Jaime Beckman Instructor: Evin Fox EDUC 204: Families, Communities, and Culture Spring 2013
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STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS Introduction All children regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic class and learning styles have the right to and deserve the privilege of equal learning opportunities. First hand experiences, personal discovery, and the adaption and expansion of the traditional ideas presented by Early Childhood Education theorists are mandatory for the production and succession of Early Childhood Education and my development as a teacher. I firmly believe that all children have an opportune desire to learn and that it is my responsibility as a teacher to discern and enrich that time in a childs life. It is by intentional teaching techniques, individual student motivation, and ensuring accountability on each level of human developments that I plan to accomplish the task of educating. Students Ability to Learn There are a number of different factors that can affect a students ability to learn. Some of these factors can be conceived and recognized early in life while others develop over time into more specific learning styles. Family and personal values of education, environmental factors such as poverty or stressful home-life, social influences such as peers and community influences, and learning disabilities, impairment, or handicap all have a major impact on ones ability to learn. It is the teachers role to recognize and communicate the individual differences that are present starting as early as birth and that continue to develop in school, during child care, and at home. A teacher has the capability to cater to each childs individual needs and influence the different factors that may hinder their learning capabilities. This ability of catering to the students individual needs expands each childs opportunity to find what interests them and to continue their growth in their educational development. STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 3
Techniques like these are critical to the students ability to learn and create the foundation of comfort ability in the learning environment. The teacher of a classroom has a major influence and impact on the classrooms progression throughout the year and as well as on the childs ability to learn independently. It is a huge responsibility for the instructor and the process must be taken into account during the yearly curriculum planning as well as by the adjustments that must be made in order to better respond to the specific classroom environment. It is an ever adapting responsibility. Teachers Expectations A teachers expectations can be predisposed by many things and they must be aware of the different influences as to avoid prejudice and provide an equal opportunity for all their students. In addition to a students past records of achievements and behavior a teacher can be influenced by socioeconomic class, cultural background, gender, learning impairments, classism and much more. It is my responsibility as the teacher to provide a high level of expectation for my students and continue to adjust the flexibility of these expectations as to increase the students level of accountability. These responsibilities and expectations are crucial in the development of educational goals for a child. It is by the teachers ability to individualize personal goals and to influence the different learning opportunities presented during the school year that progression is created for each student. An example I would like to use is when two of my students decided to paint a picture together on the same paper. When it came time to take the picture home, I asked my students how they could go about solving the problem. With my thought being possibly sharing it, leaving it in the classroom, or simply making another picture together the next day, the children decided (on their own) to cut the picture in half and both take a part home with them. I STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 4
find that no matter how organized the classroom, curriculum, or my approach on positive reinforcement, the children grow exceptionally quick in their ability to resolve their own conflicts. I found that by expanding my expectations of the childrens educational goals, they continue to reach a new level of achievement in their own different areas of development; problem solving, sharing and communicating in a broader and more creative way of problem solving. According to Bredekamp (2012), the theory developed by Lucy Sprague Mitchell known as widening the lens (p. 443) is an excellent example of how an issue of problem solving and interacting positively with other children can influence students opportunities to learn while expanding my expectations as a teacher. This way of thinking offers the children the ability to expand on simple subject matters that eventually relate to solving problems at a higher level. With educational practices recognized as either/or choices, I feel that this can tend to limit the childs ability to grow and develop as a whole. By offering a wider spectrum, a child can begin to understand that there is a wider range of options and opportunities to solving different levels of difficulties or tasks. This can be a major asset in the development of a growing child. When you begin to widen the lens for both yourself as an educator and for a child then you create a broader view of what can be. You begin to instill the ability to see and understand the endless lengths of teaching and learning practices, work aspects for both the instructor and the childs desire to learn, and most importantly the importance on interrelationships between children and their significant influences as well as your understanding of what each child is capable of. Students Social Ecology Theory One essential proof that speaks volumes to the social ecology of a child is the statement, They understand their world by creative play, it is a powerful statement that can be supported STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 5
in many aspects of fundamental early educational learning. The role of play is a key part in social and emotional development and learning. Other principles that are derived can be the importance of fueling the interests of the childs personal interactions with either a specific subject or in a social aspect of relating to other children. These are effective practices in that they allow the child to comfortably adapt to their surroundings and continue to grow in their own passions and desires at a young age regardless of their family or cultural backgrounds. The social context of individual interactions and experiences determines the degree to which individuals can develop their abilities and realize their potentials, according to Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1989, 1995, 2005; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006) (Berns, 2010, p.17). This theorist designed a conceptual model for studying humans in four basic structures; the microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem and the macrosystem. The microsystem refers to the activities and relationships with significant others in a developing setting such as family, school, peer groups, or the community. A childs macrosystem is the society and subculture in which they reference their belief system, lifestyle, patterns of social interaction, and life changes. Families, communities, and cultures have such an influential impact on an individual students ability to learn. Young children develop socially by the ability to form and sustain positive relationships with adults and other children in different mesosystems. According to Mooney (2000), Erik Eriksons theory of Eight Ages of Man (p.38), supports the development of psychosocial development in children and adults. Social learning occurs along a developmental continuum as skills become more complex and as children are placed in more demanding social situation like early childhood programs, schools, after school programs, and different clubs, classes, or activities that they find interest in. Their emotional development increases their ability to identify their own emotions as well as the emotions of STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 6
others. They learn to express these emotions in different healthy ways and begin to regulate their feelings. Teachers must understand that individual and cultural differences influence their emotional literacy and development. By gaining an understanding of the students social ecology a teacher can begin to set influencing roles and lesson plans that better suit the classroom and needs of the individual students. It is my job as the teacher to use all of the information of the child such as their family background, cultural differences, and community settings as an advantage to connecting instruction. It is by this ability to relate all the different forms of social ecology that a teacher highlights the positive influence that different experiences create within the classroom. Cultural Diversity Instruction I will acknowledge, honor, and build on the different varied life histories and experiences of students ethnic backgrounds. With my experience working with families and children from different ethnic backgrounds my understanding of the importance on connecting learning to every aspect of the students environment has grown such an incredible amount. Because each childs social and emotional development are linked to the contexts, cultures, and relationships in which they grow and learn, teachers play a critical role in instructing and shaping a positive social, emotional and educational development. Berns (2010), theorized that macrosystem philosophies regarding how diverse cultural groups should be socialized, especially by the schools, are cultural assimilation. Cultural assimilation is the process whereby a minority cultural group takes on the characteristics of the majority cultural group. An example of cultural assimilation in the use of English as the official language on public documents, English immersion programs in schools, and celebrating American holidays. According to Berns (2010), for a long time it was believed that in order for STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 7
diverse cultural groups to be assimilated into society, they had to adapt to the majority cultures ways (p.191). I feel that this way of educating can hinder a childs ability to find interests and grow in their understanding of the world and what different cultures have to offer. Cultural pluralism involves a mutual appreciation and understanding of various cultures and the coexistence in society of different languages, religions, and lifestyles. According to Berns (2010), he informs that Kallen (1956) theorized that the majority culture benefits from coexistence and constant interaction with other cultural groups unity in diversity (p.191). An example of the socialization philosophy of cultural pluralism is the concept of multicultural education. Cultural pluralism is different from cultural assimilation in that it allows for learning experiences that encourage the children to find interests in many cultures rather than just in the mainstream culture. Berns (2010), refers to cultural pluralism as capitalizing on minority cultural groups supporting supplemental education for their children to preserve their familys cultural awareness and values while appreciating the common elements of U.S. cultural, political, and social views as represented by the public schools. Curriculum for All Learners Intentional teachers recognize their responsibility in the learning process using preparation and organization in the learning environment to plan their curriculum. There are different theory-based curriculums such as teacher-directed and learner-directed curriculums that have different socialization outcomes. Teachers also use specific strategies to adapt to the individual needs of children and their classroom as a whole. According to Berns (2010), adaption must occur in order to change the positive response to a childs experience. The text offers two ways of increasing the learning ability of a child; both by assimilation and STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 8
accommodation, meaning that when new information or experiences occur there must be a connection with the pre-existing method. Purposeful decisions are required in intentional teaching and development in the classroom. I view purposeful decisions as extremely beneficial to the classroom and the children. By using the techniques I have learned in all my different experiences of teaching I will combine my learned skills to the very best of my ability in order to develop the level of learning I can provide as a teacher. By using the resources offered in the High Scope Curriculum I can adjust my ability to prepare and plan as well as adjust to the needs of the classroom. The resources offered through my Early Childhood Education studies has offered me such an expansive understanding of the different techniques on how to deliver and elaborate on different subjects as well as the ability to assess the classroom and each student or child as an individual. I will ensure that each student grows in their ability to learn by making adjustments in planning the curriculum and delivering the content after each assessment of the outcome for a past module. It is by these main conformities that change occurs as productivity in the classroom. Conclusion In order to convey the high level of values and passion that I have for teaching, I feel it is essential to become an effective teacher that can demonstrate the knowledge of an informed advocate for early childhood education. Effective teachers have a purpose and a plan for their actions in the classroom and have fully developed an idea on how to approach each subject matter in both the classroom and with each individual child. The foundation of diversity in our schools provides the opportunity to build equal learning opportunities for all children regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic class and learning styles. By connecting instruction through families, cultures, and communities, enriching students experiences while learning and STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS SIB 9
emphasizing the passion, not profession, of teaching - I believe I can make a difference in a childs life.
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References: Berns, R. M. (2010). Child, family, school, community, socialization and support. (9 ed.). Belmont, California: Cebgage Learning. Bredekamp, S. (2012). Effective practices in early childhood education: Building a foundation. Upper Saddle River, New Jeresey: Prentice Hall. Kallen, H. M. (1956). Cultural pluralism and the American ideal. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Mooney, C. G. (2000). Theories of childhood, an introduction to dewey, montessori, erikson, piaget and vygotsky. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.