Running head: STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS 1

Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Sarah Wagner

Prof. Carol Billing

EDUC 204 Families, Communities, & Culture

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Introduction
With the exception of parenting, teaching has the most influential impact in our

childrens lives. A child will come in contact with numerous teachers throughout his or her life.

It is the job of the teacher to make sure each student learns to the best of their ability and to guide

and shape them into being a successful, decent person. Every teacher uses different methods in

instruction and values that instill in the classroom. Below are my beliefs and ideas on how to

manage and direct a classroom based on my experiences and observations.

All Students Can Learn

As we have studied in the text, there are many factors and influences that affect a childs

learning process. Home is where a child first learns how to behave and interact in society.

Parenting styles play a major role in how a child learns in the classroom causing then to react

differently to authority and the situations they will encounter. For example, a child taught by a

permissive parent is more likely have poor self-reliance and hardly be explorative. On the

opposite scale there are the authoritative parents whose children are self-reliant, self-controlled,

and content. In extreme cases, we see the withdrawn and fearful child of an authoritarian

parent.

Knowing the learning style of their students is useful for teachers so they can apply

specific techniques in how to instruct and use disciplinary methods that would best benefit the

child. A childs process of learning also depends on the temperament of the child. Growing up,

many children who are quiet are often labeled as shy and some teachers enable that behavior

instead of encouraging and teaching that child skills/habits (i.e. by saying hello to someone new

or smiling at the teacher) in order for them to grow out of their shell.

When I am a teacher, I want my classroom to be full of positivity and encouragement.

Each child has their own learning style. I will try to learn as much as I can about each student, so
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I can be better equipped to help them. In order to ensure that each student is learning, I will make

my lessons relatable and interactive. I will try to make learning enjoyable, but there will also be

structure and routine as well.

Structure is also a part of good classroom management. Starting the first day, I will make

sure each student knows the rules and consequences, not a list of dos and donts but how to

behave and treat others and what is expected of them. We will review the class rules throughout

the school year and good behavior will be rewarded. As the teacher, I will lead by example in

following classroom rules. Positivity will be a theme in the classroom. Creating a safe

environment and an engaging atmosphere is important in the students learning process.

Teacher Expectations

Whether they realize it or not, teachers often put certain expectations on their students.

These expectations generally pertain to the students socioeconomic status or cultural

background and can create a serious disadvantage or advantage to the student. An example is of

test scores; several students who do well on standardized tests may get more accolades from the

teacher than those who did poorly. Due to their home life students from a lower SES are more

likely to not do as well as their higher SES classmates. Teachers will expect more from the latter

because they know those students consistently show good scores, and at the same time, this

preferential treatment leaves lower-class students behind.

How a teacher interacts and behaves with their student is vital to their learning. In an

experiment done in an elementary school, researchers Rosenthal and Jacobson gave teachers an

IQ test for their students (pg. 244). Afterwards, they were provided with a false list of students

who were growing academically. The class was tested again several months later and those on
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the list showed a significant improvement. This study shows us that a teachers perception of a

student can affect their interaction with them.

Setting goals give students stability, guidelines, and motivation. Goals allow the student

to know what to strive for in the classroom and promote achievement. Teachers who use a

democratic style of teaching work with their students toward those goals. Its important for the

childs learning ability to be fair and objective, to work with the student, and give

encouragement in order to for them have confidence to be successful in school and life.

Students Social Ecology Theory

In order to understand the world around them, children need to learn how to interact and

behave in society. Families, cultures, and communities play a huge part in a childs life. From the

time we are little, we learn the different behaviors that are specific to our family or culture. Many

of the first experiences with socialization begin in the home. Children are given standards that

help them to know what is expected of them; saying please and thank you and sharing with

others. These expectations are carried on throughout the school years.

Children may come from various background and cultures than their peers. A child from

a large city will be used to seeing and meeting others that look different from them, but a child

from a small town might not meet anyone who is different from them until much later.

Children learn from modeling, or observing and mimicking, what the adults who are

close in their life do and say. For example, if a relative often expresses their negative opinion

about someone of a low socioeconomic status, then the child might think its appropriate to do

the same. That is why its important to teach children early on that there are different groups and

types of people and how each person should be treated.

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Children quickly learn what to do and what not to do with positive or negative

reinforcement. Parents and teachers are often the main adults in a childs life that apply praise

and punishment. Reinforcement solidifies the lessons from the expectations previously learned.

Cultural Diversity Instruction

America is often referred to as a melting pot, or the philosophy that many cultures can

come together to mix into one general culture. Cultural assimilation is defined as the process of

when a people group, usually a minority, adapts to the traits of the dominant culture. On the

other side of the spectrum is cultural pluralism which involves an acceptance and

understanding of different cultures, seeking ways to blend the two together in coexistence.

I worked at an international school for several years. There were many cultures and

nations represented, but the curriculum and even the school schedules were based on the

American school system. With the exception of language classes, English was spoken by every

teacher. In order to assimilate into the culture of the school, at least some knowledge of English

was required to apply. However, students were allowed to speak their native language during

breaks or with friends to gain clarity on a subject. Cultures were represented in school talent

shows, fundraisers, and during festivals. Being exposed to many cultures in one place creates a

whole other culture in what is commonly known as a third culture.

Often children who are part of a minority group experience bullying because they look or

talk differently. Teaching about the various cultures to all students can spread awareness and

knowledge, and teach kids that although there are differences, we are the same. To implement

this teaching, students can do a show and tell about their culture, or a teacher can assign different

countries to each student for a report.

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As a teacher, learning about students individually is important in better understanding

and communicating with them. A teacher should be sensitive to language concerns and express

interest in the childs culture. Teachers should avoid using and believing stereotypes about a

student because of their culture or ethnicity. I would do research on the different cultures in the

class to better understand their way of thinking and how I can better teach them.

Curriculum for All Learners

Lessons do not always go accordingly to plan in the classroom. To be an effective

teacher, its important to first know your students. Knowing the childs learning style and in

what ways they struggle allow the teacher to better understand how to make adjustments. If Im

teaching about how clocks work and show a video of a clock being assembled, that might work

for the visual learners; body kinesthetic learners, however, would need to assemble the clock

themselves in order to understand how it works.

Know the signs of when the lesson is not working. Obviously, if a class is talking during

a lesson, there must be a reason. It shouldnt be assumed that its plain disrespect. I would take

time to determine why the students are disinterested and if I need to reroute my teaching.

Creating a backup plan is sometimes important in case the students are not grasping

concepts. A lot of the time, students will not be ready for a concept or will have difficulty in

understanding. When this happens, teachers need to be prepared by teaching from a different

angle to help the student understand or go back and review the basics.

Consistently analyzing a students performance by assessing the students work can also

demonstrate where to make adjustments. Authentic assessment is a task a child performs that is

evaluated by a rubric. Unlike standardized testing, there is no test with multiple choice

questions, fill-in-the-blank, or true/false questions. Students are asked to complete a task

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according to instructions. In first grade writing for example, a teacher can ask the child to write a

fictional story and journal something that really happened. The teacher can assess from the

writings if the student knows the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Assessments can

show areas in which the student is struggling and can answer questions the teacher may have

about the students learning.

Based on my experiences in observation, to improve student learning, I would create

weekly goals for the students to reach. At the end of each week, I would evaluate the students to

determine any trouble spots. Meeting with other teachers regularly is good way to go over plans

that are not working and to brainstorm solutions. I would then try different tactics with the

student to reach understanding. Its also important to create a positive, safe learning environment

to encourage students to do their best.

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References

Berns, R.M. (2007). Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and Support (9th ed.).

Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc.