Running head: STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS ESSAY 1

Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Jaime Echeverria

Professor Doug Rapley

EDUC 220

Fall 2017
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Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay

Everyone possesses their own unique set beliefs, this is what makes us individuals. It is

important for teachers to explore their own ideas and beliefs about education. In this essay, I will

reflect on my own educational beliefs. I will cover the following topics, all students can learn,

teacher expectations, student social ecology theory, cultural diversity instruction, cultural

diversity instruction, and curriculum for all leaners.

All Students Can Learn

Children have an uncanny ability to learn, especially when they feel motivated to do so.

Children specifically are learning all the time, every new experience in their lives is an

opportunity to learn something new, whether they are in the classroom or out in the world. In a

classroom environment, students can become bored and unfocused rather quickly if they do not

feel motivated to learn. It is a teacher’s responsibility to provide that motivation and create an

environment that inspires students to participate in lessons and learn the material. Not every

lesson is going to excite every student, teachers have to be creative and find ways to keep a

diverse group of minds engaged in the process of learning.

An elementary classroom is an extremely diverse place, each student has a different

learning style, home life and background. In order to ensure that all children will learn, teachers

must get to know their students. As a teacher, I will try my best to get to know each of my

students and their unique learning styles. It is important to not become complacent, trying new

things and adjusting daily routines to the needs of the students. Having a successful classroom

management style will also ensure that all students learn. Effective teaching simply cannot take

place in an unorganized environment. Students need to be aware of what is expected of them and
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teachers need to provide an organized and structured classroom that promotes successful learning

habits.

As a teacher, I will get to know each of my students, not only what inspires them to learn,

but what does not promote learning. Howard Gardner proposed that every person has a different

intellectual composition, and that we all learn in different and unique ways. Gardner’s theory

includes eight intelligences or learning styles including musical, visual, verbal, logical, bodily,

interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic, (Berns, 2016). I will try new things to keep my

students motivated and try to cater each lesson to a variety of learning styles to ensure every

student retains the information according to Gardner’s multiple intelligences theory. I will be

able to effectively manage classroom behavior by establishing clear expectations for my

students. I will create a structured and organized classroom conducive to teaching and learning.

Teacher’s Expectations

Teacher expectations influence not only a student’s ability to learn, but also a student’s

academic performance. A teacher must use guidance to help their students through the learning

process, expectations in the classroom play a substantial role in motivating children to learn.

Classroom management is crucial, students cannot learn in a chaotic environment. When

teachers have clear behavioral expectations, they are creating an effective learning environment

that flows. During classroom observations last semester, I had the pleasure of spending some

time with a teacher who had a well-managed fourth grade class. She had high expectations of her

students and a strict classroom management style. This created a quiet, organized and successful

classroom for students. When a teacher has high expectations for behavior as well as academics,

students will rise to the occasion. Students will be challenged and motivated to learn and have

more academic success.

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Throughout my life, neither my parents nor my teachers had very high academic

expectations of me. I did just enough to get by from elementary school all the way through high

school. No one expected me to go to college and pursue higher education. Since my parents were

not college educated, they did not see the point in it. My educational goals came later in life. It is

essential for teachers to encourage students to set educational goals for themselves. Having

educational goals gives students empowerment, not only to be more successful in the classroom,

but to become lifelong learners. I believe that all students deserve the opportunity to reach their

full potential, and setting academic goals supports that.

Student’s Social Ecology Theory

The American classroom is an extremely diverse place, every single student is unique in

their own way. As educators, it is our responsibility to understand the significance of connecting

learning to students’ social ecology. Family, culture and community have a significant influence

on the way students view the world. Urie Bronfenbrenner developed an ecological system theory

to explain how everything in a child’s environment influences how they grow and develop,

(Berns, 2016). Different aspects of a child’s environment, which include the microsystem,

mesosystem, exosystem and macrosystem, influence a child’s development in a variety ways.

Family and home life are arguably the most important part of a student’s social ecology.

Everything starts at home, a student’s social, economic, religious, and political views are

influenced by their parents. When children enter the classroom, they are bringing with them a

melting pot of different cultural backgrounds, beliefs and social norms. This is why it is

imperative for teachers to be aware of the influences that a child’s home life can have on their

students. It is important for educators to connect the learning that goes on in the classroom to a

diverse variety of cultural backgrounds. Students carry knowledge of their family and
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community with them to school. By integrating family and community to education, students

can connect their prior knowledge with what the material they are learning about. Teachers

should embrace the cultural backgrounds of their students. Understanding the cultural differences

can enhance teaching methods and have a positive effect on a student’s education and learning.

Cultural Diversity Instruction

In education, cultural assimilation and cultural pluralism are polar opposites. Cultural

pluralism requires minority ethnicities and cultures to adapt and conform to that of the majority.

Cultural pluralism allows all ethnic and cultural groups to co-exist, creating harmony and

inclusion amongst a diverse group of students. Finding ways to embrace and incorporate a

variety of cultures in education helps students to feel valued and gives students a sense of

community.

Most of the time, a teacher’s experiences and beliefs will not mirror that of his or her

students. Teachers bring their own life histories and experiences with them to the classroom. As

an educator, I will need to be aware of my own biases and learn about the cultural and ethnic

backgrounds of my students. A good teacher will incorporate what students already know to

what they need to learn, helping students make connections to the new material. Culturally

responsive education also helps create a link between the classroom and home, instead of forcing

minority students to leave their cultural differences at the door. When I am a teacher, I will work

hard to learn about the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of my students to create the best possible

learning environment in my classroom.

Curriculum for All Learners

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A career in education involves so much preparation and planning to aid in students’

academic success. It is essential for educators to be flexible and make adjustments in planning,

delivery and assessment as needed. Even with the best preparation, there will be occasions when

it is necessary to make adjustments to the planning and delivery of the information when

students are not retaining information. For example, if I was using a teacher-directed method

and it was not working, I could adjust my planning and use learner-directed methods for

instruction.

When I am a teacher, I will know if my teaching methods are successful based on

feedback from colleagues and by how well my students perform on assignments, authentic

assessments and tests. If my methods are not effective, I will make adjustments accordingly.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is the students. I will do everything in my

power to make sure each of my students learns and improves during their time in my classroom.

In order to be a successful teacher, I will get to know all of my students and understand their

unique learning styles. It is important for educators encourage their students to set educational

goals for themselves in order to help them reach their full potential. When I am a teacher, I will

manage classroom behavior by establishing clear expectations for my students which creates a

structured and organized classroom, conducive to teaching and learning.

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References

Berns, R.M. (2016). Child, family, school, community: Socialization and support (10th ed.).

Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.