Running head: STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs

Kellie Carson
College of Southern Idaho
Professor Evin Fox
EDUC 204 C01W
Fall 2014

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs

Introduction
A students ability to learn is influenced by a couple of factors. A teacher cannot demand
that a student automatically learn and remember lessons they teach. Teachers have a
responsibility to be organized, have good classroom management, and to provide lessons that
meet the learning styles and abilities of their students.
Students Ability to Learn
A well-organized teacher has all materials needed for the lessons and prepares for the
lesson ahead of time. The classroom also needs to be in order and not cluttered. Part of being
well organized is making sure the teacher is on time to greet the students. If the teacher is late he
or she cant penalize students for tardiness; students learn from the example given them.
Teachers should be dressed modestly, comfortably, and ready for any kind of learning activity,
even if it means getting a little dirty.
Classroom management is another factor that affects the students ability to learn and is
learned thru reinforcement from the teacher and other students. Behavior theorist, B.F. Skinner,
was clear that children learn from behavior therefore it is important to provide positive
reinforcement so children can correlate good things for good behavior (Classroom Management
Theorists and Theories, 2013). Teachers who have good classroom management techniques are
able to provide an environment where students are equally respected and have ample opportunity
to contribute to the lesson by answering and asking questions. Proper classroom management
gives students clear direction as to what behavior is expected and tolerated to enhance the
learning environment.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Teachers need to use measurement tools in order to gauge the students strengths and
weaknesses. Formal assessments can give a picture of how the student compares to other
students and can help in appropriate student placement. Informal assessments can give a deeper
insight to what the student currently understands. One example is a taking a sample of student
writing and counting the misspelled words. The teacher can then begin to focus spelling lessons
on frequently misspelled words in the sample.
Teachers Expectations
Teachers should develop and have expectations for their students. Expectations should be
developed that would have achievable results. One expectation can be to turn in homework
assignments when they are due. When the students home is informed of expectations, the home
can assist the student so the student will be able to turn in their homework on time. Teacher
expectations must be in concordance with school policy. If the teacher desires to have a class
standard that is above what school policy is, then the teacher needs to obtain school support first.
Teachers need to have high expectations, but not to the point where students are stressed and all
fun is taken out of learning.
As there are different types of learners there are also different types of teaching styles.
For me as an educator, I feel that it is important to teach to comprehension. It does not serve a
student well to know an answer, but not know the why of the answer. Educators have a goal of
teaching their students, not giving them busy work for 6 hours a day. Accurate measurements of
outcomes used to see if the curriculum meets state standards cannot be fully measured without
testing the cognition of the students which is why a teacher should perform informal assessments
with formal assessments to get a true measure of the students knowledge.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Students Social Ecology Theory

Students learn socialization through their experiences in school. It is important to teach
socialization through modeling appropriate social behavior. Rather than lecturing a child on why
they should not blurt out in class, the teacher can reasoning so the student can work thru the
reasons why their behavior is inappropriate. Children in grade school display egocentrism,
according to Jean Piagets cognitive development theory (McLeod, 2009). Teachers have a
unique opportunity to train the students to think less of themselves and how to behave according
to what is appropriate for the situation.
Cultural Diversity Instruction
Teachers can be a resource to their students and families. There are many community
resources that are available to assist families who might be poor such as a food pantry,
community education, or school supply programs. Frequently, schools keep lists of referral
resources that can assist families and ultimately the student. As an educator, it is important to be
able to know what help is available and where it can be obtained.
Classrooms are a mix of different races and cultures. More than likely teachers will have
students that do not belong to their own culture or race. It is vital that a teacher treat all students
and their families in a respectful way that would not offend the students culture. There is a
growth of students from different religions, such as Islam, that do not celebrate traditional
American holidays. If a student does not want to participate in an activity that is holiday themed
the teacher should have an alternative. Rather than drawing a picture of a Christmas tree a
Muslim student could draw a picture of their familys Ramadan traditions.
America has always been a country of immigrants. With immigration comes students
whose primary language is not English. These students must not only learn English, but also the

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

curriculum according to their grade level. Teachers can use the ESL teacher for assistance in
helping these students by giving instruction in the students native language. Another way that
teachers help ESL students integrate is having the English students learn some of the language
their immigrant peers use. Frequently, teachers will need to talk to parents who also may not be
English proficient. Using school translation resources can help the parents and school in
collaborating the educational needs of the student.
It is difficult for American women to understand and deal with traditions of cultures
where females do not share the same freedoms that American women enjoy. For the sake of the
education of the student sometimes, female teachers may have to elicit assistance of a male
colleague in order to collaborate with a patriarchal culture where women do not have an
authoritative role over a man.
Minority students have been subjugated to busing in order to receive the same quality of
education as non-minority students. As a person who has experienced busing, I am not in favor
of this practice as my peers resented having to be bused to our school which was an hour outside
their community. Minority students should not be used as an instrument of forced diversity. Poor
performing schools where minority students are the majority need to be remedied, rebuilt, or
specialized to make them attractive and competitive to the neighborhood they serve. Busing
should be an option to minority students not a forced practice.
Because schools are a mixture of diverse cultures and races it is important to respect and
allow for the preservation of each unique culture also called cultural pluralism. American
attitudes regarding different cultures have changed over the years. At one time it was thought
that minorities needed to assimilate into the predominant euro-anglo culture, to disregard their
traditions, and adopt the practices of the dominate culture. I am glad that Americans do not feel

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

that way anymore and that people are more comfortable in maintaining their own unique
cultures.
Curriculum for All Learners
School curriculum was developed so students would learn what the community wants
young people to know in order to be good members of that community. Many states have
jumped onboard the Common Core bandwagon to help American students compete with
students from other developed countries. Common Core is meant to provide a high standard of
education for American students that encourages students to not just know and answer but the
why of an answer. All school curriculum needs to have testing to gauge the knowledge of the
student for school, parent, and state standards. Testing of the curriculum also helps determine if
teaching needs to be adjusted so the students understand the concepts.
When a lesson is developed, whether from scratch or an adaptation, educators need to
have all materials organized, groups planned out, and have in-depth knowledge of the lesson to
be taught. Educators serve as a guide to their students and must be able to adapt and change
lessons according to the needs of their students. When dealing with exceptional students it may
be necessary to shorten the length of the lesson, break it up into manageable segments, and
instructions must be concise and easy to understand. When presenting a lesson, different learning
styles need to be taken into account. Some learners are visual learners, therefore, use of visual
materials such as graphs, posters, or illustrations will assist these learners in gaining
comprehension. As with all lessons, children need to be engaged. Never-ending lessons serve to
bore children. Instead, teachers need to keep lessons short, provide opportunity to practice, and
build on the lesson with review of what was previously taught.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Conclusion
Teachers have a unique opportunity to influence their students lives. Teachers not only
educate children according to the written curriculum, but also provide social education through
an unwritten curriculum. Due to the diversity of the classroom population, it is important that
teachers provide modeling to their students by showing respect to other cultures and in turn the
student will learn respect for each other. Education needs to be kept meaningful, fun, and
interesting to meet the needs of all types of learners whether they be exceptional or general
education. Teachers can show a good attitude towards learning by providing an environment
that is organized, interesting, and provide an example to their students by being on time and
showing professionalism. Because students spend a good portion of their day in the classroom
teachers can make the time fly and lessons stick with an enthusiastic attitude.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

References
Classroom Management Theorist and Theories/Burrhus Fredric Skinner. (2013, October 4).
Retrieved October 18, 2014 from wikibooks:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Classroom_Management_Theorists_and_Theories/Burrhus_
Frederic_Skinner
McLeod, S. A. (2009). Jean Piaget. Retrieved October 18, 2014 from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html