Section Two: Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

Introduction

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

- George Eliot (n.d.)

In this section of the Elementary Portfolio Project, you will learn more about me and the

journey that brought me to Medaille College. I have outlined my educational background and

work history as well as shared some lessons learned during my classroom observations. I have

included my philosophy of education, which discusses my ideal school’s curriculum, students,

teachers, and classroom management strategies, as well as my professional résumé, which

outlines my education and work experiences, and highlights how my path to becoming a teacher

was neither straight nor entirely planned. Instead, it is the result of the stars aligning in a crazy

twist of fate; and, I couldn’t be happier about it or more convinced that this is what I am meant to

be doing with my life.

Educational Background and Work Experiences

Education experiences.

When I reflect on my childhood and my educational experiences, I am flooded with many

happy memories. Instead of having a single teacher that stands alone as the motivator to me

becoming an educator, I have many. I remember several teachers who influenced me for

different reasons but, more importantly, I remember the relationships I had with these teachers.

Growing up, I always made friends easily. I am outgoing and easy to get along with, and I am

exceptionally good at adapting to the people I am surrounded by at any given moment. This skill

has served me well in life but also throughout my education because I was (usually) able to

establish a good relationship with my teachers. I didn’t get special treatment but there was a level
of respect that maintained even after I was their student. This meant that several teachers became

my mentors, some without even knowing it.

One of these mentors was my grade 9 math teacher, Mrs. M. She was known as being

‘tough’, and she was. She had great classroom management techniques. She was strict, didn’t

extend due dates, and wasn’t overly friendly, but she was always open to helping struggling

students and was respectful when she spoke to us. It wasn’t in class that our relationship

developed but during extracurricular sports; she was the junior girls’ volleyball coach, and would

be my coach for the next three years. During this time, we developed a great rapport. We shared

highs and lows (as a team), and I could joke with her and be myself. She would respond in a

more casual, caring and light-hearted (yet respectful) way. She was one of the teachers I kept in

touch with and visited when I continued to university. Her impact on me was two-fold: she

represented a strong, female role model in a field dominated by men (mathematics), and she

taught me how to make the jump from a strict teacher-student relationship without crossing the

line of respect. This was an experience that made me want to be not only a teacher but also a

coach. It made me want to mentor children/people.

My other experiences are more recent. One is from before starting my education at

Medaille College, the other is since I started the program. Without a doubt, Mrs. I was the most

important teacher who influenced my decision to become a teacher. She was my son’s JK, SK

and grade 1 teacher, and she was fantastic! Since this was my first child to start school, I didn’t

have any preconceived notions or specific expectations of his teacher or what he would learn.

But, it didn’t take long to see that she was extremely well organized, worked hard at making

learning fun, and kept her students’ best interests at heart. She would send home regular notes

about what they were doing in class and use an app to text photos of field trips or fun activities.
She would always let me know if something happened with my son (good or bad) but also took

initiative to resolve anything she could. When I volunteered to help a couple struggling readers

in her class, I really saw how hard she works to get her students to their expected levels. She

provided me with a number of activities (ex. manipulatives, crayons to draw) to supplement their

reading and comprehension. Similar to my high school teacher, Mrs. I is known as being tough

but is greatly admired and appreciated by both her students and their parents. Her impact on me,

my son, and his first three years of school really influenced my decision to change careers and do

something with more meaning. When I told her about my plans to go back to school for

Education, she celebrated my decision and offered her help in any capacity. I strive to be a

teacher like her: someone who cares equally about all her students; takes the time to differentiate

and accommodate her instruction to maximize learning for everyone; maintains control over her

classroom by following daily routines and adhering to classroom rules created as a class; and,

above all, does it all with a smile on her face!

The last influential educational experience I would like to share is one I had during my

time at Medaille College. I would describe “Mrs. X” as ‘tiny but mighty’. I related to her quickly

– she’s Italian, she loves dessert, and she is passionate when she talks. What I appreciated most

about her was that she told us the way it is, not necessarily the way it should be, and she shared

her real-life experiences to really help us connect theory to practice. Some of her stories about

teaching in low-income urban schools and the challenges she faced with some students were

shocking, but, at the same time, they inspired me. I’ve always enjoyed a challenge and thrive at

the prospect of helping people, so her stories really sparked a flame inside of me. The thought of

being able to make a such a huge impact on someone’s life really convinced me that I was

exactly where I was meant to be. “Mrs. X” was also great at managing the class. Yes, the
lollipops helped, but she was so well organized and really knew her stuff, so she maintained a

remarkable level of attention. She taught me many things that I will carry into my teaching

career: the importance of really knowing your lesson content; the value of connecting your

lesson to your students, and, above all, that it is ok to be honest and show vulnerability (when

appropriate). After all, we are all human and we all have feelings. She is someone I plan to keep

in touch with and consider a mentor.

Despite the many incredible and influential teachers I had growing up, my career path

went in a different direction. Most people would agree my two greatest strengths are talking and

writing. Combined with my love for creativity, I ended up pursuing a degree in Business with a

Marketing major. I enjoyed the marketing courses but didn’t care much for the business-specific

courses (Accounting, Statistics, Economics). I graduated and landed a job at a start-up biotech

company as an admin assistant, with the hopes of joining the growing marketing department.

Instead, I detoured into a public/media/investor relations role, and discovered something I really

loved – communications. It led me back to school, where I pursued a diploma in Corporate

Communications followed by a Master of Professional Communication. As you will see in the

next section, this was when my path to becoming an educator was forged.

Work experiences.

My love for and background in communications earned me a job at a telecommunications

company as a manager of communications and events. Adding the skillset of planning and

executing events to my repertoire was life-changing. It allowed for out-of-the-box thinking and

creative problem-solving, and required excellent people, project and time management skills.

These are all critical skills for an effective teacher. We celebrated people for their hard work and

we trained them on what was coming down the pipeline. It was these training events that allowed
me to experience the process of planning and developing educational content for several

different audiences (i.e. business partners, sales reps, employees). Although I never delivered the

content, I found it rewarding to work with subject matter experts to devise an action plan to

create engaging and effective training sessions. I would attend the sessions to see how people

responded to them as well as surveyed attendees after the event to determine what worked and

what didn’t, to make improvements for next time.

There was much reflection involved in this job as we were always aiming to do more and

be better, no matter how well we thought we did. The role required me to take the senior

executives’ visions and translate them into a tangible event by managing all the components

needed to make it happen, from start to finish. There was also a great deal of cross-functional

collaboration to pull all the pieces together. It was the epitome of teamwork. It taught me the

importance of being flexible while maintaining my integrity, and how to effectively manage

people and my time. I was well-known for being able to manage everyone from the senior

executives to the hotel staff at the venue. All these skills will serve me well when I have a class

of 25+ students with different cultural, emotional, educational and physical backgrounds, in

addition to their parents, my colleagues, and the school admin. I am thankful for my 12-year

career in communications and feel very well rounded and prepared for teaching because of it.

In order to further explore my growing desire to teach, I began volunteering at my son’s

elementary school when he started kindergarten. It is a suburban school in Ontario, comprised of

nearly 300 students who are culturally and economically diverse. There is a 50/50 split of female

to male students, including several English language learners (ELL) and numerous students with

disabilities (SWD). At first, I acted as a chaperone for all his field trips. Watching all those little

people be mesmerized by what they were experiencing (ex. trips to a farm, aquarium, orchard)
was so enjoyable. It really reminded me why I have always liked children – their inquisitive,

innocent nature. Last year, when my son was in grade 1, I asked to volunteer on a more regular

basis and in a more hands-on capacity. Mrs. I assigned me to work with two of her students who

were struggling with reading as well as with a JK/SK class that needed help facilitating guided

reading groups. This opportunity was the first time I got to really feel what it was like to be a

teacher. These students were looking to me for clarification and assistance, and, in turn, I needed

to help them work through their struggles to learn something. At first, I was slightly nervous and

felt the kids knew I had no real idea what I was doing. But, after a couple weeks, I developed a

rapport with them and started using a routine for our sessions – sit down, greet everyone

individually, read together, read individually, play a game if time permitted. (Obviously, they got

more efficient at reading through the book so they could play games every time!); I learned who

were the better readers and who needed extra attention, and adapted their books to meet their

needs; I also learned who got distracted easily and needed to be refocused and who would shut

down completely if they were having a bad day. Some days I couldn’t do anything to remediate

this situation. One of my grade 1 student was reading well below his age group and came from a

broken home with financial problems. I told him if he worked hard and reached the next reading

level by Christmas (five weeks away), I would give him a toy train as a reward. To my delight,

he worked really hard and earned the toy train, which he still talks about when I see him!

All of this background knowledge and related experience has helped shape my current

path. Now, it is time to apply my extensive skills along with my formal education to help

develop our younger generation and create future leaders.

School Observations and Classroom Applications

I thoroughly enjoyed all of my fieldwork experiences, and feel that each of them brought

diverse learning and personal growth opportunities. Over the course of eight months, I observed

five different classrooms: four classes were at my son’s school in Ontario (JK/SK, grade 1/2,

grade 4, and grade 5/6), and the fifth class was at a school in Buffalo (grade 7). The most

rewarding aspect was being able to see first-hand how to implement best practices amongst

different types of students of different ages. For example, the JK/SK teacher used several rituals

and routines with her class, such as greeting children by name each morning as they walked in to

class. She also started every day by reading the date on the blackboard and reviewing the day’s

agenda. In fact, all the teachers I observed did this! Every teacher wrote the date on the board

and listed the day’s agenda in some form (i.e. written on the blackboard, displayed on the Smart

Board, or as a graphic organizer that could be modified each day). It made me realize how

important it is to start the day the same way, every day. Children need structure and routine, and

this is the perfect way to start their day (and your own day!) on the right foot. Other routines in

the classrooms included, washing hands before snack, saying a prayer before lunch, and pushing

in chairs before recess.

Another best practice I noticed was differentiating instruction. This was particularly

common in the JK/SK and 1/2 classes, where students were grouped by and given books based

on their reading level. In JK/SK, we would do picture walks, make predictions, read the text

together, and then I would have them read a page individually (with my guidance), out loud.

With my two struggling grade 1 students, I followed the same procedure as I did with the

JK/SKs; however, I then had them draw a picture and write a sentence related to the book they

read. This helped reinforce their comprehension of the book.

 Other examples of differentiating instruction were in the grade 4 and 5/6 classes, where

the teacher grouped students based on their shared interests. I found this to be an interesting way

to break-up students and ensure the same people were not always working together. The bonus

was that having shared interests gave everyone in the group something to talk about. In terms of

differentiating instruction for students with disabilities, I had a great experience in the grade 6

science class. They were learning about electricity and had to create something that would

produce sound, motion and light, using battery power. The teacher had cut out a number of

images from flyers and magazines that represented electrical items (ex. a toaster, hair dryer,

stove, etc.) as well as non-electrical items (ex. fruit, a doll, a bicycle, etc.). I used this activity

with a student who has Dyspraxia (impaired motor skills) by placing one of each image on the

desk in front of him, and asking him to choose the image that used electricity. He did so well and

had fun doing it. This was a great reminder for me that sometimes simple is best. I truly believe

that I will use this type of activity with my students, whether or not they have special needs. The

fact that they can get their hands on the pictures (tactile perception) has additional benefits than

just drawing a line to connect pictures. This would be applicable to many grade levels.

Scaffolding was another best practice I saw most teachers do. They would tap into

students’ prior knowledge by encouraging them to relate to and connect the lesson to their

personal lives or they modeled and demonstrated what they wanted the students to do. In the

grade 6 science class, the teacher wanted students to create something battery powered so she

explained the instructions and then showed the class a battery-powered boat made from Lego

that had working lights and a moving propeller as an example. In the grade 7 class, the math

teacher did frequent checks for understanding while introducing the class to new types of angles.
She called on the students to provide the answers to the problems she was doing on the board and

made references to what they had already learned to help them solve problems.

Another best practice that I experienced during my fieldwork was effective classroom

management. As Marzano suggests, one of the most important roles of a teacher is that of a

classroom manager, and “well-managed classrooms provide an environment in which teaching

and learning can flourish” (Marzano, 2003, p. 1). All of the teachers I observed had different

ways to manage their students but one tactic that they all used was transitions. Specifically, they

all did a countdown of some type to signify students had to be on task within seconds. In the

JK/SK and grade 1/2 classes, teachers used “hands on top, that means stop” as well as lining up

students before leaving the classroom. The grade 4, 5/6 and 7 teachers used the “touch your nose

if you can hear me, touch your shoulder if you can hear me…” tactic. They all worked; I was

quite impressed! I also noticed most teachers had objects for busy hands – fidget toys and

squishy toys – but they were never used in my presence.

Something worth mentioning is how some of the teachers I observed successfully

engaged their students, especially during their anticipatory set. According to Vygotsky’s (1978)

theory of social interaction, learning does not occur in isolation. Therefore, activities that

emphasize interaction between students and allow for collaborative learning are necessary. One

of the best examples of this that I observed was in the grade 7 Science class. The science

teachers explained to the class an experiment they were going the do; it involved giving students

a beaker of clear liquid and having them share the fluid with three people. The ‘trick’ was, one

student’s liquid was infected with a (pretend) virus, and the goal was to demonstrate how quickly

viruses can spread amongst people. To determine who had been infected, a solution was added to

each beaker that turned the clear liquid bright pink. In the end, over 80% of the students were
infected! The kids had a blast doing this activity, and, as an upcoming teacher, I appreciated

seeing the impact engaging lessons can have on students.

While observing these classrooms, I saw many teaching techniques that I would apply to

my own classroom. All the teachers were very welcoming and receptive to students asking

questions during instruction or individual activities. I saw the grade 1/2 teacher dedicate an hour

to reviewing each students’ spelling test while the rest of the class worked on a different activity.

I think the personal attention and opportunity to really help the child work through any issues

was so valuable. I also found this teacher’s expectation of students to read at least one book a

night (from the class library) really helped develop their literacy skills. On the other hand, the

JK/SK teacher felt her class didn’t get enough time to read, which is why she had me work with

the students doing guided reading groups.

One activity that I took upon myself to do with the higher-level readers when we had

extra time was to write homonyms on the board and have them guess which one I was

referencing. Sometimes, I would even draw pictures to prompt them. Despite it being an activity

well above their grade level, they really enjoyed it and, at the same time, were learning new

vocabulary and phonetic skills. Little did I know I was implementing Vygotsky’s (1978) Zone of

Proximal Development!

Overall, I felt that all the teachers I observed were respected by their students and had

good control over their class. I believe their ability to set their expectations at the beginning of

the school year as well as on a daily basis has worked well for them, and it is something I will

take with me to my own classroom. The daily routines, differentiated instruction and classroom

management skills I witnessed were all important pieces to being a successful teacher. In
addition, trying to balance the different needs of students with the little time you have was a

great lesson into what teaching is really like. Having these practical experiences, coupled with

the theory learned throughout this course, has definitely prepared me for the classroom.

Although I do not expect to know how to do everything perfectly when I first begin my teaching

career, I do feel I have wealth of knowledge to set me up for success.

Philosophy of Education

In life, it is always easier to point out a problem than find a solution. As such, trying to

create an ideal school was more difficult than I expected. After much reflection, I narrowed

down the factors guiding my personal philosophy of education to be the following: (1) my son’s

JK/SK/Grade 1 teacher, Mrs. I, who showed me how a great teacher can positively impact a

child; (2) my cultural beliefs, which greatly impact my every-day decisions and make me who I

am; and, (3) what I have learned in this program thus far, since it has opened my eyes to the

realities of being a teacher. Together, these various drivers influenced my educational philosophy

to focus on empowered learners armed with life skills that set them up for success.

The school.

so that my ideal school is considered the hub of the community. It will be a safe place

where people want to come. Like most schools, it will serve as a conduit for the socialization of

children (i.e. subject knowledge, social skills, cultural norms and national identity, etc.);

however, it will go one step further by educating students on necessary life skills (ex. setting

goals, thinking outside the box, surviving failure). Inspired by Dewey’s progressivism theory, the

objective of my school is to provide an equal opportunity education that supports active learning

and critical appraisal. Specifically, teaching students how to think rather than what to think, and

encouraging them to challenge the status quo. The potential impact societal changes could have
on my school is not a concern since students will be empowered to be proactive drivers of social

change. That is, they will be leaders who have the knowledge and emotional intelligence to be

extraordinary.

The curriculum.

As mentioned, the curriculum will center around the core subjects (i.e. math, sciences,

English language, arts, etc.) and will be seasoned with lessons on relevant life skills. The primary

goal of my curriculum is to prepare students for tomorrow’s challenges by teaching them how to

problem solve and also to ask the right questions. To do this, we will complement our textbook

lessons with meaningful learning experiences (ex. hands-on activities, relevant field trips,

project-based learning). This pragmatic approach ensures students develop a genuine

understanding of the curriculum by encouraging them to do more than just memorize facts; they

will be gaining knowledge through memorable events. Not only does this keep them engaged but

also creates more inquisitive learners.

Learning.

Students at my school will learn by doing, as much as possible (James, Dewey & Mead).

They will learn in the classroom, outside the classroom, and during experiential adventures.

Learning will be mostly student-centered, and will be achieved using a number of different

mediums, such as textbooks, games, audio-visual components, inquiry-based learning, group

work, and, sometimes, direct instruction. SMART Board technology will be implemented

frequently to enhance the curriculum and engage students. Differentiated instruction will also be

a big part of curriculum delivery to ensure all students’ learning styles are met. Some examples

of differentiated instruction include, targeting different senses (auditory, visual, tactile,

kinesthetic), using the think-pair-share strategy, implementing reflection and goal-setting

exercises, and running literature circles.

The learner.

My school respects that every child learns differently and is capable of different things

depending on their stage of development. As such, I considered Piaget’s theory about the four

cognitive stages of childhood development, and adjusted the curriculum to align with each stage.

For example, students in grades 1 to 5 belong to the Concrete Operational Stage. This means

students are more aware of external events and are beginning to understand that everyone has a

different opinion. Based on this, we would modify the curriculum to include activities like the art

of debating as well as having students give presentations on similar topics.

Assessment.

Assessments are an integral part of the instruction process and are critical to helping

students learn. Not only do they demonstrate what a student has (and hasn’t!) learned but also

whether or not the curriculum goals have been met. (This is also indicative of the efficacy of the

teacher.) My school would implement both formative, summative and informal assessments to

ensure the most well-rounded testing process.

Formative assessments (ex. quizzes, activity sheet, writing assignment) would take place

during unit plans to gauge students’ understanding and point out any red flags. The immediate

results would allow teachers to make changes to their lesson plan, if necessary. Summative

assessments (ex. unit test) would take place following the completion of the unit plan to

determine students’ level of achievement and provide them with feedback regarding their

strengths and weaknesses. Informal assessments would involve self-assessments and peer

assessments. Self-assessments involve students identifying what they think about their learning
process and what they should work on, which encourages self-reflection and accountability. Peer

assessments allow students to get feedback from their classmates about what they did well and

what needed improvement. This teaches students how to be constructive, respectful, and how to

accept to criticism.

Classroom management.

My ideal classroom is a welcoming and positive place where students come to work hard

at achieving their goals (set out in the beginning of the year) while maximizing their true

potential. It is inclusive, collaborative, and safe. My ideal classroom management style would be

authoritative – positive, kind, orderly, and supportive of students. My focus would be on high

standards, and my firm yet realistic boundaries would ensure students trust and respect me. In

turn, I would reciprocate.

In terms of classroom management techniques, I would employ both proactive and

reactive practices. First, I would establish a welcoming classroom community by modeling and

encouraging positive behaviors as well as creating opportunities for meaningful interactions

between peers. Also, I would begin the school year by involving the class in creating classroom

rules, which they would then sign as acknowledgement of these rules. In terms of reactive

practices or disciplinary techniques, I would refer to my classroom management toolbox, which

consists of a number of tools and strategies that would help with behavior re-direction, positive

behavior reinforcement, getting students’ attention, accommodating students with special needs,

etc. A well-run classroom is like a well-oiled machine – it works at an optimal level and

produces outstanding results.

 The teacher.

Instructors often set the tone for the classroom. They can build up a student to reach their

potential or they can negatively impact a student’s educational experience so they don’t want to

attend class. My teachers will empower students to think critically, collaborate effectively,

challenge the status quo, and meet their goals. They will be state-certified educators who

strongly believe in life-long learning. They will be knowledgeable, positive, organized, outgoing,

confident, and compassionate. They will care about student learning, will develop a positive

culture of which students want to be a part, and will adapt their instruction to meet the needs of

all their students. More importantly, they will make an effort to connect with parents to involve

them in their child’s education and growth. My teachers will exemplify the school’s goals and

objectives, and will be a shining light in their students’ lives.

In summary, my ideal school will prepare students for a successful future. They will learn

to be empowered leaders by applying critical thinking skills and effective relationship building.

They will understand the importance of collaboration and acceptance, and will strive to be a

voice of change in society. From an institutional standpoint, we will review our successes and

failures on an annual basis to ensure we are constantly improving our curriculum and educational

experience.

Résumé

I have attached my résumé to highlight my key skills, teaching experiences, professional

development, educational background, and work experiences. I believe this document is a good

representation of me as a professional and as a prospective educator. It clearly outlines the

unique set of skills I bring to the table and why I will be an asset to whichever school I am

employed.
 TANIA TANTALO, M.PROF.COMM., B.COM.
Mississauga, ON (416) 206-7164
taniat518@gmail.com linkedin.com/in/ttantalo

ELEMENTARY TEACHER
PASSIONATE EDUCATOR AND LIFE-LONG LEARNER

Natural leader, self-starter, and collaborative team player using differentiated instruction to support
students of varying abilities and learning styles on their academic journey. Leverages strong
organizational, time management, and technology skills to create effective and engaging lesson plans that
motivate students to achieve their potential. Recognized for superior interpersonal and communication
skills. Maintains meaningful relationships with students, staff, parents and the community.

Key skills:
- Creative Lesson Planning - Coaching and Mentoring
- Effective Classroom Management - Project Planning and Execution
- Program Development - Writing and Editing

EDUCATION
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.), Elementary Education, Medaille College, Buffalo, NY
In progress; expected completion May 2019
Master of Professional Communication (M.Prof.Comm.), University of Western Sydney, NSW, Australia
Corporate Communications Diploma, Seneca College, Toronto, ON
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.), Marketing, minor in Law, Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto, ON

TEACHING / EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School, Mississauga, ON 2017 – 2018
Volunteered weekly in JK/SK, Grade 1/2, and Grade 4 classes.
 Implemented intense half-hour sessions with individual students requiring extra reading
reinforcement and motivation, with special emphasis on sight-word vocabulary, reading strategies,
and development of comprehension skills.
 Led guided reading sessions with small groups to foster fluency and further reading success.
 Used the problem-solving model with Grade 4 students, enhancing mathematical fluency and aiding
in making connections between academic concepts and real-life contexts, such as life and sports.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Dignity for All Students (DASA) Training, Medaille College, 2018
Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment Training, Medaille College, 2018
NetSmartz Teaching Digital Citizenship Training, Medaille College, 2018
School Violence Prevention and Intervention Training, Medaille College, 2018
 COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE
TELUS, Toronto, ON 2006 – 2018
Communications Manager, Channel Experience 2014 – 2018
Provided strategic communications counsel to senior leaders as a trusted advisor. Developed and
executed communications plans for 3 Vice Presidents that aligned with and supported corporate
objectives.
 Drove end-to-end internal and executive communications plans, and developed traditional and
innovative products that engaged, informed, and motivated team members to deliver on TELUS’
business objectives (ex. monthly video Logs).
 Organized team meetings, developed presentations, and created communications content, working
collaboratively with cross-functional teams to ensure employees and business partners were
educated and updated on strategic initiatives, annual goals, and accomplishments, as well as
celebrated for successes.
 Collaborated with and managed senior executives and cross-functional teams throughout planning
process.

Marketing Manager, Channel Events & Communications 2006 - 2014

Planned, developed, and executed strategies and communications for national Channel team training
events to align key messages with corporate priorities (i.e. developed executive presentations,
collaborated on training session content, managed vendor relationships, provided post-mortem reports
with recommendations). Managed $1M annual event budget.
 Partnered with cross-functional teams to develop an in-store price match program, empowering
TELUS stores to respond immediately to competitor price changes and improving the customer
experience.
 Led project to develop magnetic signs for TELUS retail store use, enabling prices to be changed
regularly to meet the demands of frequent offer changes
 Managed and mentored 2 Leadership Development Program students, introducing the process of
planning and executing events for external stakeholders (independent dealers and sales
representatives) as well as team meetings, and assigning deliverables to develop and grow skills.
 Controlled expenses by identifying innovative ways to reduce costs, such as charging vendors to
participate at post-training vendor fairs and using the same hotel chain for all events to get a
reduced rate.

ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SONEPAR CANADA, Communications and Content Coordinator
CANADIAN MEMORIAL CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE, Special Projects Coordinator
SYN•X PHARMA INC., Investor Relations Officer

COMPUTER SKILLS
SMART Notebook | Microsoft Office | Google Suite | Adobe Photoshop

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Conclusion

I feel this section is one of the most important within this portfolio because it exposes the

reader to who I am on a more personal level. I have presented my educational and work

experiences that helped forge my path to becoming a teacher, including the key people who

inspired me to get where I am today (and stay here!). I also shared some experiences during my

classroom observations that not only reinforced a number of theories and concepts I have learned

at Medaille College but also validated the types of techniques I would use within my own

classroom (ex. Dewey’s Progressivism theory, Piaget’s cognitive stages of childhood

development, Marzano’s classroom management techniques, and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal

Development). I included my philosophy of education, which paints a vivid picture of my ideal

school, and I attached my résumé, which highlights my diverse background and experiences.

In the next section of this portfolio, I will be presenting my pedagogical evidence that

supports my previous claims that I have developed the necessary skills, knowledge and

preparedness to become a successful elementary teacher. This evidence, in the form of artifacts,

is a collection of my best work done throughout the M.S.Ed. program. It showcases my ability to

plan, instruct and assess successfully, my knowledge of the elementary curriculum, and my

superior literacy and technology skills. The artifacts I included in this project are: a literacy

lesson plan, a grade 4 mathematics learning segment, assessment tools, my classroom

management toolbox, my Weebly website, my philosophy of education paper, a SMART Board

presentation, and my Pecha Kucha presentation on traumatic brain injury. I look forward to

sharing with you these items that I am so proud of.