Teaching Portfolio
Gillian Rossi
Pre-Service Teacher, Primary Education
St.Francis Xavier University , 1st Year (2019)
10 Things I Learned at Placement
The purpose of this page represents a reflective approach about practicum to improve competencies as a beginner teacher and display a growth mindset over different experiences in different classrooms.
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Ryerson Early Learning Centre (2016)
10 things I learned at my first placement:
1. Early learning centres are extremely crucial to a child's development as they set the foundation of knowledge and can foreshadow a child's future success in the school system.
2. Healthy and open relationships between families and educators are key to benefit the child along with a nurturing connection between educator and child.
3. Teamwork skills between educators and other staff are very important.
4. Genuine observations will lead to successful activities.
5. Confidence is key when leading activities. The children can sense any uneasiness or frustrations.
6. Everything needs to be kept in consideration when working with toddlers. From the materials, to the diaper changes, there is always some sort of policy or individual accomodation that is made and strictly followed.
7. Routine is important for children. One minor change in the schedule can throw off a child's entire day.
8. It is not easy working with other student teachers especially when there is a difference of opinon but sometimes it is best to take a step back and try to see things from their perspective.
9. It is important to value your supervisors. You never know when you will need a reference or when a future opportunity of employment might pop up.
10. Don't take things too seriously! It is important to have fun and remember that it is a learning process. It is okay if you don't get things correct the first time around, you will learn!
The Massey Centre: Early Learning Centre (2017)
10 things I learned at my second placement:
1. Government funding and external financial support for early learning centres is extremely necessary to provide the proper resources and environment for children to reach their full potential, especially in areas of of low income.
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2. Despite different opinions on best practice between ECE's in the classroom, it is important that they find common ground so they can work together for the best interest of the children.
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3. No family is perfect. Every family is faced with their own challenges which are no more or less signifiant than another families, just different. As an educator it is important to support the family and work with them and to suspend bias or judgement.
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4. The early childhood educator profession does not get paid enough for what they do; nor are they given the credit they deserve.
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5. Sometimes practical practice takes priority over "best practice". Yes there is an ideal way of doing things, supported by research, but when a child comes from a different centre or unstable home environment, it may not always be practical to implement a "perfect" practice.
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6. The child care centre can be a a safe haven for children. For those from unsteady home environments and low socio-economic status, the only sense of stability, safety and nurturance may be found in the class room.
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7. As a student, not every placement will be ideal but with an open-mind, the experience can be fulfilling in an unexpected way.
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8. Sometimes all children need is a hug.
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9. Home and school life are one in the same and should not be treated as separate influences on the child but should work together for the child's healthy development.
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10. You have to have passion for the career you pursue. The love for what you do, is that keeps you going.
St. Andrew Public School, TDSB (2018)
10 things I learned at my third placement:
1. There is no one way to define "smart". Each child has their own strengths and areas of improvement that make them special and unique.
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2. School can be a safe haven for many children who experience rough lives at home.
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3. Teachers are amazing advocates who do not get their voices listened to enough when it comes to decisions made by the school board on matters that directly affect their roles and responsibilities working with children. Teachers need more of a say.
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4. Know the children's names! It can be hard sometimes to remember a whole class of names, but it is important to know them as soon as possible because it builds the relationship between teacher and student.
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5. What parents do or do not do at home with their child, makes all the difference to their direction of progress academically.
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6. You know what they say, "It takes a village to raise a child". This was evident in a school environment where the assessment and development of a child who is behind typical development, requires the input and feedback from he classroom teachers, other teachers, principles, social workers, special education teachers, etc. It is truly an interdisciplinary effort.
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7. Early intervention is key.
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8. It is important that activities have a beginning, middle, and end.
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9. Keep it simple with activities. Often times, less is more and the children may surprise you with where a simple activity can lead to.
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10. A school is more than just what happens in the classroom. It is a community!
Savior Children Foundation (Ghana, Africa) & Research Project (2018)
5 things I learned in Ghana:
1. Education is a right that many children around the world do not get to exercise.
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2. A strong community is so important for a child's development. While at the orphanage, all the children were each other brothers and sisters, and all the adults took care of the children as if they were their own. Hope radiated from this community despite the circumstances they are in.
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3. Take away the materialistic and ignite the imagination. The children I was able to learn about and work with did not have all the technology, supplies, materials or resources you would find in a developed country. Despite this, these same children showcased incredible imagination and creativity.
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4. The sacrificial love a mother has for her child is amazing. These women in Ghana would have a child wrapped around their back, while balancing water on their head, and finding the energy and strength to still cook, and clean amongst all their other responsibilities day in and day out.
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5. Travelling to other countries, especially those more under developed gives perspective, grows compassion and teaches gratitude.
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5 things I learned while doing research:
1. There are a lot of steps and details that go behind a published article.
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2. When coding information, I learned to let the research speak to me instead of trying to find specific details or answers.
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3. I learned more practical skills such as time management on individual tasks and collaboration between other professionals.
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4. There are more similarities between children around the world than differences.
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5. Research is so important in developing effective programs.
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I will continue to reflect by keeping a journal for practicum as a form to manage well-being and be a lifelong learner.