E-Portfolio Reflection

The Elementary Education program at Dixie State University has prepared me to

become a teacher that will inspire and motivate my students. I have become less judgmental and
better understand the unique needs of each student. I know that all students deserve an education.
It is my job as a teacher to build differentiation into my lessons so that all of my students can
grow from the lesson and exploit new learning opportunities. This e-portfolio is based on the
DESERT model standards which include diversity, environment, subject matter, effective
pedagogy, reflection, and teaching dispositions. My assignments listed in the e-portfolio show
that I am a competent, caring and qualified teacher.
I am a competent teacher for three principal reasons. (1) A teacher needs to have the ability,
knowledge and skill to teach her students successfully. Having a competent teacher is an
invaluable asset to the education of students. I have many assignments in my e-portfolio which
demonstrate my competence. (2) My SIOP (sheltered instruction observation protocol)
assessment project which can be found in the environment tab demonstrates similar
proficiency. I spent many hours collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. I put the collected
data into charts which showed the growth of my students over time then I determined what steps
would benefit the students based on their test scores. This assignment demonstrates my
competence in collecting and analyzing data using the scientific method. This will enable me to
assess what needs to be re-taught for students to have an in depth understanding of the lesson.
And (3), I am caring and considerate. All students deserve to have a teacher that is
compassionate. A caring teacher creates a classroom environment that is warm and inviting. The
teacher loves each of her students and wants them to succeed. She is concerned about their
welfare and does all she can to ensure their individual learning needs are met.

Being in the elementary education program has taught me the importance of being a
thoughtful teacher. There is a video under the reflection tab of me teaching a math lesson to
my 3rd semester practicum kindergarten class. Throughout the video I am warm and considerate
in my interactions with the students. I took the time to listen to and answer their questions. I gave
feedback to the students so it is apparent that they know I am watching and listening to their
discussions. Another assignment supported this conclusion and can be found under the
effective pedagogy tab. This lesson was written for 1st grade students. Throughout the lesson I
made many accommodations to meet the needs of each of my students. This demonstrates that I
am a considerate professional due to the fact that I differentiated the lesson based on the
individual needs of each of my students. Clearly, being a caring professional is an important part
of being an effective teacher.
Attending college has helped me become a qualified teacher. I have spent many years working
towards my goal of obtaining my Bachelors Degree and teaching elementary school. All of the
assignments in my e-portfolio indicate that I am a qualified teacher. The assignment that best
demonstrates my qualification is my educational philosophy which is located under the teaching
disposition tab. My educational philosophy has changed immensely during my 2 years in the
elementary education program. This assignment shows that I am qualified because it addresses
what I feel are the most important aspects of being an educator proper education and a
philosophy of what a good education should look like from a students perspective.
In summary, I have greatly enjoyed my time in the elementary education program. It has
been invigorating and exciting. My e-portfolio shows that I have the ability to meet the needs of
my students by being a caring, competent, and qualified teacher. I know that each student comes
to school with a different need. It is my job as an educator to meet those needs. Reflecting over

my e-portfolio has helped me realize that I am prepared to embark on my new career as an

elementary teacher. I am excited about this new adventure in life.