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STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Jackie M. Herrell

Kimberly M. Johanek

EDUC 220

Spring 2018
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STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Teach to learn and grow, that is the job of a teacher. While learning to grow is that of a

student. A teacher has many responsibilities while the student has one primary and that is to

listen and learn as instructed by the teacher. This would be classified as an autocracy, which is

known to be where one person has authority over few to many people. The way a teacher

chooses to manage their classroom will be based on multiple factors, such as size, students

dynamic, and classroom cooperation. A teacher’s job to take all these moving parts that are

independent from one another and learn how to create a cohesive environment.

All Students Can Learn

So how will I ensure that every student learns? I begin by having a growth mindset,

cultivating an exciting learning environment while having high expectations. Developing a

classroom routine and understanding the dimensions of diversity within the classroom. Once

this is created and practiced daily students will feel safe to explore, ask questions and begin to

understand the concepts I desire them to learn.

Following Bronfenbrenners conceptual model and the bioecology of human development can

really help to understand interactions and maybe even find patterns of development. There are

similar maturation factors to follow as well. Every student has the ability to learn on some level.

Whether a below average, average or an above average student I will identify what that student

needs to learn and target those goals.

As a teacher, how will I lead and manage my classroom so that all students learn? I will begin

by doing many of the things I outlined above. I have worked with kids enough to know they are
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ever changing as they learn and grow. As a teacher the number one thing I will want to

remember is to not get stuck into one way of doing something. What worked one year may not

work the next year I plan to be the kind of teacher that prepares my day while preparing for the

unexpected. I believe that in order to succeed you must fail, but in order to learn and grow you

have to feel safe to do so. I plan to cultivate my classroom in this way, a place where positive

reinforcement is a daily norm.

Teacher’s Expectations

Teacher expectations are reflective of a teacher’s characteristics and attitudes. It has a direct

impact on student learning. Setting high expectations with an attitude that every student has the

ability to succeed; then adjusting it to each student's individual needs. Such as a student with an

impairment or disability.

Every child has a different learning style, we need to possess empathy, patience,

understanding and a love for what we do each and every day. Since us as adults, who in many

cases have a higher sense of rationalizing our thoughts and feelings; Need to remember students

are busy analyzing and learning from our cues. Picking up our characteristics and attitudes

towards learning, even when we aren't watching.

Students’ Social Ecology Theory

Parents are a child’s first teacher and families play a vital role. From the moment children are

born they are thinking, sensing and learning about the environment around them. Babies learn

that they get what they need when they fuss. Attentive parents are quick to respond to teach their

newborns they’re taken care of, they gain a sense of belonging and become securely attached.

(Ainsworth, 1979;Rubin et al., 2006; Hay, Caplan, & Nash, 2009) This idea carries on into
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adolescents and really throughout life. Children who are secure from infancy have the ability to

engage with others. They can develop relationships much easier since they have a positive self-

concept. Giving children a chance to experience spontaneous or organized play helps them learn

how to adapt to the similarities and difference of others around them. (Berk & Winsler,

1995;Scarlett, Naudeau, Salonius-Pasternak, & Ponte, 2005)

Peer relationships at a young age are the gateway to how individuals will internalize

friendships into adulthood. Being able to interact and share mutually within friendship circles.

Sharing thoughts, feelings and learning how to interpret one another’s. Which as mentioned

before begins in the family circle. Family interaction patterns play a role in children’s successful

integration into a peer group. (Hartup, 1996; Ross & Howe, 2009) Developing social competence

and peer acceptance.

Cultural Diversity Instruction

To understand cultural diversity and instruction it’s helpful to know Cultural Pluralism and

Cultural Assimilation. Cultural Pluralism allows different groups to maintain their

characteristics. Such as their religious beliefs, language, personal preferences, etc. Whereas

Cultural Assimilation is when minority groups take on the characteristics of the majority group.

This would be an extremist group or one that weighs heavily on the dominant.

These can play a role in nearly every social encounter we have to how we have been taught to

respond or view things. It can come from family, friends, co-workers, school, political powered

individuals, etc. The list goes on and we all have our own sub-culture to which we draw our own

thoughts and ideas from. To which we then incorporate into our culture where often times other

are affected. Sometimes agenda oriented and other times just a ripple of an idea put into motion.
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STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

So how does this play a role in our classrooms? Well, that will be completely up to the

teacher. Every student has unique learning styles, abilities and needs. One way to address these is

by celebrating all cultures and ethnicities represented as well as using differentiated instruction.

Celebrating all cultures by exposing children to them all, helps pave the way for a classroom that

is accepting of cultural pluralism. It’s important to allow student o fell free in maintaining who

they are and what they believe in. Having an accepting and cooperative environment allows for

children to thrive. When teachers use differentiated instruction it allows for individualized

instruction and allows for teacher-student interaction. Doing this builds on the personal

interaction and helps solidify the relationship which in turn helps student achievement and

outcomes.

How does this affect our instruction? As a teacher you need to remove any stereotypes out of

your classroom. You are working with individuals and each student will be unique in their own

right. For all to be successful in the classroom it is important the teacher’s communication is a

top priority and they hold themselves accountable for the education and classroom environment

in which they manage. Both with the students in setting forth expectations and your desired

achievements for them as an individual. To communicating with parents those same expectations

and how they can help at home. Taking into account each students individual need; learning

disability, cognitive ability or gifted/talented. Then adjusting assignment expectations as needed

and remembering to maintain state standards.

How would I apply this to my classroom? I would put into practice everything I mentioned

above. Building on students’ strengths and supporting their weaknesses, using proximity to build

on those strengths is a great tool. Placing students together in a manner where students can learn
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from one another and build on each other’s weaknesses with opposite strengths is a great tool for

the classroom.

Curriculum for all Learners

It is important for teacher to be able to connect with all students. When a teacher can do this it

will indicate success for each individual student and the classroom as a whole. Teachers will

have a variety of students in their classroom and to be able to impact each of them educationally

and even personally on some level is the general goal.

A classroom will consist of three generalized groups found by state testing; average, below

average and above average. The challenge for many teachers will be how to instruct all of the

different groups that are present in the classroom. Once a foundation of the average students is

established I would begin by identifying which students are below average. This would be

students with a disability, impairment or handicap. Students who are on an Individualized

Education Plan or a 504 (behavior/medical plan) would also fall under this category. Students

who are Gifted and Talented would also need to be identified. As a teacher you don’t want any

student to fall between the cracks.

One way to identify students early on is through assessments. Assessing students at the

beginning of the year will help teachers gain insight to which students’ instruction needs to be

differentiated. Then continuing those assessments throughout the year for progress monitoring

purposes and altering curriculum or lesson plans as needed for each of those three groups of

students. When you have student success it is a direct reflection of the teacher’s willingness to

put the students first and in turn shows the power of a good teacher. This is exactly who I aspire

to be. A teacher who puts student learning above all else. A teacher who is open to classroom

diversity and who embraces all styles of learning to create a successful future generation.
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References

Berns, R. (2013). Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and support. Wadsworth,

Cengage Learning.