Placement Experience 2025 | Anna Onuchina Portfolio

Welcome to my Placement Experience 2025

Educational Support Program. Sheridan College 2025

Course: FLPL20102, Field Seminar & Placement 1,2.

Field Placement Fall, October -December 2025

Placement Site: Elementary School, Ottawa, Ontario (OCSB)

Previous Field Placement 2 Portfolio

This ePortfolio highlights my growth and learning through:

A personal reflection on my development this term
Two SMART Goals with detailed reflections
Evidence showing how I worked toward each goal
A reflection on receiving and applying constructive feedback

Reflective Practice

During this placement, I learned a great deal about myself as a developing Educational Assistant. I discovered that I work well in diverse classroom environments and can remain calm, patient, and observant even when situations feel unpredictable. Supporting students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 helped me understand how differently children communicate, learn, regulate emotions, and respond to routine. I also realized how important it is to build trust through clear communication, gentle guidance, and consistent expectations.

I became more aware of how my tone, posture, and confidence influence how students and staff perceive me. Experiences with challenging behaviour, misunderstandings, and teamwork showed me that being reflective and open to feedback makes me stronger and more professional. I also learned the value of using technology such as Boom Cards to support engagement while respecting each student’s comfort level. This term helped shape my belief that effective support requires empathy, skill, and continuous self-reflection.

SMART GOAL #1

Communication, Teamwork, and Professional Behaviour

Reflection:

My first SMART Goal 1 focused on strengthening communication and teamwork with teachers, Educational Assistants, and students. At the beginning of my placement, I noticed that some staff members were open and collaborative, while others were not. This made me realize I needed to become more confident, proactive, and clear in my communication. I observed how staff interacted with one another and with students, paying attention to tone, posture, and professional behaviour. I practiced starting conversations, asking questions, sharing observations, and giving students positive feedback. The biggest obstacle was my hesitation to speak up, especially when I felt unsure. As I applied feedback and prepared short scripts, I grew more confident and was included more naturally in team discussions. This goal will help me as an EA because strong communication and teamwork create trust, consistency, and supportive learning environments.

Evidence showing how I worked toward SMART Goal 1

Sound on!

Colleague-Supported Portfolio Artifact: Capital and Lowercase Letter Strategy

Screenshot of the PD day meeting I was invited

Screenshot of your Self-Reflection Journal (SRJ)

I was invited to participate in the pampkin sale

SMART GOAL #2

Educational Technology & Boom Cards

Reflection:

My second SMART Goal focused on integrating technology—specifically Boom Cards—to support a student who learns best through predictable, structured visual tasks. According to my SMART Goal plan, I observed the student's engagement with laminated materials and identified Boom Card strategies that could meet his learning needs. My Reflective Practice Journal showed that my first attempt was unsuccessful because the student was hesitant to try something new (Reflective Practice Journal 1).

This taught me to introduce new tools gradually, with clear expectations and visual support. Even when I could not use Boom Cards directly due to schedule and permission changes, I continued building strategies in theory, analyzing his responses, and comparing digital tasks with his current materials. This goal strengthened my understanding of assistive technology, student-centred planning, and the adaptation of tools for learners with ASD.