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Teaching Portfolio: Learn More About Me!

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My Story Hello! Thanks for taking the time to view my portfolio! My name is Candice. I am excited about the opportunity to grow in my career as an English teacher! Born and raised in New Jersey, I discovered a passion for teaching both from the effective teachers I had and my love of language. I believe in having a classroom that displays equity. Students should be given multiple opportunities to show what they know. I have a strong eye for detail and can thrive independently as well as in a team environment. You are invited to explore more information about my skills, background, and teaching philosophies.  Professional History Learning Community Charter School (January 2022-present) Student Teacher ( TIPP) To keep students on task To work in small groups on writing and phonics To work one on one with students Executing lessons that promote critical thinking and whole group discussion. North Star Academy (August 2021-January 2022) Teacher Aide Keep students on task Support their ...
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I Have Bad News For You

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  When I started college, my dad and I were constantly fighting. It got to a point where I knew the best choice would be for me to move out.  I decided to dorm at college because I couldn't afford to pay rent for an apartment yet. Just like Wes, I kept the news to myself for a while. I resonate with feeling like you are in a daze. As each day passed, I tried to keep up the appearance that everything was fine.  I had to take a lot of deep breaths to calm myself down. I tried to act like it wasn't happening. I was too scared to tell my dad. I slowly started moving my stuff out secretly. I now know I should have handled it better and told him sooner. My friends helped me move all my stuff out to a nearby friend's house. He lived right across from school. It would be easier for me to move my stuff from there for move in day. I didn't tell my dad I was moving out until the day before. I didn't want him to guilt trip me to try and talk me out of it. I could tell that my...
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Difficult Situations: How to Cope

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       Activities that I enjoy while coping with difficult situations are watching shows or movies. I enjoy these activities because they become a source of escape for my problems. When I watch movies and shows I like to pretend that my friends and I are the characters on screen. Imagining the different lives I can have is entertaining. There are different ways people cope. Not every way of coping is healthy. For example, when Alma died from her body rejecting the kidney transplant, Kenneth chose alcohol as his mechanism. Although getting drunk causes a person to lose control of themselves and forget what is going on around them, it is only a temporary solution. I relate to Kenneth in a sense that sometimes making bad choices seems okay to do if it offers a quick solution. You don't always think about the long term consequences one choice can have. Constantly indulging in alcohol every time a difficult situation arises will lead to more harm than good. Wes' mom decid...
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Product of Environment Vs. Expectation

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    I think we are a combination product of our expectations and environment. In the video, Wes Moore asked what separated him from the other Wes Moore who was convicted for robbery. It begins with having that strong support system at home. Wes Moore's parents instilled in him strong values about how to treat women. His dad told him he should always protect women. These expectations shaped him into the man that he turned out to be. Parents are their child's best teachers. Sometimes, they are not sure how to be. This graph shows what having a supportive environment looks or sounds like. Children observe and copy attitudes and patterns they see from their parents. However, just because we have expectations that are set doesn't mean we always follow them.      Depending on the person, outside environmental factors influence our decision making. For example, I have a relative who's parents treated him like a king. He had set expectations on what it m...
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Is Higher Education Worth the Price?

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  Colleges are not worth the price. Bachelor's degrees are required for most jobs. However, I feel that the quantity is not worth the quality of education that is given. As stated in Are Colleges Worth the Price?  authors Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus mention, colleges "have lost track of their basic mission to challenge the minds of young people." Students' minds are not being challenged as much as they should be. There is really no improvement on their critical thinking from high school to college. I agree with the statement from them that says "higher education has become a colossus-a $420 billion industry." Instead of focusing on the criteria that is being taught, college has become a business. It is more about having to go back and forth with financial aid to figure out how to afford an education.  Colleges are not worth the price. Bachelor's degrees are required for most jobs. However, I feel that the quantity is not worth the quality o...
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Fast Food: The New Tobacco

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  Is Fast Food the New Tobacco?           Fast food is the new tobacco. People do not even think about ordering out anymore. It comes naturally to them. People lead busy lives and do not have the energy to cook a thirty minute to two hour dinner. In his article, Don't Blame the Eater, David Zinczeko, talks about how in his life his "mom working long hours to make the monthly bills. Lunch and dinner, for me, was a daily choice between McDonalds, Taco Bell…" (391) There are many parents who are going through similar situations. While driving, a person may pass by at least three or four fast food chains on the way to their destinations. Fast food is called fast for a reason. It only takes about five minutes to order food at a drive-thru. Although there are healthy alternatives, it takes too much time to prepare. Healthier alternatives also tend to be more expensive. Therefore, if a person is struggling to make ends meet, fast food is cheap and reliable. ...
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Pop Culture Blog

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  Is Pop Culture Good for You?      I think pop culture is good for you. It keeps people informed about things happening in the world. Although people may complain about how modern shows have become more graphic, they are not focusing on the bigger picture. These shows are made to emphasize themes that they want the audience to understand. In Steven Johnson’s article, Watching TV Makes You Smarter , he gives the great example of Family Guy. This show uses satire to reference social issues that are still relevant today. There are people, such as myself to be honest, who may not be fully aware of things that are happening in the world. There are many more shows such as South Park and The Simpsons that follow this same format.          There are fans who have taken time to make w ikis for these shows that provide the details of plot and the references that are made per episode. Thus, this may encourage people who are not aware of certain refere...
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