operation logistics and day-to-day
administrative duties to ensure a successful summer season for over 1,000 campers.
• Liaison for public communication and interaction

• Managed general camp logistics including summer calendar, camper enrollment, and
cabin assignment.

• Maintained up-to-date donation and enrollment database

• Worked with several Children’s Aid societies, workers, and services to accommodate
special enrollment requirements


EDUCATION

Medaille College, Buffalo, NY - MSEd

January 2018-May 2019 (Anticipated Graduation Date)

Currently pursuing my Master of Science in Elementary Education

McMaster University, Hamilton, ON — BA in Political Science

September 2008 - June 2011

I received my Bachelors Degree in Political Science with a focus in

International Relations.

ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

International Open Academy, Online — TESOL Certificate

October 2017

DASA Workshop Certificates - New York State Education

Department -2018
-Training in School Violence Prevention and Intervention Certification
-Training in Identification and Reporting of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
Certification
Conclusion

This section of the portfolio is extremely important because it provides insight into my

background and experiences, both in my own educational journey and with my work experience,

and the factors the led me into the pursuit of my certification in education. It also includes a

reflection on the school observations that I have completed and some of the best practices that I

took away from the teachers that I observed. This section also includes my philosophy of education

and highlights a few of the theorists that helped shape my philosophy on education, such as Piaget,

Dewey, Pestalozzi, and Gardner. Finally, I included my working resume that I hope will highlight

my experiences demonstrating my proficiencies. The following section of the portfolio consists of

a collection of artifacts from the program, providing the pedagogical evidence that supports my

claims that I have developed the skills and knowledge needed to be prepared to teach in the

elementary classroom.