Masters in Education produces seeds & growth: By Kevin Pielak

Welcome to my garden 

Picture






This is my portfolio for EPSE 590 the capstone course in achieving my masters in general special
education and the conclusion of four years of cultivating my mind and developing new teaching skills. I will begin by explaining to you what planted the seeds that made me decide to do my masters. I had several goals that were planted in my mind before my masters and that took root as I learned and took the courses that would lead me to achieving my goals. I will show you some of the projects I did while doing my masters, either from courses I took or work I did at school while teaching my students.

I use the metaphor of “Gardening”  for two reasons. Firstly, it is one of my passions that keeps me rooted in the concrete real-world. I find working with nature, both calming and soothing to my soul and am joyful when I see the fruits of my laybor ready for harvest. Secondly, I find that gardening and teaching have similarities. Each seed, plant or student comes to us with a certain set of biological inclinations  that includes both strengths and weaknesses. The environment they live in has either a strengthening or weakening effect on these individual biological inclinations. It is up to us as the gardener or the teacher to find these individual strengths and weaknesses within each plant or child and create an environment where they can work from their strengths and overcome their weaknesses and in doing so, steadily grow until they achieve their full potential.

My education at UBC has eccelerated my growth as a teacher and has been a wellspring of much inspiration I have harvested many inspirational ideas and strategies that will immediately enhance a student's learning in my classroom, The seeds of many other ideas and strategies have been planted in my mind and will continue to grow and evolve as I use them to become more able to adapt and understand the unique and specific educational needs of the students for whom I am responsible.

The artifacts and references provided to you are the ones I believe have imparted me with the best information and technology. They are the reason for my transformation into a more effective teacher and are the reason I am able to deliver the unique specific educational needs of each learner with special needs and at the same time providing beneficial educational assistance to all the other students in my classes. As with any new idea or change, acceptance is slow, however,  It is my hope that those teachers in search of new and useful educational ideas will find that the information I have provided to be just what they've been looking for.



 There is a cover letter and resume for future employers to look over.

I will also discuss how this new learning has pointed me in a new direction of an exciting future.