Section Three: Teacher Candidate Artifacts

Introduction

It can be difficult to determine whether one has learned something until they actually get to

apply their learning. This is true for any skill or profession because application allows one to use their

knowledge in a real way. Through my work and educational experiences I have been able to gain a lot

of knowledge about what it means to be a good educator. As I was gaining these experiences, I have

been able to apply my learning through the many projects I have created during the course of this

program. This section includes a closer look at some of these projects, in the form of artifacts. Along

with the artifacts, explanations are also provided about how these artifacts show my competency in

different areas such as planning, instruction, assessment, and many more. I have selected artifacts

which I believe are effective representations of my skills and capabilities. The artifacts discussed in this

section also include some professional development opportunities that I have been able to take part in.

Although I have learned so much since I started on my journey to become an educator, I understand

that there is still a long way to go and that it is important to stay updated on new teaching practices,

methods, and curriculum changes.

Each of the artifacts outlined in this section align with several important ethical and curriculum

standards. The purpose and design of these artifacts is meant to correspond with standards of best

practices and benchmarks of ethical behavior. I believe that learning should be intentional in that its

purpose and use should be clearly identified. This section allows me to showcase the intentional

learning I taken part in and how it has helped me become sufficient in writing lesson plans, designing

classrooms, and communicating with students from various backgrounds and special needs. The

artifacts in this section serve as reminders of everything I have been able to attain and as motivators

which will lead me to everything I have yet to learn in my journey as a teacher candidate. The first

artifact discussed is one which has to with my favorite subject – Science.

The first artifact I have included in my portfolio is a lesson segment on Energy, desgined for a

Grade Five classroom. The segment includes three lesson plans which are built off of each other. The

three plans are: Forms of Energy, Renewable & Non-renewable Forms of Energy, Conservation and

Transformation of Energy. These lesson plans show my competency in the area of planning as

designing them required a good understanding of the subject matter, standards, and learners’ prior

knowledge among other things. A well-planned lesson ensures that students are learning what they are

supposed to while staying active and engaged. Planning also helps avoid any unexpected situations

which could otherwise disrupt the flow of the lesson. Since this is a Science lesson on a topic which

includes a lot of information, the segment has components of direct and indirect instruction as well.

Throughout the lesson, students are given various opportunities to work individually, in pairs, or in

groups. The importance of variation in ‘work groups’ is addressed in the first domain of Danielson’s

framework as effective planning requires thoughtful consideration about how students can be engaged

with each other during the lesson (Danielson, 2007).

The hypothetical classroom created for this lesson segment includes a few students who have

certain learning disabilities which can impede their learning experience. To meet the unique needs of

these students, accommodations and supports have been identified throughout the lesson segment. The

thought and effort put into these accommodations shows my competency in the area of learner

accommodation as well as classroom management. As a teacher it is important to be mindful about

your students background and what sorts of challenges they might have. In this lesson segment the

students’ prior knowledge along with their personal and community assets have all been given due

consideration to make the lesson as effective as possible.

for the Sciences as well as my preparedness to become a teacher. The standards and principles met by

this artifact are described below.

INTASC Standards

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 the

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

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in

meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-

disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and civic
potential of every student.
Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging learning environment for all.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher 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 Learning Standards

Lesson Plan 1: 4-PS3-1 Students who demonstrate understanding can recognize and differentiate

between different forms of energy.

Lesson Plan 2: 4-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information to recognize renewable and non-renewable

sources of energy and how their use affects our environment

4-PS3-2 Make observations to provide evidence that energy is conserved as it is transferred and/or

converted from one form to another

4-PS3-4 Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine device that converts one form of energy to

another

Ontario Ministry of Education Expectation

Lesson Plan 1: 3.1 By the end of Grade 5, students will identify a variety of forms of energy and give examples

from everyday life of how that energy is used.

Lesson Plan 2: 3.2 Identify renewable and non-renewable sources of energy

Lesson Plan 3:

3.4 Recognize that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only changed from one form to another

2.3 Use technological problem-solving skills to design a device that transforms one form of energy into

another

DOE Claims

Claim 1:Medaille College graduates know the subject matter in their certification area(s)

Claim 2:Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and

best teaching practices.

With the increasing presence of technology in students’ lives, it is important that they use this

technology for meaningful communication and interaction. In the course of this program, I had the

opportunity to create a technological tool which would help me stay connected with the students in my

classroom and allow me to provide them with useful resources. The Weebly Class Website I created for

a Grade Two classroom is the second artifact I have decided to include in my portfolio. This website

includes information about myself, sample lessons, fun activities, upcoming events and much more.

This website and its various components show my competency in classroom management, especially in

the area of teacher-student relationships. I want my students to see me as an approachable figure who

they can rely on for meaningful support.

Throughout the website, students can find links to activities and websites where they can learn

more about various topics or simply engage with me. These, and other elements, show my

understanding of the interests and preferences the current generation of student has. The website also

includes information about Cyber safety and how one can safely explore the online world. This is

especially important considering the amount of time students spend on the internet these days. The

website is not just a source for the students, but their parents and families as well. From the ‘About Me’

section, families can learn a little about me and from the ‘Planning Page’ they can see a snapshot of the

lessons the students will be covering each week.

This website allows me to communicate with my students outside the classroom while

providing them with useful information and resources. Effective communication is essential in today’s

climate and this artifact is an example of how I am able to use this skill with my students. Described

below are the standards and principles this artifact aligns with.
INTASC Standards

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.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 5: Educators collaborate with parents and community, building trust and confidentiality.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

TRUST: The ethical standard of Trust embodies fairness, openness and honesty. Members'

professional relationships with students, colleagues, parents, guardians and the public are based on

trust.

International Society for Technology Education for Teachers and Students

Citizen

Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and responsibly participate in the digital world.

Educators:

3a: Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit

empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community.

3b: Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and

fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

3c: Mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the protection of

intellectual rights and property.

Of the many duties a classroom teacher has, managing the classroom effectively is definitely at

the top of the list. Chaotic and poorly managed classrooms can significantly hinder the students

motivation and participation (Marzano, 2001). Thy physical layout is an integral part of classroom

management and is one which requires careful thought. An artifact that shows my aptitude in this

regard is the Classroom Management Design and Analysis project completed in the first semester of

this program. For this project, a management plan had to be created which included classroom

environment, expectations along with procedures and routines. Each component of this plan is

supported by rationale and information is also provided about how students would be involved in

setting the rules and expectations for their own classrooms. The management plan is designed with

Marzano’s four categories for successful classroom management in mind and thus shows my

understanding of the importance of establishing clear rules and procedures as well as teacher-student

relationships.

Since most of my in-class experience has been in the classrooms of other teachers, through this

project I was able to visualize and plan my own classroom and include all the elements I consider

important. The intentional classroom design demonstrates my consideration of the research regarding

classroom management as well my own experience as well. Through this artifact I want to exhibit my

competency in the areas of classroom management, planning and engagement as well.

INTASC Standards

Standard #2: Learning Differences: The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and

diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to

meet high standards.

Principle 1: Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social and civic

potential of every student.

DOE Claims

Claim 3:Medaille College graduates are caring educators.

Through my volunteering experience in classrooms, I have been able to observe and support

students with diverse needs. When a student has a learning or behavioral disability, their needs can be

very unique and fulfilling them requires extra care. Through the Foundations of Special Education

course I had the opportunity to learn more about students with disabilities, their needs, and the role of

IEP’s in their support. A project from this course that I am including as an artifact in my portfolio is a

Pecha Kucha presentation on Dyscalculia. Creation of this presentation required a detailed look at this

disability and the learning and behavioral characteristics that are relevant to it. Of most importance is

the educational approach and placement suggestions I have made when determining the right supports

for students with this disability. The presentation also includes information and resources for other

students and families to learn more about Dyscalculia. Through this project I was also able to use

technology to both research and share my findings through a brief and to-the-point presentation.

By sharing this artifact I want to display my competencies in a few different areas. For one, the

preparation of this presentation demanded extensive research over a few different domains. The quality

of the information included in the presentation shows that I am able to use appropriate research

practices in order to find data that is relevant, accurate and beneficial. The artifact also demonstrates

my understanding of the power of ‘Differentiated Instruction’. As is explained by Carol Ann Tomlinson

, teachers can differentiate four important classroom elements which are: content, process, products,

and learning environment (Tomlinson, 2018). The educational approach suggestions made in the

presentation have been determined with the principle of differentiated instruction in mind. Lastly, the

artifact shows my competency in the area of learner accommodation. It is integral that students with

disabilities are given the unique supports they need without alienating them from the general classroom

environment. The necessary inclusiveness also involves making other students aware about various

learning disabilities and how they can support each other. This too is addressed in the presentation
along with the other aspects. Below is a closer look at the standards and principles this artifact is in

agreement with.

INTASC Standards

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, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements

developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging learning environment for all.

Ontario Ethical Teacher 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.

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

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.

DOE Claims

Claim 3:Medaille College graduates are caring educators.

Council for Exceptional Children

Special Education Standards for Professional Practice

● Maintain a personalized professional development plan designed to advance their knowledge

and skills, including cultural competence, systematically in order to maintain a high level of

competence.

● Maintain current knowledge of procedures, policies, and laws relevant to practice.

International Society for Technology Education for Teachers and Students

Learner: Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others and exploring

proven and promising practices that leverage technology to improve student learning. Educators:
Artifact #5: Culturally Responsive Teaching Lesson Activity

Through my extensive experience as a tutor I have observed that students learn best when they

can connect to the material they are learning. If they are able to relate to or empathize with a topic, they

will show more interest and engagement for it. This is especially important for underachieving students

of color who struggle in the classroom. These students are likely to perform better when teaching is

filtered through their own cultural experiences and frames of reference (Umutlu & Kim, 2020). I had

the opportunity to understand and apply the concept of culturally responsive teaching in a Math lesson

activity I designed for a Grade Six classroom. I have decided to include this learning activity as an

artifact in my portfolio because it is a good example of how I can incorporate various culturally

responsive teaching strategies into my instruction. This assignment is also unique because it provides

the exact make-up of the classroom and the profile of students as well. Although this makes the

creation of an effective lesson more difficult, it also makes it more realistic because I will come across

many different students during my teaching experience.

The detailed explanation of the activity includes rationale for all its components including the

subject matter and connection to important culturally responsive teaching strategies such as ‘Cultural

Sensitivity’ and ‘Student-Controlled Classroom Discourse’. Thus, this artifact provides meaningful

insight into my thought process and how I am able to apply the pedagogical practices I have learned so

far. A classroom in today’s world is filled with diverse learners who bring unique community and

cultural assets with them. Teaching such a group of students requires a good understanding of the

knowledge students already possess and how this knowledge can be used to make them strong,

responsible individuals. I believe this artifact is apt in demonstrating my readiness to teach in the

modern classroom.
INTASC Standards

Standard #2: Learning Differences: The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and

diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to

meet high standards.

Standard #5: Application of Content: The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use

differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem

solving related to authentic local and global issues.

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in

meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-

disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

NYS Code of Ethics for Teachers

Principle 6: Educators advance an intellectual and ethical foundation of the learning community.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher 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.

NYS Common Core Learning Standards

Math [Link].B.6 - Use variables to represent numbers and write expressions when solving a real-world

or mathematical problem; understand that a variable can represent an unknown number, or, depending

on the purpose at hand, any number in a specified set

By the end of Grade 6, students will: – demonstrate an understanding of different ways in which

variables are used (e.g., variable as an unknown quantity; variable as a changing quantity)

DOE Claims

Claim 1:Medaille College graduates know the subject matter in their certification area(s)

Claim 2:Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and

best teaching practices.

As unfortunate as it is, situations involving violence or child abuse are experienced by many

children. In the classroom, these children often require extra attention and support. It is imperative that

teachers are aware about what this support looks like and how they can provide it. The School Violence

Prevention and Child Abuse workshops provided valuable information about how a teacher can

traverse situations involving abuse and violence. I have included the certificates of completion of these

workshops as artifacts in my portfolio. From these workshops I was able to gain useful insight into how

children are affected by violence and abuse. The workshops also outline the steps that teachers have to

take to report such situations in an immediate and effective way. Completion of these workshops shows

that I am prepared to face adverse situations in the classroom environment and that I am equipped with

the resources I need in order to best support my students.

The certificates for these workshops also show that I am involved and interested in professional

development. A teacher is a learner first and should always be in search of learning opportunities to

improve their craft. Workshops like these are an example of this because they help teacher candidates

like myself become more mindful about the difficult circumstances some of our students might be

facing.

INTASC Standards

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: The teacher engages in ongoing professional

learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her

choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts

practice to meet the needs of each learner.

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 3: Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.
The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

INTEGRITY: Honesty, reliability and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard of Integrity.

Continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their professional commitments and

responsibilities.
Artifact #7: Guided Reading Lesson Plan

Literacy development is a crucial aspect of a well-rounded education. Within literacy

development, guided reading is especially important in helping students become excellent readers.

Guided reading is known to improve word recognition, fluency, and comprehension for good and

struggling readers (Gagen, 2015). During the early part of the program, I had the opportunity to create a

Guided Reading Lesson Plan for a Grade Three Classroom. I have decided to include this lesson plan

as an artifact in my portfolio because it allowed me to apply the strategies and best practices I have

learned, with regards to literacy development. The lesson plan provides a detailed look at a guided

reading activity in which students are able to practise their reading, while learning an important moral

lesson as well. The inclusion of scaffolding, group discussion, and relevant accommodations all show

my competency in the area of planning and instruction. Accommodations described in the instructional

procedures for learners with unique needs further show my understanding of effective pedagogical

practices and competency in the area of learner accommodation.

Another noteworthy component of this lesson plan is the use of assessments in monitoring

students’ understanding. It is important that assessments are not restricted to testing students memory

of specific content. Having students apply their knowledge to new situations through performance tasks

is also a form of assessment (McTighe & Wiggins, 2011). Observing student discussion or asking

students to summarize what they have read, are both examples of assessment. The formal and informal

assessments outlined in this lesson plan demonstrate my ability to design meaningful assessments

which test more than the students memory. I believe that this artifact is a crucial element in proving

that I am prepared to take on the role of an educator and play it to the best of my ability.
INTASC Standards

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, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements

developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Standard #6: Assessment: The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage

learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s

decision making.

Standard #7: Planning for Instruction: The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in

meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-

disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context

NYS Code of Ethics for Educators

Principle 2: Educators create support and maintain challenging learning environment for all.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher 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 Common Core Learning Standards for ELA

RF.3.4: Read grade level text with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

RL.3.2: In literary texts, describe character traits, motivations, or feelings, drawing on specific details

from the text.

3.3 Read appropriate texts at a sufficient rate and with sufficient expression to convey the sense of the

text readily to the reader and an audience

1.4 Demonstrating Understanding - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the information and

ideas in a variety of texts by identifying important information or ideas and some supporting details

DOE Claims

Claim 2:Medaille College graduates meet the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and

best teaching practices.

International Literacy Association Professional Standards

1. Foundational Knowledge: Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical, historical, and

evidence-based foundations of literacy and language and the ways in which they interrelate and the role

of literacy professionals in schools.

Council for Exceptional Children Standards

Special Education Professionals:

• Systematically individualize instructional variables to maximize the learning outcomes of

individuals with exceptionalities.

• Use culturally and linguistically appropriate assessment procedures that accurately measure

what is intended to be measured, and do not discriminate against individuals with exceptional or

culturally diverse learning needs.

A good educator never misses an opportunity to improve on their practices in the classroom.

One way to bring this improvement is through Action Research (AR). Action Research is a method of

inquiry which teachers can use to examine specific components of their practice and can then take

action to modify those practices (Qing-Li et al, 2018). Included in this project is a Survey Assignment

in which I was able to use the Action Research method to explore an issue that I have always been

curious about. The goal of this assignment was to determine student attitudes towards the subjects of

Math and English and ultimately to learn more about why students who like one of these subjects do

not like the other. While designing the survey questions and analyzing the results, I was able to gain

insight into how students feel about this subject and how this affects their performance within them. I

have included this assignment as an artifact in my portfolio because I think it effectively illustrates my

interest and ability to perform meaningful research about topics that may not have been considered

previously. It also demonstrates that I am a teacher candidate who wants to constantly improve her

practices is able to create her own opportunities of professional development. The assignment meets

several important standards, all of which are identified below.

INTASC Standards

Standard #9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: The teacher engages in ongoing professional

learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her

choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts

practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Standard #10: Leadership and Collaboration: The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and

opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families,

colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to

advance the profession.

Principle 3: Educators commit to their own learning in order to develop their practice.

Principle 6: Educators advance an intellectual and ethical foundation of the learning community.

The Ontario Ethical Teacher Standards

INTEGRITY: Honesty, reliability and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard of Integrity.

Continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their professional commitments and

responsibilities.

Conclusion

The goal of this section was to exhibit some of the projects, or artifacts, I have been able to

create since I started my educational journey at Medaille College. These projects have allowed me to

apply and extend my increasing knowledge about becoming an effective educator. The eight artifacts

discussed above have all been selected for a particular reason. From lesson plans to professional

development, I believe that these items best reflect my knowledge and capabilities as a teacher

candidate. The artifacts also cover different subject areas such as Math, Science and ELA and thus

show my content and curriculum knowledge as well. The connections made to ethical and curriculum

standards are integral because they show that each of these artifacts have an important purpose and use.

Through this section I want to provide tangible proof to support my claim that I am prepared to teach in

the classroom. As I continue on my journey to become an educator, I know that I will create many

more artifacts, each of will teach me something important about what it means to be a well-rounded

and passionate teacher. In the following section, the artifacts discussed in this section are visited again

but this time with a greater emphasis on the related New York state and Ontario standards as additional

detail will be provided about how the standards are connected to the artifacts.
References

Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching (2nd ed.). ASCD.

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that works: Research-

based strategies for increasing student achievement. ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2019, September 25). What is differentiated instruction?. Retrieved from

[Link]

Umutlu, D., & Kim, C. (2020). Design guidelines for scaffolding pre‐service teachers’ reflection‐in‐

action toward culturally responsive teaching. Reflective Practice, 21(5), 587-603.

doi:10.1080/14623943.2020.1779049

McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2011). Do we need an assessment overhaul?. Proven Programs in

Education: Classroom Management & Assessment, 30-34. doi:10.4135/9781483365633.n7

Gagen, M. (2015). The Importance of Guided Reading. Retrieved from

[Link]

Qing-li, H., Torres, M. N., & Shi-Ji, F. (2018). Collaborative action research for preparing teachers as

reflective practitioners. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 32(4), 411-427. doi:10.1007/s11213-

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