Synthesis

Reflection George Mason University Anna Dengler

Synthesis Reflection Point
How I Have Changed

As a graduate student at George Mason University embarking upon my last few

weeks and courses it is time to reflect upon what I have learned and what I will take with
me as I continue forward on my career path. I am currently a first grade teacher so
pursuing my master’s degree in early childhood at George Mason made the most sense as
I contemplated my next steps. Next year, my educational journey will take me to third
grade but I believe much of what I’ve learned still very much applies and is relevant with
eight and nine year olds. As I look back on how I’ve gotten to this point I can see seven
year old me in a room full of stuffed animals and chalk in hand. Ever since I was little
I’ve wanted to be a teacher and quite frankly that’s all I can picture myself doing. This is
what makes me happy and I hope to impart this happiness and excitement for teaching
and learning onto my students.
Wink (2011) tells us that critical pedagogy is what we should strive to be a part of
and that is when teaching and learning come together to transform our world for the
better. I believe this is what I have begun to do by being a part of this masters program.
My concentration and core courses have helped to make me a great educator by making it
possible to inspire, challenge, include, and love each student that walks through my door,
no matter where that door may be.
As I look back on the teacher I was 4 years ago I see an excited teacher and one
that wants the best for their students. I see a teacher that stayed late to try and find the
best project or lesson for the following day. But I also see a teacher that was scared to
speak up for herself and her students. I see a teacher that found great projects and lessons
but through google searches or through Teachers Pay Teachers rather than sound
research. I didn’t question what I found or what I was given, if it looked cool I did it. I
am glad to say that I no longer see the teacher that is afraid to speak up, or to use research
and data to guide instruction, or to challenge what others are doing and push others to be
the best they can be. My confidence has really grown these past few years as well. I can
remember sitting in 612 and listening to Dr. Hollincheck tell me I was going to have to
present this portfolio documenting my graduate journey to my classmates and professors.
I could immediately feel my heart stop and panicked at this idea. How was I going to
stand up in front of others and tell them what makes a good teacher? I am happy to say
that I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned and what I believe makes a good teacher.
I am normally someone that does not handle change well but because of the confidence I
have gained I am so excited to be moving to another grade level next year and am also
excited for the grade levels and schools I have yet to teach at.

Areas of Growth

Teachers Are Committed to Student Learning

The first area that I believe I have grown the most in is my commitment to student
learning. I believe taking the step to come to graduate school while being a full time
teacher shows my commitment to being a teacher that recognizes the importance of what
and how my students learn. Students learn in many different ways and can’t be placed in
Synthesis Reflection George Mason University Anna Dengler

just one category. What style of learning that worked for this skill may not work for the
next skill. To truly understand these diverse learners and to allow them to succeed in their
learning I believe that a democratic classroom has to be established. I want my students
to walk in every morning and feel they’re walking into our room and not Mrs. Dengler’s
room. Brookfield (1995) speaks to this idea of a democratic classroom and how it helps
children feel safe. As teachers we need to recognize how scary of a thing school is and
the need to help children feel safe when they walk into the room. How can we expect
them to learn if they are feeling timid or are unwilling to take some risks? One way that I
establish this safe environment is opening myself up and opening our classroom up to
sharing. Whenever I go on a trip somewhere I am always taking pictures and sharing
them at school because I want my students to see that I am a human being and not just a
teacher. They need to see that I do things outside of school in which they can relate to.
For example, I visited North Carolina and while I was there I was able to visit their
Aviation Musuem. My students loved looking at all the pictures I took and we had
several conversations centered around my trip. I also was able to share pictures when I
adopted my cats and when my nieces were born. I also have time set aside each morning
for students to share news they might have. This helps us get to know each other better
and again establish that safe environment where they feel their voice is important and can
be heard. Because I have established this environment my students feel safe taking risks
and putting themselves out there. Part of learning is taking risks and failing. It’s what
you do with the failures that matters.
Through my courses and projects I was also able to see how very important it is
for my students to see me make mistakes and to see me work through them. In a
democratic classroom they need to see the adult or authoritative person making mistakes
so that they know it is ok. They also need some guidance in how to move forward after
making a mistake. From here you can earn their trust so that they are willing to also
make and admit mistakes. In the same breath I have also shared my journey at George
Mason with them to show them that even a teacher is still learning and pushing
themselves to get better. Our learning journey is never over.
The case study that we conducted in 613 really helped me see how important
it is for us to be committed to students learning. I was able to identify numerous
areas of strengths and weaknesses that I would not have picked up on by simply
observing this student and collecting student work samples. Even though I may not
be able to take this amount of time to research and study how every student learns I
am now equipped with many resources to help me better understand each diverse
group of learners I am presented with.

Systematic Inquiry of Practice

Another area that I believe I have grown in is my ability to think about what I am
doing and have done and take steps to learn from it. It is very easy to just do what is
easiest or may take the least amount of time but I have learned that nothing should be
done without a purpose or reason driven by the learners in my room. Reflection is a big
part of this. Systematic reflection happens through many different forms which all lead
to some kind of inquiry. Reflection can happen as Brookfield states through different
lenses. We can reflect through our student’s voices, which will lead us to inquiry which
Synthesis Reflection George Mason University Anna Dengler

will lead us to change. Reflection can also happen as we converse with colleagues. The
important part of conversing with colleagues is that we understand at times we have to be
critical. We have to be comfortable admitting when we’ve made a mistake in order for
systematic reflection to occur.
As Schon (1991) points out we also have to make sure we are reflecting on action
and reflecting in action. He also points out that reflection in action can be the hardest
form of reflection because it all centers around the element of surprise. If a lesson or
activity goes exactly how we planned we are not typically reflecting in action. Part of
that I believe is the ability to be open to surprise or open to the fact that something may
not go exactly how we planned. From that, systematic reflection can occur.
Being a public school teacher I know the importance of data. I think if used
appropriately, it is a good way for us as teachers to be systematic in our reflection and in
turn help lead our inquiry. For example, at the beginning and end of each year I always
poll my students. At the beginning of each year I have them write about our upcoming
year. I have them tell me what they are excited about learning, what they are excited
about doing, what they are nervous about, and what they would like me to know about
them. This is a wonderful form of data collection because it helps me get to know my
students a little faster than just observing over several weeks. I can from Day 3 or 4 start
to change my instruction based on the results. At the end of every year I also have my
students write a letter to future students. They talk about what they really enjoyed about
our classroom. I also have them write about something they felt nervous about so that
when my new students come in they can already have that sense of safety and
community. One thing I would like to add to this data collection would be to ask them
what they didn’t enjoy. This way I can review their writing and consider these ideas as
my next year of students walk in the door. If I notice that class after class is saying they
didn’t like a certain topic, activity, or daily routine I can reflect on why and make some
changes.
I also think it is important to compare data with other teachers. I’ve spoken
previously about how important our colleague’s experiences are to our reflection. If we
share data we may be able to gain new perspectives or new strategies in which to try in
our classrooms. This can be a scary thing as we immediately go to that place where we
feel bad about ourselves if we aren’t performing to the same level as the teacher across
the hall. But, I think the whole point of systematic reflection is getting used to the idea
that that will always happen because we all have strongpoints and weaknesses. This is
not a competition.

Further Growth

As I think about an area where I need to continue to grow, I keep coming back to
teachers being change agents. With all that is going on in education right now and I’m
sure will continue, it is so important that I commit to never giving up on the idea of why I
became a teacher. I wanted to make children happy and confident and smart. In order to
do this I must always be their advocate. Part of advocating for students is recognizing
that we can’t just close our doors and do our own thing. I can’t quit because I’m tired
and frustrated with this student or parent or school board decision. This is very hard to
do, especially when May approaches and the summer is in sight. I think all that we’ve
Synthesis Reflection George Mason University Anna Dengler

learned in the core courses as well as my concentration courses will be hard to continue if
I don’t work hard to be a leader, researcher, and change agent.
To help me grow in this area I have subscribed to NAEYC and receive monthly
newsletters as well as journals. This will help me stay in touch with current educational
trends and research that can help better my practice. It will also help me continue to be
an advocate for my students. I would also like to pursue some more leadership roles in
my school. I think becoming the lead in my grade level and being able to participate in
that group would help me work with my colleagues to bring about change. It would also
help me to continue to work on using my voice and sharing what I learn. I will also
commit to conducting an equity study within my classroom and outside of my classroom
each year. I think if I can find inequities in my room and in my grade level then I will be
able to make meaningful change. It is so easy to forget about this as the year begins to
unfold and we see the million items on our to-do lists. It is also hard to admit that there
are areas or things we do that exclude some of our children.
































Synthesis Reflection George Mason University Anna Dengler

References

Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher: Becoming critically

reflective. Jossey-Bass, California.

Schon, D. (1991). Professional knowledge and reflection-in-action. The reflective

practitioner (pp. 46-69). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Wink, J. (2011). Critical pedagogy: Notes from the real world (4th ed.). Boston, MA:

Pearson. ISBN: 9780137028733