Section Two:

Teacher Candidate Background Experiences

“Inclusion is not simply about physical proximity. It is about intentionally planning for the
success of all students.”
-thinkinclusive.us

Introduction

The Teacher Candidate Background Experiences section of the MSED Project Portfolio

will consist of both my Educational Background as well as my past Work Experiences that have

had an influence on, why I have decided to pursue a career as an Elementary Teacher and the

journey it took to get to where I am today. I will also address my Philosophy of Education, how

this has shaped me into who I am today, and the beliefs that I have towards education. Within

this section of the Project Portfolio, I will also discuss some important School Observations and

Classroom Applications that I have seen through my experiences as well as I have included my

Resume, which will showcase both my past educational and work experiences, and also my

readiness to become an Elementary Teacher.

Teacher Candidate Educational Background and Work Experiences

Before starting my Masters of Elementary Education at Medaille I attended the

University of Guelph, where I graduate with an Honors degree in Sociology and Crime and

Criminal Justice Policy. I graduated in 2014 and have been working, gaining experience in many

areas of education ever since. My biggest regret was not starting Teacher’s College straight out

of University, when the program was only one year in Ontario. I never thought, after completing

a four-year Bachelor’s Degree, that I would be going back to school to complete my Masters of

Science in Elementary Education in the future. My first position was gaining some experience in

the field through working for Cedar Heights Residential Living in Mono and Orangeville,
Ontario, supporting teenagers aged 11-17 with behavioral and developmental concerns. I then

started my journey with Brampton Caledon Community Living where I was supporting

individuals, with a variety of special needs, in the home as well as the community. The

colleagues that I met while working for Brampton Caledon Community Living, pushed me to

apply to work as an Educational Assistant with the school board in my area. The colleagues I

worked with at the time, felt strongly that I had a superior potential and that I was meant to do

something more meaningful. Although working to support individuals with a variety of special

needs such as schizophrenia and Cerebral Palsy was such a rewarding career, I knew that I

needed to inspire more people and in particular students in elementary classrooms.

I never thought I would have a chance to work for any school board, let alone it

becoming my future career. When I obtained a position as an Educational Assistant at the Peel

District School Board, I began working with special needs children in the elementary classroom

setting. I was able to obtain a permanent position with the Peel District School Board within one

year of working with such amazing students. I also now work for both the Peel School Board as

well as the Upper Grand District School Board, where I have had the opportunity to meet some

amazing students and to have an impact of the lives of not only mainstream students in the

classroom, but special needs students in particular. This career has been so regarding for myself

and I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to work with such inspiring children and to be

able to be a part of their learning and educational experiences. I have made some great bonds

with these students over the years and have seen them grown into such amazing individuals, who

care about their education. I have also met many Elementary Teachers while working for both

school boards who have pushed me to make this change and to get my Masters. Two teachers I

worked with in particular, were the ones who introduced me to the MSED program at Medaille
College. I was unaware that I would be able to not only continue working in the field of

education supporting special needs students, but also go back to school on the weekends and

complete the MSED program that will allow me to become an Elementary Teacher. Without the

support from my co-workers, I would never have been aware of this opportunity, or the self-

fulfillment that I would have upon beginning the program last September. I am grateful that I

worked with such inspiring teachers who saw the potential in myself and pushed me to where I

am today. This is one of the main reasons why I wanted to pursue the career as an elementary

teacher. I want to be able to reach more students on this level and to incorporate what I have

learned through teaching special needs children, to the other students in the classroom. I think

that starting off working with students with special needs has given me a great understanding of

the importance of inclusion, as well as meeting the needs of all students who may not learn in

conventional ways. Therefore, preparing myself to be a confident and component Elementary

Teacher.

School Observations and Classroom Application

Throughout my MSED program with Medaille College, I was given the opportunity to be

a part of a learning experience, through which I observed both NYS Saturday Academies as well

as was able to observe students attending Buffalo Prep at the University at Buffalo. Both of these

experiences were useful and I was able to see multiple educational settings as well as support

students in their classes. I learned a lot through these observations that I will able to take with me

and use in my future classroom application. During this observation time I was able to take part

in running a literacy room where students came in and I read with them, as well as completed

crafts that were related to the books we read. I also had the pleasure of participating in a
smoothie making activity where the students had to measure ingredients and mix them together

to make smoothies. This was a great experience, as I was able to see how students could apply

skills they learned previously in their math classes, to another skill of make something delicious

and have a great time doing it (Piaget, 1952). During my observations at Buffalo Prep, I was able

to support students in both Math and Science classes. I took part in a Science Experiment, where

I worked with the students to learn about germs and bacteria on bread, after being touched or

rubbed on objects in the classroom. I was able to see how the students learned through the use of

online videos, verbal discussions, written assignments, hands-on assignments, math work, and

musical aspects, all combined into the learning of one subject area (Howard Gardner, Multiple

Intelligences) (Altan & Gardner, 2002).

I have been working in an elementary setting for the past four years and have had such an

amazing and rewarding experience as an Educational Assistant. I have now decided that I want

to be able to teach the whole class, as opposed to supporting individual students with special

needs. I have always been a strong leader and I feel that I will succeed in the role of an educator,

as well as be able to plan and teach according to my personal teaching goals and the needs of the

students. Through the experiences I have had as an Educational Assistant working for both the

Peel District School Board as well and the Upper Grand District School Board I have not only

observed many classrooms ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 12, I have also observed many

educators and have seen both techniques that I will take with my and use in my future teaching

practices, as well as those that I have learned are not effective teaching strategies.

Classroom management something that I was very observant of during both my fieldwork

at Medaille as well as my current occupation as an Educational Assistant. I have learned the

importance of classroom management and having the tools in order to do so effectively. Some
classes I have observed where the teachers had amazing classroom management and the students

were able to learn in the environment very effectively. I have also on the other hand, seen classes

where teachers were lacking in the classroom management skills and the students were very

much off task, or the teacher was not able to teach the lesson at all. I have taken the time to

research my own strategies to use, based on those that I have seen effectively used by elementary

teachers, that I will take with me in my teaching toolbox when I am a certified Elementary

Teacher.

Overall my school observations and classroom applications so far have taught me a lot

about how to teach concepts to students in an engaging way, as well as how to effectively

manage a classroom and meet the needs of all students.

Philosophy of Education

School

As a future educator, I feel that it is important for students to learn in an environment

where they can feel safe to express their concerns. Therefore, the school’s mission statement and

values are important when it comes to my decision as to where I want to teach as a future

educator. The values that the school holds are a strong indication of the ways the students are

treated. I will strongly stand by the fact that I will teach at a school that holds similar values to

my own and that they inspire students to be successful, confident individuals. As well as it is

important to me, that together they are a strong school community.

Teacher

Inclusion is an enormous part of education and I feel that student’s needs, need to be

included in the planning and instruction stages of the cycle of teaching, in order to give the most
students, the opportunity to grow both mentally and educationally. I want students to be able to

come and reach out to me if there are any concerns they are having. I feel that it is important for

students to receive respect from their teachers in order for them to give the same respect in

return. My philosophy of education is that every child deserves the chance to learn. Children are

blank slates that need to obtain knowledge in order to achieve their goals and ambitions in the

future (Locke, 1993). Students should always have access to the tools they require to learn and

should be assisted in as many ways as possible in order to aid their learning experience

(McGrath, 2010). As a future educator, I feel that teachers play the most important role in

education. It is their responsibility to make sure students have a safe environment to grow and to

learn.

Learning

I have been working with special needs students as an Educational Assistant for both the

Peel District and Upper Grand District School Boards, for the past few years. Therefore, I have

become a strong believer that inclusion is so important for children. Part of my philosophy of

education is that students need to be taught in an inclusive way and that classrooms need to be

free from discrimination (Vygotsky, 1978). I have seen so many students with exceptionalities

and special needs, excel in activities that other mainstream students would never be able to

accomplish. I feel that if all students are given the opportunity to be included in activities, they

would have a much greater chance of success (Ekins & Grimes, 2009). It is important in my

opinion, as a future educator, that I make sure, to not only have an inclusive classroom free from

students feeling as though they can’t be themselves, but to be intentionally inclusive in my

planning and instruction in order to encourage learning from as many students as possible.
Students need to feel as though they belong and have the chance to do anything, they dream of

doing. Nothing should be too big for a student to accomplish, if they put their minds to it.

Learner

I also want to be welcoming to those students I will have the pleasure of teaching, who

may have special needs and require EA support. These students more than anything need to feel

included and not segregated in the classroom (Ekins & Grimes, 2009). I will make this my goal,

for all students with special needs to have a place in my classroom, and as long as I am able to

accommodate to their needs. As a future educator I will also make sure to incorporate as many

learning styles as I can into all of my lessons (Gardner, 1983). It is important to meet the needs

of all students’ abilities and to teach according to the needs of the learners in the classroom.

I want to end my philosophy of education by highlighting the fact that I will always

keep in mind, that all students need to be loved and cared for while they are in my classroom, as

we never know how they are going to be treated when they leave our classrooms.

Resume

Introduction

Below I have attached my resume, which will encompass both the educational skills and

experiences that I have acquired, which have shaped me into who I am today. I am proud of the

accomplishments I have made and I hope to expand on these experiences and add to my resume

as my future unfolds. I have had the pleasure of working as an Educational Assistant for two

school boards over the past few years. This has been a stepping stone for my goal of becoming

an Elementary Teacher. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing and inspiring

Elementary Teachers, who I could not thank enough for the encouragement they have given
myself as well as the things they have taught me, since knowing I am completing my MSED. I

have been working towards the goal of becoming an Elementary Teacher for many years. I feel

that through my experiences within my MSED program, as well as the work experiences I have

had and continue to have, I am prepared to have the honor of working as an Elementary Teacher,

once my program at Medaille is complete this coming December 2020.

Stephanie Sumsion
684 Canfield Place
Shelburne ON, L9V 3B1
416-906-0135
[email protected]
[email protected]
CERTIFICATION: Seeking OCT Certification in Elementary Education

EDUCATION: Masters of Science in Elementary Education

Anticipated Graduation December 2020
Medaille College, Buffalo, New York
Current GPA: 4.0

Honors Bachelors Sociology

Minor in Crime and Criminal Justice Policy
Graduated May 2014
University of Guelph, ON

RELATED EXPERIENCE:

Experience working with students with special needs such as Autism

Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Medically Fragile, Schizophrenia, Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD), Cerebral Palsy, and a multitude
of other special needs as discussed below.

Educational Assistant, Upper Grand District School Board,

Current Position
• Working with special needs students within a classroom
setting. Some special needs include; Autism Spectrum
 Disorder (ASD), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder
(FASD), Attentional Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
• I support students both educationally and mentally
(Kindergarten – Grade 12)
• Complete online learning component for the students as
well as interact with the students online tthrough Google
Classroom.
• Work with a team of individuals to create an IEP for
students which outlines their accommodations,
modifications, goals and additional supports outside of the
school environment.

Teaching Assistant, Peel District School Board,

2018-2020
• Working with medically fragile, ASD and other special
needs students within a classroom setting.
• Support students from Kindergarten – Grade 12
• Complete online learning components for the students, as
well as interact with the students online on a regular basis
through Google Classroom.
• Create and Plan activities for the students that are suited to
their skills and meet their IEP goals.
• Work with a team of professionals to create an IEP for
students which outlines their accommodations,
modifications, goals and additional supports outside of the
school environment.

Community Support Worker, Brampton Caledon Community

Living,
2016-2018
• Support adults with social and personal needs within the
home and community environment. (Schizophrenia,
Cerebral Palsy).
• Personal Care such as bating, feeding, etc.

Residential Support Worker, Cedar Heights Residential Living,

2015-2016
• Support students with educational as well as social and
academic needs within the home and school environment.
 Including; FASD, ASD, ADHD, Obedience Defiance
Disorder (ODD).

TRAINING: Standard First Aid CPR/AED Level C (2018)

CPI (Non-Violent Crisis Intervention) (November 2019)

TECHNOLOGY: SMART Board, Google Classroom, Seesaw, Edmodo, Kahoot

EMPLOYMENT: Manager, Tim Hortons, 2012-2015

LANGUAGES: French

References Available Upon Request

Conclusion

Section two of my portfolio, Teacher Candidate Background Experiences, allowed me to

showcase my past experiences related to education. This section also discussed why I chose to

continue my studies at Medaille College for my MSED, after completing my four-year

Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Guelph. Through the years of working in both residential

living homes as well as working as an Educational Assistant, for both the Peel and Upper Grand

District School Boards, I have gained a multitude of hands on experiences. In this section of my

portfolio, I have discussed how these acquired skills have been my stepping stones to where I am

today and why I am confident in my abilities to become an Elementary Teacher. In the next

section of my portfolio, Teacher Candidate Artifacts, I have included multiple personal artifacts

that I have created while completing my MSED at Medaille. These will further provide evidence

of my abilities related to becoming an effective and prepared Elementary Teacher.