ePortfolio
This electronic-portfolio is designed to highlight my professional qualities, background knowledge, capacity to plan and capacity to teach -- abilities that constitute a competent beginning teacher. These aspects were drawn from the BC Teacher Regulation Branch (BCTRB) Standards for the educational competence and professional conduct of educators in BC. Collectively, these competencies present accurate directives of what professional educators should know and be able to do. They serve as a tribute to teachers – highlighting the important and skillful work of our proud and learned profession. (Excerpted from the BCTRB Standards for Professional Conduct.)
My e-portfolio highlights evidence of my competencies in reference to these aspects and includes self-reflections on my personal context for learning. Teaching is a profession, governed by a certifying body. My e-portfolio clearly identifies my strengths and my capacity to teach and learn as a professional educator.
I chose a garden metaphor for this eportfolio because I believe that teaching resembles gardening in many ways. I have learned from my permaculture training and from years of gardening that not all plants require the same conditions to thrive. Tomatoes love heat and full-sun exposition but lettuce prefers cool conditions. I can grow gigantic rosemary plants in the dry, rocky soil at the front of my house, but I have to plant the blueberry bushes at the bottom of the garden where the clay keeps the soil damp. As a gardener, I carefully plan and design my garden to account for each plant’s specific requirements. Once my garden is planted, I visit each plant every day to assess how it is doing. I monitor the soil’s dampness and watch for weeds or pests. Most importantly, I nurture every plant to ensure that it has all the water and nutrients it needs in order to thrive. I love to watch them grow and transform. I give a lot of love and nurturing to my garden and I also get a lot back. I enjoy the multiple flavours and colours that each plant has to offer and celebrate each plant’s uniqueness.
I bring this attitude of care and nurturing in my teaching. I try my best to get to know in which conditions my students work and learn best. Knowing their unique interests and backgrounds is crucial to planning engaging classes, while knowing their learning styles and constantly assessing their progress is essential for differentiating teaching and assessment. I believe that encouraging students to know themselves and to be proud of their unique traits helps to create a strong community of learners where children know that they are celebrated, respected and loved. My goal as a teacher is to provide all the conditions for my students to students grow, thrive and bloom.
My e-portfolio highlights evidence of my competencies in reference to these aspects and includes self-reflections on my personal context for learning. Teaching is a profession, governed by a certifying body. My e-portfolio clearly identifies my strengths and my capacity to teach and learn as a professional educator.
I chose a garden metaphor for this eportfolio because I believe that teaching resembles gardening in many ways. I have learned from my permaculture training and from years of gardening that not all plants require the same conditions to thrive. Tomatoes love heat and full-sun exposition but lettuce prefers cool conditions. I can grow gigantic rosemary plants in the dry, rocky soil at the front of my house, but I have to plant the blueberry bushes at the bottom of the garden where the clay keeps the soil damp. As a gardener, I carefully plan and design my garden to account for each plant’s specific requirements. Once my garden is planted, I visit each plant every day to assess how it is doing. I monitor the soil’s dampness and watch for weeds or pests. Most importantly, I nurture every plant to ensure that it has all the water and nutrients it needs in order to thrive. I love to watch them grow and transform. I give a lot of love and nurturing to my garden and I also get a lot back. I enjoy the multiple flavours and colours that each plant has to offer and celebrate each plant’s uniqueness.
I bring this attitude of care and nurturing in my teaching. I try my best to get to know in which conditions my students work and learn best. Knowing their unique interests and backgrounds is crucial to planning engaging classes, while knowing their learning styles and constantly assessing their progress is essential for differentiating teaching and assessment. I believe that encouraging students to know themselves and to be proud of their unique traits helps to create a strong community of learners where children know that they are celebrated, respected and loved. My goal as a teacher is to provide all the conditions for my students to students grow, thrive and bloom.
