MSED ELEMENTARY PORTFOLIO PROJECT 3

Section One: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project

Introduction

An elementary portfolio developed by a teacher candidate, such as myself, has great

importance on a professional and personal level. As someone who is committed to being a

lifelong learner, this portfolio is a way to showcase how I have developed my skills in the field

and have been able to implement them into my practice as a future educator. My portfolio

enables me to be prepared for future positions in education by providing an overview that allows

future employers to get to know me as an educator, understanding my teaching practices, and

looking over samples of my work (artifacts). Displaying what I have learned through this

educational experience is important to me because it shows what I am capable of now and how I

am committed to my professional growth. As someone who has worked in education for fourteen

years, as you read through my portfolio, I hope that you see my passion for education that I feel

as taught me an abundance amount of who I am and the kind of educator I want to be. It has

taught me the importance of differentiated instruction, learning styles, culturally responsive

teaching, along with the type of teaching style and classroom management techniques I want to

demonstrate in the classroom.

My work experience will demonstrate that as an Educational Assistant I have worked

collaboratively throughout my career and know the importance of working well with colleagues,

parents, administrators, and community members. It is imperative that positive working

relationships are modelled for students.

It is important to me that I am the best educator that I can be and that I make a positive

impact on the students that I will encounter along the way. I want students to enjoy learning and

be passionate about their education so that they can develop and create a path that is right for
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them. I want to provide them with a safe place where they feel they can truly be themselves and

get the most out of their educational experience.

Overview and Rationale

The Master of Science in Elementary Education Portfolio exemplifies numerous aspects

of my journey and experiences in the education field. This portfolio will validate my knowledge

and understanding of both the New York State standards and the Ontario curriculum and that I

am capable of confidently teaching within a classroom setting. It will highlight my knowledge

and dedication to delivering lessons that are well planned out and aimed at engaging and

reflecting the learners and their abilities within the classroom. The work I have chosen to feature

will indicate my ability to successfully plan, implement and assess the learning happening within

the teaching environment. Within my lesson plans I provide students with differentiated

summative and formative assessments so that they can showcase their learning in a way that is

meant to complement their learning styles. They will also convey my knowledge and

understanding of special education and culturally responsive teaching and demonstrate my

abilities to accommodate and modify expectations for students.

Overall, my portfolio will solidify my ability as an effective teacher candidate and

demonstrate that my educational and work experiences have prepared me to enter the field and

obtain a teaching position.

Portfolio Development

Within this portfolio, there are six sections: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the

Elementary Portfolio Project (Section One), Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

(Section Two), Teacher Candidate Artifacts (Section Three), Alignment to Curriculum and

Professional Standards (Section Four), Teacher Candidate Reflection (Section Five), and Teacher
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Candidate Interview Video (Section Six). Each section has respected subsections with

connections and summaries being discussed within.

Section One: Teacher Candidate Introduction to the Elementary Portfolio Project includes

an Introduction, Portfolio Overview and Rationale, Portfolio Development, Theories, Theorists

and Experts in the Field of Education and a Conclusion. These subsections are designed to

inform employers of qualities that I exhibit as a person, along with my capabilities and

qualifications of a teacher candidate. It also highlights the theories and theorists that I want to

incorporate in my teaching practices and how I will convey them in my classroom. This section

serves as a true introduction to an overview to my readiness to be an elementary teacher.

Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences consists of an Introduction,

Teacher Candidate Educational Background and Work Experiences, School Observations and

Classroom Applications, Philosophy of Education and Resume. These subsections will provide

evidence such as my Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in

Sociology, my fourteen years of work experience as an Educational Assistant, my philosophy of

education and a current resume specifying my qualifications. Again, showcasing my abilities that

will enable me to be a successful candidate for the role of an elementary teacher.

Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts contains an Introduction, Artifacts and

Rationale, Artifacts 1-8, and a Conclusion. The artifacts that I have chosen are exemplars that are

related to my current educational experience. Along with each artifact, I will discuss their

importance and relation to the profession. Artifacts that will be included are, lesson plans,

learning segments, Power Point presentations, assessment tools, educational qualifications,

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technology skills, and more. These artifacts are evidence that showcase my skill set along with

my preparedness to fulfill the role of an educator.

Section Four: Alignment to Curriculum and Professional Standards encompasses an

Introduction, Curriculum and Professional Educational Standards, Curriculum and Professional

Standards Chart and a Conclusion. In this section I will be making connections between the

curriculum and professional standards in regard to the artifacts that were outlined in Section

Three. Written summaries of the connections will be provided, along with a graphic organizer to

enhance how these align. The following headings will be discussed, INTASC Standards, NYS

Code of Ethics for Educators, Ontario Teachers Ethical Standards, P-12 NYS Common Core

Learning Standards (ELA, Math and Social Studies), NYS Learning Standards, Ontario Ministry

of Education Curriculum Expectation, DOE Claims & CAEP Standards, International Society for

Technology Education for Teachers and Students (ISTE), International Literacy Association

(ILA) Professional Standards, and Council for Exceptional Children (ECE).

Section Five: Teacher Candidate Reflection incorporates an Introduction, Portfolio

Project/Teacher Education Learning Experiences, Readiness to Become a Teacher and a

Conclusion. This is where I have the opportunity to reflect on myself through the process of

completing my portfolio and the connections to the DOE Claims & CAEP Standards. This shows

that I am open to discussing the process of collecting the materials that I chose for this portfolio

and that I have acquired the necessary knowledge and understanding of the role.

Section Six: Teacher Candidate Interview Video contains Teacher Candidate Interview

Video, Teacher Candidate Interview Questions and Responses and a Conclusion. The interview

is a way for me to make connections between my knowledge and experience and potential

questions that I may encounter in an interview. This video allows me to conduct a verbal
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overview of my artifacts, which in turn also highlights my technological skills and reinforces my

competencies as a teacher candidate. It allows me to reveal the work I have done to craft my

practice of being a culturally responsive teacher who displays classroom management skills and

best teaching practices along with my proficiencies of pedagogical practices. That I am someone

with a growth mindset and who is ready and able to be a successful teaching candidate.

Theories, Theorists and Experts in the Field of Education

Through my studies in the MSED program, we have learned about the many

contributions that theories, theorists, and experts have had on shaping the field of education. The

ones that stood out for me in particular were Harry Wong, Gardner, and Piaget and Vygotsky as

they have contributed to my philosophy and best teaching practices.

My experience in education as an Educational Assistant has guided my belief that

classroom management is one of the most important roles of an educator. From this I believe that

Harry Wong and his contributions are reflected in my teaching practices. Students do well with

routine, and they strive off knowing what the expectations of them is. Harry Wong spoke about

the first few minutes with your students and how it is what ultimately leads to the success or

failure of a teacher (Wong et al., 2009). Creating that working classroom environment and the

relationships within are very important. This allows for a classroom to run smoothly without

interruption and alleviate as much uncertainty as possible.

Creating a welcoming learning environment for your students is important because it is

what sets that initial tone from the moment they walk through the classroom doors. Getting to

know your students and their different types of learning styles, cultures, and abilities is essential.

Gardner’s multiple theory of intelligences highlights the importance of ensuring to teach lessons

in a variety of ways to target various learning styles. When students are provided with lessons
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that are geared specifically to their needs, they will enjoy learning and confidently engage in the

material. Throughout my lesson you will see that I focus on differentiated instruction and

assessment, my work experience also allows me to have a deal of knowledge and practice in this

area.

Piaget emphasizes that no matter the age, children rely on their cognitive structures in

order to understand the world around them (Shaffer et al., 2005). Using their schema, children

can begin to manipulate information and think logically when faced with different problems they

encounter (Shaffer et al., 2005). When teachers allow for discussion to take place, children are

being given the opportunity to use and show what they know in order to come up with a solution

to a problem, all while making connections. This is to help guide the child’s discovery of the

world. Vygotsky emphasizes the importance of dialogue in instruction from more

knowledgeable members (Shaffer et al., 2005). This being the key to developmental thought

(Shaffer et al., 2005). When collaborating with peers with higher level thinking, or being pushed

by teachers to reach that level, students then are able to reach that zone of proximal development

to ensure cognitive growth. As an educator, I incorporate making connections, dialogue, and

encourage higher order thinking, this is demonstrated in my lessons when I take into account the

learners of the classroom and try to create a variety of instruction within.

Conclusion

In Section One of my MSED Elementary Portfolio Project, I provided an introduction

that describes and highlights my preparedness for the role of a teacher. I spoke to my

competencies and pedagogical beliefs and how I incorporate them in my practices. I reflected on

the theorists that have shaped how I intend to conduct myself in a classroom as a teaching
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professional. In the next section, I will be outlining my educational and work-related

experiences, while making connections to my future position as a teacher.

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