Section Two
Section Two
Section Two
Introduction
Being a teacher was not always in my cards, although it was certainly something that I
often considered. It wasn’t until I began my own family and started to really think about what I
saw myself doing in the future that I seriously considered teaching. I have always had a passion
for learning and expanding my own knowledge, and it is from my own love of learning, that my
desire to be a meaningful educator begins. My sister and brother in law are both truly inspiring
teachers and listening to their stories and their passion for education over the last 10 years has
kept the teaching profession at the back of my mind while I pursued my own education in a
different direction.
In section 1 I introduced you to this Portfolio project and went over what you can expect
in each section. Section 2 is a reflection of my past experiences that have shaped me into the
person I am today and the type of educator that I strive to be. In this section we will explore my
become an educator thus far. It is my hope that you will get a sense of why I have chosen to
become an educator as well as a sense of my passion and drive to be the best educator I can be.
Educational Background
When I think back to my own educational experiences, I am grateful to admit that I had
very positive experiences all the way through. Of course, I had some teachers that were not so
memorable, but the memorable teachers I have encountered over the years have all served to
make a lasting impression and have all shaped my understanding of what being a truly incredible
teacher entails.
One of my most memorable teachers was my Grade 4 teacher. This particular teacher
created a special bond with every pupil that he encountered, and this bond enabled him to foster
a love of learning in each and every one of them. He had amazing story telling skills and treated
each lesson as a true learning moment. It was this year that I really sparked a love for learning
because my teacher made it so fun and exciting. I remember so much of what I learned in Grade
4, simply because my teacher took the time to come up with an interesting way of presenting the
material to us, usually in the form of some really engaging story. Reflecting back on how much I
enjoyed Grade 4 and realizing how much of it was made so enjoyable by my teacher’s love of
learning, I know that I will strive to create this type of learning environment for all of my
I was in the Extended French program from Grade 5 until Grade 12. The program eased
students into the French language by starting with basic vocabulary in Grade 5 and gradually
immersing us in the language until our classes were taught completely in French. This was a
challenging program since I had no previous knowledge of the French language, nor did my
parents. Given this, our teachers were our main support systems and we also relied on our class
mates. I was very lucky that our class was quite small (about 20 students), and it stayed that way
right through High School. The experience of going through school with the same students
meant that we were all quite close. It was a very humbling experience to know that I had a solid
set of peers on whom I was always able to rely on and go to with questions or concerns. My
experience with my teachers was also very positive. The teachers understood that we chose to
challenge ourselves by embarking on our education journey in a foreign language, and they were
all so incredibly supportive and encouraging. All of my teachers were there to provide extra
support when needed and always made us feel comfortable to admit that we were struggling. My
reminding me that teachers should act as a support system for their students – they should strive
to help their students and support them in and out of the classroom.
different ways, all of which will allow me to be a better educator. To start, it opened up my eyes
to a different culture and to many new people with differing ways of life than my own. It is
important that teachers understand that every single one of their students is unique. My
experience abroad allowed me to interact with individuals from all around the world, embracing
our differences and learning so many new things. Reflecting back on this experience, I believe
that it has made me understanding and respectful of peoples’ differences and backgrounds, which
is an important quality of a good teacher and something that I will be able to take into the
classroom.
I am so fortunate to have had so many positive learning experiences over the years. All of
my experiences have shaped me into the person that I am today, and I can only hope that I will
be able to bestow upon my students the same sort of positive experiences that I had throughout
my education.
Work Experiences
reflect on what I really want out of my life. During my Master’s Program, I had a co-op position
with the Federal Government of Canada working on Employment Equity Legislation. It was here
that I realized I could not see myself working in an office setting. It was also here that I realized I
wanted a career where I could have a direct impact on the world. Working on Employment
Equity Legislation was very abstract and I was not able to see the direct effect that my work had
on the population, which was frustrating to me. I realized that, to get fulfillment out of my work,
I needed a career where I could see the direct impact of my work. This made me think about new
possible career opportunities, and this is when the idea of becoming a teacher entered in the
realm of possibilities.
My sister is a teacher, and we were out on a run one morning talking about my future
when she suggested I should go into teaching. It made me think back to all of the students that
she has taught over the years and has been able to leave a positive, lasting impression on. It also
made me reflect back on the teachers that I had and the way that they fostered in me a love of
I was fortunate to get hired with the District School Board of Niagara at McKay Public
School as a Levelled Literacy Intervention Tutor shortly after this. This experience made me
absolutely certain about my decision to go into the teaching profession. I went to the school four
days a week and worked with a group of students in Grade 3 who were all struggling readers.
This experience was so humbling as I was able to provide support to a group of students who
really needed it. Each day we worked on their reading skills and it was a truly profound feeling
when I was able to see improvement. It was during this experience that I realized, without a
doubt, I wanted to be a teacher. You get a feeling of pride when you are able to help your
students succeed, and it was through this experience that I was able to fully understand how
these experiences so that I may apply them to my own teaching. I think that the process of
reflection is so important so that I may grow as an educator. I observed things that I would do in
my classroom to improve the learning process, and I also observed things that I would not in my
classroom.
Colborne, Ontario. I came into the classroom a few times a week and helped the teacher provide
extra support to her struggling readers. All of the students that I worked with were struggling
readers at a lower reading level than they should be for their grade level. It was really interesting
for me to see that some students had problems with phonics, while others excelled at phonics but
had issues with comprehension. The session was basically run like a round robin, with students
taking turns reading. We would start a new book each time and students would take that same
book home to re-read with their guardians. While the students read, I monitored for fluency and
comprehension. After the book was read, we would do a short phonics or grammar activity with
I witnessed quite a bit of improvement throughout the last few months, and there were
even some students that I stopped working with all together because their reading level improved
The best practice that I observed was an incentive system. Students were required to
bring home a new book each night to read with their guardian, and they were supposed to bring
the book back to school the next day. The teacher created a reading log and had the students’
guardians sign the log confirming that the student read the book and once the book was returned
to school, the student got a sticker on their reading log. For every 10 stickers (or every 10 books
returned to school) the student got a prize. This incentive system was used to encourage students
to read and bring their books back to school. It also got students excited about the reading
program. I found that when I called on students to come and read during a math lesson, they
were always eager to come with me. However, if the students were in a computer period, they
were quite reluctant to come and read. Having this incentive system got them a bit more excited
about coming to read. It is important for me as a future teacher to observe this best practice as it
is something that I might be able to implement in some shape or form to get students to do
something. It might not necessarily be a sticker and prize system to get students to bring books
back to school, but I could implement an incentive system such as a money or point system
The idea of an incentive system falls in the category of Positive Behavior Intervention
Services, where you have a behavior system that focuses on positive behavior as opposed to
negative. It is rewarding the students that are making positive choices (or in this case bringing
their books back to school), and not rewarding the students who are making negative choices.
Those students who are not bringing their books back to school are not given a sticker and their
action is ignored. The incentive system is a great tool for classroom management. It also goes
along with B.F. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning theory (1963), which is all about modifying
behavior to modify the environment. Skinner advocated for the frequent use of reinforcement, or
rewards, to modify and influence student behavior. Personally, I see the use of compliments,
management. It goes hand in hand with building positive and strong relationships with the
students. If they feel that you care and are happy when they do good work, they will continue to
I also realized quickly how important it is to establish rules right from the start. When I
first started working with groups of students, I wasn’t sure of how it would work, and I did not
establish any rules. Students began talking out of turn and no one raised their hand when they
wanted to talk. I became more enlightened on the importance of established rules and routines.
When I got new groups of students to work with, I made sure to incorporate this new knowledge
and begin with my rules for the reading group. Having students raise their hands to ask questions
and wait until someone was done reading their page until they asked a question made our time
together more efficient. I will definitely take this knowledge and work hard on establishing rules
and routines right from the start when I start teaching in my own classroom. I have seen how it
Public School in Welland, Ontario. I started volunteering there in January 2018 and went at least
once a week for the full day. Princess Elizabeth School is in a predominantly low-income area in
a small town. The students were quite diverse in terms of ethnicity and a large population of
students were on IEPs or identified as having a learning disability. There were 25 students in the
class and 11 of them were on IEPs. Princess Elizabeth School offers the Extended French
Program, and also has regular English classes as well. The class that I was volunteering in is part
of the Extended French Program and the students had been in the program since Grade 1. The
majority of their classes were taught completely in French, aside from ELA, Gym and Art.
I observed a lot of different lessons while I was volunteering in this classroom. I observed
Math, French, ELA and Science lessons. The teacher’s lessons did not involve her giving her
class endless amounts of information. Rather, she began each of her lessons with a small exercise
to get the students thinking, would teach them a new concept and then have them work in small
groups on some sort of hands-on activity to get used to the new concept. While students worked
on the activity, she was able to circulate and assist students who required assistance. She made a
good effort to get around to every group of students and address any misconceptions. She came
across as a very effective teacher in the sense that she ensured to address any misunderstandings,
and always made sure that she had an adequate amount of time to address students’
misunderstandings.
In particular, I really enjoyed observing her math lessons. Each lesson began with the
class answering questions up on the Smart Board. The questions made students think in different
ways, and the teacher ensured to call on numerous students to answer each question. She had
students respond and explain how they got their answer and allowed other students to share
alternate ways of getting to that same answer, which I really thought was effective. She always
ensured to incorporate some sort of hands-on activity so that students were able to fully
understand the idea. It was nice to see a class of students really engaged, especially in a math
lesson. I think the fact that they were utilizing blocks and other manipulatives made it that much
more engaging than simply answering questions on a sheet. When students got off task, she was
able to call on them and get them to quickly refocus their attention to the task on hand.
Elizabeth School. The one that really stuck out to me was the teacher’s excellent classroom
management skills. The teacher had such a strict structure of routine that each student knew
exactly what they were supposed to be doing and what was happening next, so it was easy to
keep everyone on track. It was truly an example of effective classroom management. Students
never seemed confused and always had an idea of where the class was headed. As soon as the
students got to their desks they were all required to pull out a book (any book of their choice)
and read silently for 10 minutes. This allowed students to transition quietly and efficiently. The
teacher also tried to stick to specific routines for work, such as, every Monday the students
would take out their “ELA Yellow Duotangs” and complete a grammar worksheet. This way,
students know what is expected of them at all times. Classroom management is such an
important aspect of the learning environment, so it was really beneficial for me to observe a
well-managed class. I was able to witness how a good structured routine brought about great
Another best practice that I observed was the arrangement of the classroom. Students’
desks were formed in groups of 4. The teacher explained to me that she strategically assigned the
groups so that each group would be a good mix of strong and struggling students so that, if they
had work to complete, there would be peer groups right at their desk and students would be able
to help each other. She also strategically placed her most struggling students at the front of the
class and, having all of these students close together, was able to focus on them when they were
completing assignments.
I also observed the students using signals so that the teacher could determine if they had a
question, or whether they simply had to use the restroom or wanted a drink from the water
fountain. If students raised their hand and were holding up 1 finger, that signaled that they had to
use the restroom. If their hand was raised and they were holding up 2 fingers, that signaled that
they wanted to go to the water fountain. If the student had their whole hand raised, they had a
question for the teacher. This way, if the teacher was in the middle of a lesson, she could avoid
interruptions and decide to only answer students who had their hand up with an actual question
One best practice I observed was actually not being implemented the way that it should
be. The teacher had a part of the board dedicated to agenda for the day. It included the date, day
of the week and listed the periods and subjects going to be taught that day during each period.
This would be an example of a best practice, however, every time I went into the class the date
and subjects remained unchanged. The teacher should have changed the date and subjects every
day, however, it remained unchanged for weeks on end. This could be a best practice by
allowing students to see the agenda for the day and get them into a routine.
Marzano (2003) argues that communicating rules and clarifying expectations is key to a
prepared for class. I think that this teacher did an outstanding job at communicating rules and
clarifying expectations and I was actually able to observe how this created a smooth-running
classroom. There was not a single time that students did not know what they were supposed to be
doing. Her classroom management style also made me think of Wong (1998) and his ideas of
establishing structure and routines in the classroom from the very beginning.
Reflecting on this experience has allowed me to think about what the classroom would
look if the teacher was unorganized and if there were not any routines implemented. I can
honestly say that it would look a lot different than the class I observed. I can only imagine the
chaos that would be created and the confusion for the students. The routine that this teacher has
built has allowed for effective student learning to take place. Effective teaching and learning
This observation also taught me a lot about effective and engaging instruction, which
made me think back to Marzano (2003) and his idea of being creative and imaginative in daily
lessons to keep students engaged. The students were always actively engaged, and I think that
this reduced the prospect of them being inattentive. When students had finished an assignment
before others, the teacher always had extra work for them. She was able to create a balance in her
lesson for those students who were struggling, those who needed enrichment and for all of the
students in between.
Philosophy of Education
Introduction.
My philosophy of education is still a work in progress. With every classroom I enter and
every course I complete, my philosophy changes and grows. I can only imagine once I start my
career, that I will reflect back on my ideas below and expand on all my current thoughts on
education. Below is my philosophy regarding the school, the curriculum, learning, the learner,
The School.
The school is one of the most powerful institutions in society and should be treated as
such. The school plays one of the most important roles in a society, it bears the responsibility of
educating our youth and creating productive citizens. The ultimate goal of the school is to create
productive and engaged citizens. We are educating our students to help them grow and become
contributing members of society. In order to reach this goal, schools need to be able to facilitate
relevant and effective learning. Being responsible for cultivating the minds of our youth, the
school should be given an infinite amount of funding to be most effective. Given that schools are
responsible for producing productive citizens, education must be available and free for all
Each school should bring about a feeling of community and belonging. The physical
building needs to be welcoming and make students feel safe and empowered. If the building is
comfortable and students feel welcomed, learning will be able to take place effectively. The
school is there to help students learn and understand the world around them.
The school also needs to engage with the larger community to allow students to connect
their learning with the outside world. Schools should give students ample opportunities to
explore and engage with their peers and within the community.
The Curriculum.
should be first and foremost student-centered. It is of utmost importance that the curriculum
takes into consideration that every student has different needs and different learning needs. There
is no one size fits all curriculum that will benefit each student.
Given that it is the schools’ duty to educate the next workforce, the curriculum needs to
be relevant in terms of creating productive citizens. The curriculum needs to be ahead of the
game and teach students the necessary skills that are going to be required when they enter the
workforce so that they may contribute to society. To this end, the curriculum should ultimately
made between disciplines. We need to understand that there is explicit and implicit curriculum
and we need to take great steps to ensure that whatever we do in our classrooms is meaningful
and relevant.
The curriculum should provide for collaboration between students. Students learn by
interacting and engaging with their peers, so the curriculum should allow for ample opportunities
creates stress, which can hinder optimal learning, whereas collaboration should stimulate further
learning.
Learning.
but in terms of the role of a teacher and the learning process, I am really drawn to William
Bagley and essentialism. Learning needs to be effective and it needs to be very structured and
I also draw a lot from Vygotsky and social constructivism in the sense that we need to
encourage our students to experiment in order to learn. I believe that a lot of emphasis should be
placed on collaboration and group learning. We are social creatures and we learn from our
interactions with others, so group work is a very effective way for students to learn.
Gone are the days of rote learning and memorization. Teacher instruction should be brief
and consist of activities that allow students to demonstrate and apply their understanding of
various concepts. Following the realist approach, I believe in the idea of sensory learning for
Teachers need to understand that every single student learns differently and teachers
should rely on differentiated instruction in order to tap into all of these diverse learning needs.
Learning should be constant and students should be constantly building upon their prior
knowledge to extend their learning to the fullest. Teachers should continually reflect on past
lessons and assess students’ understanding to ensure that students have mastered a concept
Technology should be seen as both a means and a tool to relate to students and expand
their knowledge. Children today have grown up with technology and it is something that they
expect in their classrooms. Teachers need to draw upon this fascination with technology to make
learning engaging and connect with their students. Students also need to learn new technologies
in order to keep up with trends in the workforce and the world at large.
The Learner.
The most important thing for teachers to understand about their students is that no two
children are alike, especially in the way that they learn. Every student has different learning
styles and needs and teachers need to make it a priority to figure out how to connect with each
Children are curious and teachers need to allow them to explore their curiosities for that
is how true learning will take place. Here, I draw on constructivist theories about student-
centered learning and discovery learning. Children learn the most when they are actively
exploring and learning by doing. Students do need to be guided by the teacher to ensure that they
learn everything that is in the curriculum, but they should still be able to make some of their own
choices. The teacher should serve as a facilitator of learning and allow the students to interact
and engage with activities that are hands on. Students should be able to take control of their own
learning, and in order to do this, teachers need to allow them to have time to explore on their
Assessment.
Assessment should be used as a tool for growth and not to generate competition.
Assessment and documentation is important to use to track observations and reflect on learning
outcomes.
The teacher should incorporate many different forms of assessment and observations to
ensure that all students’ learning needs are being considered. While some students might perform
outstandingly on presentations, others may lack the skills necessary to truly demonstrate their
knowledge in that form. It is very important that students are able to showcase their learning in
different forms. A best practice would be to allow students a choice between different
assessments.
It is important to understand that assessment is not just for students. Assessment allows
teachers to reflect on their teaching methods to ensure that they are using the most appropriate
teaching methods to reach all of their students. It allows teachers to reflect and adjust their
Classroom Management.
Classroom management is one of the most crucial areas to have under control so that
optimal learning can take place. Classroom management is so much more than just behaviors, it
has to do with how the classroom is organized, what the flow of the class is like, and the overall
feel of the classroom. All facets of the classroom need to be well structured so that effective
learning may take place. The way a classroom is organized is very important, students simply
won’t be able to learn in a chaotic environment. The room, materials and even students’ desks
should be thought out and organized so that learning can happen effectively.
It is crucial that teachers have an established plan for managing their class right from the
beginning. It is important to outline all routines and what to expect at the very beginning of the
school year instead of trying to deal with problems as they arise. Students should have an idea as
to what their school year will look like and what is expected of them. This way, everyone knows
what is expected and if a problem does arise, it can be dealt with in a timely manner.
influence student behavior and assist with classroom management. The use of compliments,
encouragement and positive reinforcement are all a very important component of classroom
management. Teachers also need to strive to foster positive and strong relationships with the
students. If a student thinks that you care and are happy when they do good work, they will
continue to try hard so that they keep receiving those positive reinforcements.
The Teacher.
The teacher takes on many different roles in the classroom and in society at large. The
teacher’s most important role is that of facilitator so that the students are ultimately in control of
their learning, with the teacher acting as a mentor or guide to facilitate their learning. The teacher
should be seen as a mentor and someone that students can trust and feel comfortable with.
Teachers need to treat all students with respect and show that they care about them. If a student
thinks that their teacher truly cares, then they are much more likely to try harder.
Learning should be very engaging and hands on to be effective, and the teacher should be
The teacher needs to be educated in all subjects so that they can effectively teach students
all of the required curriculum. While they do not have to necessarily master in each subject, they
need to have a certain amount of knowledge in each subject in order to competently teach the
throughout the school year. They should keep the families informed on how their child is
performing academically and if there are any issues. Even if there are not any issues, teachers
should strive to provide families with regular contact to let them know what is going on around
the classroom and in the school. The home-school relationship is a very important part of the
Conclusion.
There are many ideas that make up my philosophy of education, but the most important
thing to me is that the teacher creates a safe and comfortable environment where students feel
respected and excited to learn. Learning should be child-centered with engaging, hands-on
activities where students are able to explore and ask questions to further their knowledge.
Teachers should be constantly observing and trying to improve and expand their students’
knowledge. We need to educate our children in a way that will help them become productive,
contributing citizens.
Resume
Introduction.
skills, abilities and accomplishments. My resume will highlight my experiences that are related
to the classroom and list my educational accomplishments. Being one of the first things that a
potential employer sees, I have taken great care to ensure that my resume is easy to read and
EDUCATION
CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
District School Board of Niagara – Literacy Tutor November 2017 – June 2018
McKay Public School, Port Colborne, ON
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
• Conducted research on animals in captivity which enabled the organization to garner more
knowledge
• Increased awareness of captivity issues by successfully organizing and advertising an
educational event at the University of Western Ontario
WORK EXPERIENCES
• Responsible for the analysis of the mandatory reports submitted by federally regulated
private-sector employers and Crown corporations as subject to the Legislated Employment
Equity Program (LEEP) under the Employment Equity Act
• Provided support, guidance and confidential mentoring to hundreds of employers over the
phone and by e-mail on the requirements of the reports as well as the submission process
• Responsible for the vigorous tracking of submitted reports which required attention to detail
• Employed part-time in the hospitality industry throughout my education and while raising my
family
• Able to build business awareness and enterprise skills (hiring, scheduling, ordering, cash
management)
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Professional Development
DASA Training, 2018 – Medaille College
Technology
SMART Board, ELMO, MS Word, MS Excel, I-PAD
REFERENCES
Available upon request
Conclusion
Although I have not always known that I wanted to be a teacher, I hope that this section
has provided you with insight into my experiences, values and beliefs that prove that I have what
it takes to be a meaningful and effective educator. I will always remember my own experiences
in school as positive and enlightening experiences, and I will always strive to create the same
environment for all of my students. I have learned the importance of being an engaging teacher
and the power of fostering a love of learning. I have also learned to interact with people from
different backgrounds, which will prove to be an important trait in today’s multicultural and
diverse classroom.
My classroom observations thus far have provided me with insight into many best
practices that I will implement into my own teaching. These observations have also allowed me
to reflect upon some practices that I might not implement as well. This process of reflection has
enabled me to grow and expand my own thinking about what it means to be an effective
educator. I was able to witness the power of effective classroom management on the learning
environment and understand how important it is to establish your rules from the beginning.
While my journey did not begin with the teaching profession at the forefront, I believe
that all of my experiences and the knowledge of what I want out of my life will only serve to
make me a stronger teacher. I think that one of the most important things that a teacher can do is
to instill a lifelong love of learning in their students, and I will try my best to do just that.