Running Head: STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 1

Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Chenin McConnell

Carol Billing

EDUC 204 Families, Communities, & Culture

Online, Fall 2016

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Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Introduction

No two students learn the same, it is the teacher’s job to recognize this and adapt their

teaching methods to each student’s unique situation. First, it is important to recognize all

students can learn and to set goals and expectations for your classroom. Second, as a teacher you

must remember your students all come from a background that is just as important as anyone

else’s and recognizing you cannot control what they experience outside of your classroom.

Finally, teachers should find a way to create an atmosphere catering to the uniqueness of each

individual so everyone can benefit from the melting pot inside the walls of your classroom.

All Students Can Learn

Each child has the ability to learn. At times, it may appear a child is not learning.

Perhaps, it is just the way they are being taught or maybe an outside force beyond their control is

preventing them from learning that day. Perhaps the child has not received the proper

socialization (Berns, 2011) they need in order to be successful in the classroom. Teachers have a

huge responsibility to adapt their teaching methods to best suit the needs of their students. It is

crucial teachers understand the backgrounds their students are coming from and provide their

students with developmentally appropriate curriculum (Berns, 2011).

As a teacher, I will ensure all of my students learn by taking into account all factors that

could be hindering them from absorbing and learning the content Bronfenbrenner’s

Bioecological Theory (Berns, 2011) will be helpful in assessing and understanding a child’s

background and behavior. I will learn to be flexible and understand most days will not go

according to plan. I will find ways to cater to each of the different learning styles of my

students.

In the classroom, it will be my duty to ensure management and leadership. I will create a
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classroom that allows my students to feel safe, comfortable and cared for. I will engage with my

students and get down on their level. If there are students who need independent one-on-one

time, I will build time into the day to make this happen.

Expectations and Goal Setting

Teacher expectations for students can play a huge role in a students’ ability to learn.

Setting expectations will allow many valuable lessons outside of academic content to be taught.

This includes, time management, stress management and goal setting.

Expecting your students to be involved in class discussion or group projects sets the norm

for them to be engaged and participatory throughout the day. Teachers can expect their students

to ask questions or probe for answers on topics they may be struggling. This allows students to

feel more comfortable sharing with you and their classmates.

Educational goals are important for students and teachers. Having students get involved

in and decide on their educational goals demonstrates the use of cognitively oriented

curriculum (Berns, 2011). Students would have a say in their education and learning. We can

teach our students the skills they need to develop a sense of self-advocacy (Berns, 2011). Being

able to advocate for themselves will be crucial in seeking out the help they need in order to

achieve their goals. If we have a student in our classroom who may have an Individualized

Education Plan, IEP (Berns, 2011), they have goals written into their IEP that are to be worked

on and tracked by providing data to support that they are improving on the specific goal. All

students could benefit from an IEP of sorts because no two students are alike and no two students

learn in the exact same way. Goal setting and expectations are crucial in the success of our

students. We have the power to help our students develop a sense of self-efficacy (Berns, 2011).

Student Social Ecology and Theory

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It is important to connect a student’s social ecology to their learning because it is the

connection we make to form a meaningful relationship with our students. If we are able to create

successful and rewarding learning environments (Berns, 2011), we are able to work more

directly with each student and provide them with individualized learning. If we are able to create

a teacher-child relationship (Berns, 2011) we have the ability to change lives. Finding ways to

connect learning to a student’s culture, community or family will engage them in their learning.

Family can make or break a child’s ability to learn. If a family is supportive of the student

and provides encouragement and an uplifting, nurturing environment the student is going to be

successful. Families can encourage their children to persevere to accomplish their goals.

Culture can have a huge impact on a student’s ability to learn. Different cultures place

different levels of importance on education. If a student comes from a culture that encourages a

large emphasis on family, a child may not be as engaged in their learning. These types of

cultures may see little, if any value in a child’s ability to learn in the educational environment.

These types of cultures may put more emphasis on learning more life-based skills as opposed to

formal education.

The community a child is a part of can also play a large role in a student’s ability to learn.

A community of people may be able to step in and intervene if a child’s family or cultural

environment is not stepping up to the plate, allowing the community to change the nature of the

family (Berns, 2011). A community can also offer many different tools such as; preventative

services, supportive services, and rehabilitative service (Berns, 2011). When used properly

these resources can assist in the success of our students.

Cultural Diversity Instruction

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Teachers can create a more positive and successful learning environment for their

students by recognizing and acknowledging each life history of their students’ ethnic

background. There will be many things I do to build on the life histories of my students. Teacher

sensitivity (Berns, 2011) is key. Being sensitive as a teacher to the variety of cultures within my

classroom, I will set an example for my students through my actions so they will be respectful of

other cultures as well. If people are aware and conscious of others ethnic and cultural

backgrounds, then we can familiarize ourselves and become more respectful of these diverse

differences.

I will find ways to connect with each of my students by creating and developing a

mentoring relationship. During this mentoring, I would take the time to develop weekly

educational goals, talk to them about their personal lives and find ways to connect with them to

develop a deeper, more meaningful relationship. Stressing the importance of teacher-student

interaction (Berns, 2011) would allow me to recognize areas of need in their lives and create

class activities benefiting everyone. I would create a melting pot (Berns, 2011) within the walls

of my classroom demonstrating the many wonderful and unique traits about each culture. It

would create an environment that is accepting of differences.

Understanding and accepting each culture has their own unique properties that make up a

culture and appreciating the cultures that make up our world is Cultural Pluralism. Each culture

has their own traditions and way of life; we can find ways to learn from each of them. This is

vastly different from Cultural Assimilation, which is the idea of one overarching culture, more

prominent than others. All other cultures take on the characteristics and attributes of the

prominent culture. The ideas are different from one another in that one embraces each person’s

differences of their culture while the other demands conformity.

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Curriculum for All Learners

As a future teacher, I will adjust my planning, delivery and assessment to best fit the

needs of my students. My goal will be to make sure each child in my classroom is a success.

Understanding any one of the four components of the socioeconomic factors (Berns, 2011) may

be compromised within a student will help me change my plan in a way that still provides a

meaningful and successful learning environment. Adjusting my delivery method will come as I

find out what their method of learning is. By understanding how they learn, I can then adjust

how the material is delivered. I hope to work in a school that emphasizes on active mastery

(Berns, 2011). I hope to give my students a choice in how they would like to be assessed.

Teacher assessments allow for a successful learning environment for your students. These

assessments allow us to discover what areas we lack in so we may alter, add, or adapt our

instructional planning and delivery to meet our personal goals. When students leave my

classroom, I want to be able to see their individual growth. I plan to track data throughout the

entire school year by asking my students to keep a portfolio they add to throughout the year. This

would show all they have worked on and learned throughout the year. I would also remind

myself that learning occurs by observation and being patient (Berns, 2011). Using this to

remind myself to keep a journal on my students to reflect on the progress they have made.

Conclusion

In conclusion, teachers must recognize the importance of their student’s individual

situations and adapt their lessons accordingly. They do this by understanding all students have

the ability to learn and instilling the importance of goal setting and expectations. They must also

understand each child’s background is different and matters. Knowing a teacher has no control

on what happens outside of their classroom.

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References

Berns, R. M. (2011). Child, Family, School, Community Socialization and Support . Belmont :
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning .