Placement Experience 2026 | Anna Onuchina Portfolio

Welcome to my Placement Experience 2026

Educational Support Program. Sheridan College 2025

Course: FLPL26367, Field Seminar & Placement 3

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

Field Placement Spring, May-June 2026

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

Thank you for taking the time to view my work and learning journey.

Reflective Practice

During this placement, I focused on two main goals. My first goal was to improve my ability to support students experiencing cognitive, behavioural, and emotional challenges. To work toward this goal, I conducted observations, collected and analyzed behavioural data, completed documentation, and developed possible individualized support plans. Based on the information gathered, I identified and implemented strategies that helped students participate more successfully in classroom activities, improve self-regulation skills, and experience greater success throughout the school day.

My second goal focused on strengthening my professional communication and collaboration skills within the school environment. Throughout the placement, I actively communicated with teachers, Educational Assistants, administrators, and other members of the school team. I asked questions, sought clarification, discussed student needs and support strategies, observed experienced professionals, and participated in collaborative planning and professional discussions. These experiences helped me develop a better understanding of teamwork and the important role collaboration plays in supporting student success.

Through working toward these two goals, I strengthened my skills in observation, behaviour analysis, student support planning, professional communication, and teamwork. This experience increased my confidence, expanded my practical knowledge, and helped prepare me for my future role as an Educational Assistant.

SMART GOAL #1

Supporting Emotional Regulation Through Calm, Structured & Relationship-Based Strategies

Reflection:

My first SMART Goal focused on strengthening my ability to support students during emotional dysregulation, difficulties with transitions, and other behavioural challenges using calm, structured, and proactive strategies. To work toward this goal, I observed students, analyzed behaviour patterns, documented observations, and explored strategies that helped students participate more successfully in classroom activities.

During my placement, I completed observations for students F and P, including an anecdotal record, ABC Record, a Behaviour Frequency Chart. Based on the information collected, I developed possible individualized support plans that included visual supports, First–Then strategies, choice-making opportunities, reward systems, helper roles, sensory supports, and self-regulation strategies.

While working with these students, I applied many of these strategies in practice. I used calm and supportive communication, offered choices, helped students prepare for transitions, used visual supports, and encouraged participation through helper roles. While supporting Student P, I observed that providing choices, clear directions, helper responsibilities, and calm adult support helped the student return to activities more successfully and participate more positively throughout the day.

Over time, school staff informed me that Student P had begun to adjust and improve his behaviour, which provided encouraging evidence that the support strategies being used were having a positive impact. With student F, the other Educational Assistant successfully worked.

One of the most important lessons I learned was that regulation comes before compliance and learning. This experience strengthened my observation, behaviour analysis, problem-solving, and student support skills. It also increased my confidence in using proactive and relationship-based strategies to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment.

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Evidence showing how I worked toward SMART Goal 1

1. Student F.

I created a possible support plan with visual supports and strategies for student F and emailed it to the Vice Principal and Resource Teacher. They reviewed the plan and expressed appreciation for the ideas and recommendations provided.

I am presenting this plan in a poster format. The key strategies and supports from the plan are highlighted here. Over time, the student became more comfortable accepting support. Later, another Educational Assistant was assigned to work with the student, so my direct involvement with him ended.

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LSP YouTube Video. (from 2.43 min)

2. Student P.

As part of my placement, I observed Student P and collected behavioural data using several documentation tools. During this process, I created and completed the following documents:

• ABC Observation Record
• ABC Summary
• Behaviour Frequency Tally Chart
• Possible Support Plan

The ABC Observation Record, ABC Summary, and Behaviour Frequency Tally Chart helped me identify behavioural patterns, possible triggers, and effective support strategies for the student.

Based on my observations and data collection, I developed a Possible Support Plan for Student P. The plan included visual supports, behavioural strategies, transition supports, self-regulation strategies, and recommendations for both school and home.

I shared the support plan with the Vice Principal and Resource Teacher. They reviewed the plan and expressed appreciation for the ideas and recommendations provided.

Today, I am presenting this plan in a poster format. The key strategies and supports from the plan are highlighted here. While working with Student P, I implemented many of these strategies and gradually developed a positive working relationship with him. Over time, he became more comfortable interacting with me.

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LSP YouTube Video:

SMART GOAL #2

Professional Behaviour / Professional Reflective Practice

Reflection:

My second SMART Goal focused on improving my professional communication, teamwork, and collaboration skills within the school environment. To work toward this goal, I made a conscious effort to ask more questions, seek clarification when needed, and engage in professional discussions with teachers, Educational Assistants, and other members of the school team.

Throughout my placement, I took advantage of opportunities to communicate with staff during the school day. For example, after supervising students outdoors before dismissal, staff members often gathered together near the front of the school. These informal conversations provided valuable opportunities to ask questions, discuss student support strategies, and learn from the experience of others. I also asked questions during classroom activities and daily routines whenever appropriate. As a result, I became more comfortable communicating with staff members and participating in professional discussions.

I also participated in a PD Day where Educational Assistants and teachers worked together to complete student transition profiles for the following school year. These profiles included information about students’ strengths, needs, successful support strategies, and important considerations for future staff members. Participating in this process helped me better understand the importance of collaboration, information sharing, and planning to support successful student transitions.

One of the most positive aspects of this experience was the welcoming and supportive atmosphere created by the school staff. I felt comfortable approaching team members for advice, clarification, and feedback. Each conversation helped me better understand the school environment and the Educational Assistant role. As the placement progressed, I became more confident communicating with professionals and working collaboratively as part of the school team.

I believe I successfully achieved this goal. By the end of my placement, I felt more professional, more confident asking questions, and more comfortable participating in teamwork and collaborative communication. This experience strengthened my communication skills, increased my confidence, and reinforced the importance of professional collaboration in supporting student success.