Section Two:

Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

This section will provide a detailed rationale which explains my educational and work

related experiences, including my philosophy of education, resume, and school observations. All

of these experiences have brought me to where I am today, being on the cusp of becoming an

elementary teacher.

Educational Background

Being a student was actually a very challenging time for me, I am an over active

individual and being forced to sit still behind a desk was a very daunting task for a hyperactive

child who clearly did not learn well by rote memorization and being lectured at. My first

memory is being put on the spot in an elementary classroom to come up with a different way to

make $1.00 not using four quarters. I promptly and proudly responded 100 pennies! impressed

with my own mental abilities to come up with what I thought was a fantastic answer in a very

short amount of thinking time. My answer was scoffed at by the teacher and I was told that I

should have come up with a better answer. I was confused and embarrassed thinking that 100

pennies did equal one dollar so what was wrong with that answer? Regardless from that exact

moment I started to despise mathematics, I thought I was dumb and stupid and was forever afraid

to raise my hand to answer a question again in any subject for fear I would be reprimanded in

front of all my classmates. School just became my greatest nemesis and I vowed to never put

another individual on the spot like that.

In junior high which is grades six to eight here in Canada I was able to play on all the

sports teams which is something I excelled at. The teachers who were also my coaches saw my
athletic and academic potential and abilities and helped me to succeed in school studies using

sports as a motivating factor to maintain grade level acceptance. This pattern continued into high

school where I also fell in love with Drama which became a motivating factor to stay in school.

It truly means the world to have one person believe in your capabilities and see success in an

individual who did not see any within herself. However I learned how quickly the mighty sword

of words can diminish that hope in a student, the importance of discretion and talking so that

conversations may not be overheard is a lesson I learned the hard way, the teachers who I felt

were inspiring me were in actuality laughing amongst themselves and referring to this fragile

teenager as Aimless Amy. I vowed then and there to never make any other individual

experience such tragic words from the educators who were helping them become a promising

adult of tomorrow.

While I attended University my learning life dramatically changed when I was enrolled in

a program that did not lecture their students but believed in kinesthetic and group learning

environments. It changed the course of my educational learning experience to an enjoyable one

where I was able to retain the knowledge discovered in the classroom as well as witness how

effective different teaching strategies aimed at different learning styles is such a success. I

vowed then and there to always incorporate different activities for lessons which would address

the many diverse learning styles of students.

Work Experiences

Reflecting on my previous work experiences it is evident that since I started earning

wages educating and caring for children in some capacity has always been present. Babysitting

was my first occupation which then lead into coaching gymnastics ages 2 to adults, running

birthday parties, organizing schedules, finding substitutes for ill instructors, payment
transactions, I became a manager for eight years at a very popular gymnastics club fostering all

of these skills which are a necessity for the role of an educator. My previous work experience

since early adolescence indirectly have been assisting and molding me into my future role as an

elementary classroom teacher.

While coaching and managing a gymnastics club I was also working with a child who has

Down Syndrome in a government run program called Life Skills training which consisted of

educating this wonderful being in social and life skills. Outdoor recreational activities, grocery

shopping, preparing and cleaning up meals and attending social activities were just a few of the

many adventures we embarked upon, again unbeknownst to myself the teacher training I was

already receiving while working with this exceptional young child.

I had attended University in a different province which sadly ended my fulfilling jobs as a

gymnastics coach and life skills educator but then moving opened up another door and I started

to work with individuals on the Autistic Spectrum of all age ranges. It was a very exciting job

that consisted of many incredible learning experiences and adventures that has formed who I am

today and drastically altered the course of my future. It was through this incredible job that I

decided to become an elementary teacher. It was incredible working with adolescents and adults

however I became an educator with an autistic child which consisted of working with him at

home, in school as well as out in the community. While being with him as an assistant in the

school classroom I was also able to help out his friends in the class and saw the responsibilities

of a classroom elementary teacher. Upon graduation from University I immediately enrolled in a

Montessori Teacher Training program that was 10 months, Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm

and secured a teaching job upon graduating from Montessori Teachers College.
 Being a Montessori teacher for six years at a prestigious private school truly was a

remarkable period in my life. Not only because I wholeheartedly agree with the Montessori

philosophy but being able to see it magically come to life everyday was such a wonderful

experience that I would not trade for the world. I absolutely loved creating lesson plans, writing

report cards and especially parent teacher interviews. Arrival and dismissal doors went directly

into the classroom as I taught 3 to 6 year olds which meant that every morning and every

afternoon I was able to have meaningful conversations with the parents of the children in my

classroom. The Montessori Casa classroom also has each student for three years enabling

wonderful friendships to form amongst the parents, especially when siblings graduated and their

little brothers or sisters joined the class creating a caring nurturing community. It was a pivotal

period in my life and has truly shaped who I am as an individual and an educator today. All of

the previous educational experiences I have touched upon in my portfolio that I vowed to myself

I kept that promise every single day and will continue to keep that promise for the rest of my life

which is depicted in greater detail in my philosophy of education.

School Observations

It was a drastic change to go from a Casa classroom to a grade four public school room.

The students are much more independent and the curriculum is so exciting. When I was

completing my early field work hours I had the amazing opportunity to spend weeks with a grade

4/5 split classroom with a teacher who had just been placed into the room so it was almost like

seeing a class in September due to reorganization. Here is where I learned the upmost

importance of classroom management. The teacher I was observing had the greatest strategies

that I had never seen before called Mega Bucks Banking. Every student had a responsibility and

was paid for successfully fulfilling their classroom duties such as sweeping, attendance,
homework, handing out papers, however if duties were not completed the students had to pay

back their money to the banker. It was a cross-curricular amazing classroom management style

that I hope to integrate into my classroom one day. I had a blast observing different grades at

various schools on both sides of the border in Buffalo, Florida and Canada. I even had the

awesome opportunity to help out at an extreme Title 1 inner-city school which again I learned

first-hand the absolute importance of implementing classroom management and sticking to it.

I had the privilege of student teaching for 8 weeks in a grade1 and 2 split classroom then

eight weeks in a grade four classroom whose lesson plans will be available to review in the

artifact portion of my portfolio. Many possible areas for classroom application were discovered

during these sixteen weeks that not only will be reflected in my future classroom but also in

working relationships amongst future colleagues. I was able to participate in professional

collaboration and make meaningful connections to other teachers including sharing lesson plans

and materials for those exciting, engaging units.

Philosophy of Education

My philosophy of education has developed from childhood educational experiences,

adolescent trial and error, previous work related adventures, becoming a Montessori Directress

for six years and finally my observations and student teaching practicum over this previous

school year. My personal belief and perspectives have been fostered from the aforementioned

aspects of my educational background which has brought me here today.

Philosophy
 My philosophy of education is to create a safe learning environment where diversity is

celebrated for students of all needs and abilities. This includes students emotional, physical,

intellectual and spiritual well-being, while recognizing the importance of parents, caregivers and

fellow teachers in the childs development. Being adaptable and versatile to the needs of the

students is imperative in the teaching role, as each individual learns in their own way and pace. I

believe every child deserves an individualized learning experience addressing their abilities and

learning style. It is imperative to foster a passion of lifelong learning from a young age through

innovation, creativity and excitement. Over my teaching career I have used various techniques

and materials including dance, role-playing and storytelling, modified lesson plans, and

individualized instruction in order to provide child-centered learning.

School

School is such an important institution in the life of every individual. It is the one

consistent and constant stable structure implemented at such a young age straight through to

adolescence. It is the one guaranteed safe space where for some students school may be their

refuge. Their home away from a home that may not be a positive, secure and nurturing

environment, but at school they are safe. For some individuals school may be the only

opportunity they have to be provided with breakfast, lunch and dinner, even clothing for when

they grow out of the only clothes and shoes they have. School may be the only place where the

child is able to be a child, explore, learn, inquire, test hypothesis and be whisked away into

magical worlds through reading books which may only be available to them in their classroom

library. Learning social skills, common courtesy and manners alongside mathematics, social

studies and physical education are only some of the very important lessons learned that help

shape and mould each little child into our educated leaders of tomorrow. School is an institution
that enables individuals to make mistakes and learn from them while discovering who they are as

a person and what they want to be when they grow up. It is the most important place where

hopes and dreams are instilled and where every child is inspired to be the best they can be today,

tomorrow and for the rest of their lives.

Curriculum

Teaching the curriculum correctly is of extreme importance to me, common core subjects

can be tricky to teach and I firmly believe in the methodology of teaching the curriculum by

making it exciting and having it come alive in a magical and mystical way that promotes student

engagement and piques curiosity within the learner who in turn then wants to learn and know

more about the exciting curriculum. Teaching for understanding not for test results, spending

extra time on topics that may be harder to conceptualize such as arithmetic is incredibly

important but also remembering to use differentiated learning instruction for individuals who

learn in unique ways. I understand what it is like to be forced to sit and try to listen to boring

lectures when your body and mind are already a million miles away. By planning such

adventures the daily classroom can become a portal to past worlds and the possibilities of what

may lay ahead in the future while incorporating growth mindset, inquiry learning and STEAM

projects to help propel pupils to higher learning. Creating a classroom environment that is

inspirational and invokes innate desires to learn while fostering a love of lifelong learning should

all be tied in with the curriculum.

Learning

Every person should have access to a quality education regardless of socioeconomic

status nor dependent upon which school district they happen to live in or if they are facing any

intellectual or physical challenges that require an assistant in the classroom to help them succeed
and be the best they can be. The stages of development differ for students depending on their

age and stage in life and the learner should be entitled to an education that is conducive to where

they are in life at the moment. Creating unique lessons for students that incorporates many

different learning styles and teaching to each unique learner to create a classroom climate that is

fun, nurturing, exciting and adventurous. Acknowledging that every child is bringing their own

baggage to school every day and that we will never know what goes on in each students lives

but that we can be a safe haven and refuge from whatever lies beyond the school doors.

Instilling a love of innate lifelong learning through exciting lesson plans, practicing kindness and

caring for one another by establishing classroom management rules and stipulations. The

classroom is each students school family for the year so collectively everybody looks out for

one another and helps each other out especially at recess so the class is sharing their friendship

with one another so nobody feels left out and alone. It is a learning environment where it is ok to

make mistakes because that is how we learn and we learn from our mistakes collectively with

compassion and kindness. This is all important for the learner to be able to learn.

Assessment

One thing I have learned about this past year as well as in my two student placements is

the importance of assessment. Studying at Medaille College we were taught formative

assessment which is assessing the students successful learning while still learning the

curriculum such as an exit ticket or lively discourse. Before beginning a new lesson the teacher

can arrange for pre-assessments to gauge students background knowledge and where in their

schema certain subject matter resides is a very useful best teaching practices. This can be

achieved through a fun game such as call and answer. Summative assessment enables the

student to explain and show their understanding of a topic at the end of the unit, for instance in
the form of a final test or cumulative project. They are all of extreme importance and how to

successfully incorporate formative and summative assessments into lesson and unit plans is

something I worked on tirelessly trying to achieve. Across the border back in Canada I learned

the lingo that Ontario teachers use and utilize in their classrooms which is assessment for, as and

of learning, the primary purpose being to improve student learning and gauging their success

through evaluation and assessment to establish where they are in their learning process, where

they are going as learners and what needs to be done to facilitate their learning to get them there

to the final destination of educational success. Essentially assessment for, as and of learning has

been used to replace the fancier vocabulary of diagnostic, formative and summative assessment

which all virtually mean the same thing with the equivalent goal in mind, to help our students

achieve their highest potential.

Classroom Management

It is an absolute impossibility to learn when there is no classroom management

happening. The students are off the wall, listening is not happening and teachers are talking at

their class instead of to their class which does not create a warm nurturing classroom

environment. The teacher would be stressed out and the students would be lost in the chaos and

very valuable teaching time would be wasted every day. I had the incredible opportunity to

observe various different classroom management styles and see what works best for certain

students but I have come to the conclusion that each teacher has their own unique flair that suites

their personality and style best. It also depends on the grade they are teaching, age and behaviors

that invoke various different classroom management styles. I learned that primary and junior

classroom management styles are wildly different from one another yet obtain a similar goal, a
classroom conducive to learning for all enabling the teacher to facilitate a unique learning

experience.

Teacher

The teacher plays the most important role in the classroom, it is not only the job of the

teacher to impart knowledge and teach common core subjects setting students up for success for

standardized tests but the teacher also needs to strive to encompass every individual not only

mentally but emotionally, spiritually and physically, the holistic view to help facilitate our

leaders of tomorrow, letting them know that learning is fun, teaching to all the different learning

styles by using differentiated instruction, integrating technology into the topics but also

researching by using books. Working independently, in groups and learning how to present in

front of their peers so that the dreaded public speaking fear can be squashed in elementary school

all of which is essential skills for our students to take with them to foster their successful futures.

It is of upmost importance for the teacher to communicate high expectations of her students by

sending consistent messages that each individual will be successful because she genuinely

believes in each individuals capability for learning and achieving. Respect is at the core of the

classroom and is the heartbeat of the day with every interaction between student, staff and

colleagues. The teacher must incorporate active teaching methods that is designed by nature to

engage the students and promote an environment where the students actually play an active role

in developing their daily curriculum requiring individuals to be involved each step of the way

fostering a sense of ownership over their own education which equals engagement and interest.

The teachers role becomes one of a facilitator in an active environment where she can guide,

consult and mediate when necessary as opposed to lecturing at and talking to the group. She is

able to demonstrate on a daily basis respect and appropriate rapport amongst one another by
being a role model and displaying such necessary skills such as listening, volume control in the

classroom, respecting each others belongings, feelings and personal space. Participation and

inclusion of all individuals while addressing any upcoming issues and how to maturely and

properly handle different situations. Celebrating different cultures, building a classroom

community, a school family, allowing freedom of movement and student-centered instruction,

flexible space and maximizing learning opportunities as they arise even though it may veer from

the daily lesson plan are all essential skills of an adaptable, responsive, responsible, mentor,

leader, natural nurturer teacher.

Resume
Amy Florence
Amyflorence3@gmail.com
Certification: New York State Certification in Elementary Education, Grades 1-6
Experience: Elementary School Ontario
Early Childhood Educator
Organize and implement daily lesson plans
Conduct group/ individual reading, math, culture and science activities
Foster a classroom environment conducive to learning and independence
Promote excellent student/teacher interaction
Participate in faculty and parent conferences

Quebec

Special Educator
Worked on the reserve, within the community, school and home setting
Instructed child in health and personal habits such as eating and toilet
routines
Organized and participated in recreational activities such as swimming
Interacted with other children in after school program as well as on the
playground
Prepared and served meals

Montreal, Quebec
Special Educator in Residential Group Home
Kept records on individual clients, including daily observations,
information about activities, meals served and medications administered
 Cared for clients with a broad range of mental, emotional, psychological
and physical disabilities
Assessing the nature and cause of a crisis
Assisted in designing and implementing intervention programs
Active in the re-integrations of clients back into the community

Gymnastic Ontario
Coach/Manager
Demonstrated effective leadership and encouraged team concepts.
Supervised large groups of children
Organized and supervised Christmas, march break and summer camps.
Supervised numerous employees, scheduled work hours, resolved
conflicts
Learned all aspects of running an effective business

Government of Ontario Ontario

Life Skills Training
Life skills one on one training with a child diagnosed with Down
Syndrome
Assisted in providing self-care training, reinforced positive behavior and
to promote social interaction
Prepared and ate meals together to act as a role model
Responsible for creating weekly schedules of events
Actively participated in outings such as rock climbing

Child Care Worker

Attended children in a private home
Observed and monitored play activities, and entertained children
Prepared and served meals and baby formulas
Accompanied children on walks and other outings
Monitored interpersonal relationships among children and assisted
children in resolving interpersonal conflict
Volunteer Work:
EQAO scribed for students needing accommodations.
Kateri Elementary School in Kahnawake. Inclusion Support worker for
special needs children in kindergarten class.
St. Michel High School. Teaching grade 9 and 10 for 2 months
Eight weeks student teaching grade 1/2 split class
Eight weeks student teaching grade four
Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Centre of Peel
Training:
First Aid/ CPR
NetSmartz Workshop
Worker Health and Safety Awareness
SMART Certificate Professional Development 30 Instructional hours
 DASA (Dignity for all students)
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention
National Coaching Certification Gymnastics Level 2
Conflict Resolution Course
Strategies for September Teaching Course
Fitness Ontario Leadership Program
Self-Regulation and Self-Control Workshop

Education: Medaille College Buffalo, New York

Masters of Science in Education

2017

Toronto Montessori Institute Richmond Hill, Ontario

Early Childhood Education Montessori Teacher Training Course

2010

Concordia University Montreal, Quebec

Major in Human Relations, Minor in Theatre

2008

Reference Letter
Conclusion

Part two of my portfolio enabled an opportunity to introduce myself more thoroughly and

explain in detail how many of the events in my life have led me to becoming an elementary

teacher. A collection of the consecutive events starting in elementary then progressing to

adolescent life school struggles, university active institutional participation, early field work

practicum school observations, previous educational background and work autobiography were

discussed which revealed preceding life experiences relevant to becoming a teacher.

The succeeding section showcases eight distinct artifacts that I feel shows my

competency as a teacher depicting various learning styles addressed, differentiated instruction,

assessments and the integration of technology into the classroom. Professional dispositions, best

teaching practices and an alignment to New York State and Ontario curriculum standards

including multiple professional standards are detailed and further discussed.

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