SIB 1 Running head: Statement Of Informed Beliefs

Statement of Informed Beliefs Melinda Chynoweth Instructor: Belma Sadikovic EDUC 204-002W Families, Communities & Culture Fall 2013

SIB 2 Statement of Informed Beliefs Introduction The students that will walk into our classes are going to come from all walks of life. They will have different cultural backgrounds, different ways to learn the same thing, different ways to express themselves and different abilities. The job we have been given as teachers is to meet each individual students need while balancing the curriculum with the diverse learning needs of the class. My job as a teacher will be to make sure that every child feels supported in their learning making it easier to reach their full potential as a student. All Students Can Learn Before a student comes to class, they have already learned a lot of their behavior from their family based on the culture they come from, the traditions they practice and the religious beliefs their families honor. As a student enters school, most students are willing to learn what you teach them both directly and indirectly. As a teacher, I will need to be conscious of these factors when interacting with the students and their families. My job as a teacher is to take their willingness to learn to create a learning environment that allows each child reaches their full potential. By understanding that every students is brain is wired differently, my ability to be flexible to the individual learning style will help those students who need more than just the written text to learn. In Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences that we read in chapter 6 of our text, it talked about a variety of ways that students learn. There is the naturalist, intrapersonal, interpersonal, bodily/kinesthetic, linguistic, musical, logical/mathematical and existential (Berns). During my observation time at Idaho Arts Charter School, the high school teacher took into account the different learning styles of the students when giving out an assignment. Project instructions given to the students included the

SIB 3 basic elements of what must be incorporated into their assignment. The platform on how they choose to present their project was left to their imagination. Students were allowed to do a creative dance about the story, they could write a song, do a small skit acting out part of the book they had been reading or create a comic strip. Students were only limited by their imagination as what they could do. If I were teaching a younger group of students, it could mean reading the text in class but then including a hands experiment or taking a field trip where they can see what they have read put into action making the lesson more real. Including these types of activities in class is also a good way gather feedback from students. When they are able to present the information back to you, it shows that what you have taught has been understood by the student. For those students who struggle with learning because of a family issues or other factor, I will need to be supportive of the student to not only make sure that they learn but that they feel safe while in class. Some of the most common problems that face our students can be divorce,

domestic violence issue with the adults in their lives, child abuse or economic factors such as homelessness. It is my responsibility as a teacher to report abuse but also to make myself aware of other resources that can be used to help a student. For the students who have a disability, then I will need to work in cooperation with trained special education staff and the students family members to make sure that the student is learning at a level that is appropriate for them. Teachers Expectations As the teacher, I feel that you have to realistic expectations of your students with the willingness to readjust those expectations based on the need of the individual student. When setting expectations or goals, if you present the goal by showing them only end product of what you want, there will be students who will give up without trying. All they are seeing is this giant goal that has been laid before them with no resources to reach the top. Due to the enormatiy of

SIB 4 the goal, they do not see it as something that is obtainable. In reality, the goals needs to be shown as a series of broken down stepping stones making achieving the goal more realistic to them and that it is not out of reach. As the student completes each part, they will gain a sense of empowerment over what they can do, in returning building confidence by achieving the goal they once saw as impossible. The primary role model in the class is the teacher. The teacher is the person that a student looks at for in what is considered acceptable or inacceptable behavior in class. I will have to make sure that my actions, my words, and responses to various situations will be something that a student will see as positive. My grandmother always told me growing up that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar so when the need arises, any behavior modification will be done with positive reinforcement. Students who are given praise or rewards for their behavior are more willing to repeat the behavior while other students will start modeling the acceptable behavior to earn the same praise from the teacher. Students Social Ecology Theory The ecology that a student been a part of from the day they are born have a substantial influence in how a childs ideas are formed when looking at the world around them. The Urie Bronfenbrenners bioecological model of human development breaks this down into four basic structures. The microsystem includes the family, friends, and school influences that directly affect the student while the mesosystem is the area where the various microsystems come together. The outlying forces that affect the student are the ecosystems. For example this would be the parents jobs or the need for social services to assist the family with issues related to abuse or supportive services. The last part that includes the society and subcultures to which

SIB 5 the child belongs is the macrosystems. These influences include the religion the child practices, their cultural backgrounds of their families along with the economics of the family. Some familys ideologies may not see education as important for a child or project strong gender role bias when it comes the male verses female roles due to their cultural beliefs. As a teacher, I need to have a working understanding of how each of these systems influence a child in order to prepare myself to promote the importance of education to families who do not see the importance of school. Cultural Diversity Instruction In order to create the acceptance of others in your students as the teacher, I have to be willing to set aside my personal prejudices as they can interfere with what I am wanting from my students. Students may try to impress their views and beliefs on others by telling them their beliefs are wrong, resort to name calling or other hostile acts. The teacher must instill a sense of cultural pluralism in the students showing that people from different cultures can coexist in society. By creating lessons plans meant explore the various cultures that are represented in the composition of the students in class, students can gain an understanding of their peers lifestyles. By including the students in the planning of the lessons, they can develop a sense of pride in their ethnic backgrounds, traditions and lifestyles. Being willing to explore the various cultures is a large commitment on the part of the teacher. Before you can build your lessons plans you have to research each of the cultures, find out what is important to them; understand their traditions and how the family structure is built. The research done to complete the lesson plans can also be helpful in understanding how a student interacts with others, their behavior or how better communicate with the family the needs of the student.

SIB 6 Curriculum for all Learners Students who are placed in your class at the beginning of the school year will not always be at the same level as their peers. I will have to be flexible to the learning needs of my students and adjust the lessons accordingly. Before any learning can start, there must be a starting point. Teacher assessments can determine what level each student is at and what needs are present. Once all the information is gathered, an individualized goal structure can be used to set goals while keeping in mind the Idaho Common Standards for the age level and any individualized educational plans (IEP). As the school year progresses, continued assessments done at regular intervals will make sure that students are developing the skills they need to be successful. For students where progression has slowed, it is time to take a step back, reassess the situation, make changes and continue on towards their goal. In the event a student has completed their goals, the addition of new goals with elements to challenge the student can be added. Unfortunately in each class, there will be children who may not have the support they need or want from home making you their only cheerleader. Showing a student you believe in them and their abilities even if they do not believe in themselves at that moment, may be the only encouragement they need to make positive strides in learning. Conclusion As a teacher, it is my job to do the best I can for the students I have been given the opportunity to teach. Teaching with the flexibility needed to meet the needs of the students, learning about the cultures they come from and creating reasonable expectations, we can give the student the best learning experience possible.

SIB 7 References Berns, R. (2010). Child, family, school, community: Socialization and support. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.