Running head: STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs

Paola Rodriguez
College of Southern Idaho

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs

Introduction
In this world, each child has a different way of learning and in taking information brought
to them. One important source in which children intake information is from school and their
surroundings in their environment. Socialization is the process by which individuals acquire the
knowledge, skills, and character traits that enable them to participate as effective members of
groups and society (Berns, 2013, p. 6). It takes place in the environment of each child especially
when they enter school. In school teachers are the main and most important models that help
children learn and understand different ideas and situations. Teachers have their own value of
teaching and the types of learning style they use. Although styles may differ, the target for every
teacher is the same, which is for each child to learn. When it comes to the ways of teaching,
discipline and guidance come in because teachers are demonstrating and giving directions as
well as correcting children in what they are doing. To perform all of these factors for a child a
curriculum is set up where all of the children can learn and acknowledge what they are learning.
Curriculum includes the educational goals and objectives of the program, the teachers role, the
equipment and materials, the space arrangement, the kinds of activities, and the way they are
scheduled (Berns, 2013, p. 186). Through all of these processes a child will be gaining
knowledge and developing their social and cognitive skills. Childrens development is influenced
from many factors that come from each childs environment and from the type of education each
child develops.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Childrens ability to learn

When a child begins to learn, many factors are involved in what and how a child learns.
Those factors involve the child, teacher, and surroundings. By having a classroom set up, as a
developmentally appropriate environment, as well as lessons that go along with the
curriculum, each child will be able to learn and achieve different goals that are essential for each
childs development. Developmentally appropriate curriculum involves understanding
childrens normal growth patterns and individual differences (Berns, 2013, p. 14). In a
classroom there will be a diversity of knowledge because each child is different and not all
children think or learn the same way. Having a variety of activities and different ways of
modeling concepts, as well as using reasoning is important because each child has a different
learning style. When this is accomplished, teachers can observe and assess the ways each child
learns best and is able to comprehend what is being taught. Teachers have responsibilities in the
classroom, as every child does as well. Participating in the classroom, being ready to learn and
getting assignments done by the due date is part of every childs responsibilities in the classroom.
Therefore as a teacher, the expectations for every child is to have them learn through the
experiences and activities set up for them. Being able to connect experience to learning is
important because each child is different and will have opportunities to learn in a variety of
ways. Also giving children feedback on what they are doing is important because it will help
each child comprehend better. Along with having expectations, educations goals are set up as
well. By having educational goals in the classroom teachers are making sure that each child
learns what they need to know in order to progress in their education. Even though each child in
the classroom learns in a different paste, teachers need to make sure to have those educational
goals so that if a child isnt at that point, it will help them get there.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Students Social Ecology Theory

Children are surrounded in an environment where there are different people that take a
role in their educational learning. According to Bronfenbrenner biological theory, there are
four basic structures-the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem-in which
relationships and interactions take place to form patterns that affect human development (Berns,
2013, p. 20). When children enter school each child comes with values and morals that each
one of them have learned from their family. Each student has different values and morals and
teachers need to know how to respect those ideas and work with them in the classroom.
Therefore family plays in important role in a childs life because they are the support they have
besides the support they gain from their community and school. Letting children know they have
support from different members of their environment will encourage them to achieve and
accomplish task. The lifestyle of a family is where a child begins to build their personality and
makes them become who they are. Each child expresses those characteristics around each one of
their environments and knows it is a correct way of acting, also known as self-regulation,
because those characteristics have been accepted in their family and whom they are around.
Furthermore, community is where a group of people share common interest, for example
politically and economically. Being in a community where the socioeconomic status is wealthy
there are more probabilities of education being in a higher level of accomplishment. In todays
society most children are able to attend school. Socioeconomic status should not be involved in
the classroom and all children should be treated equally regardless of each childs status. Every
child should feel the support from the community that shows that they want each child to
succeed.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

In the same way that family and community have an influence in a childs development
so does culture. Culture can have an influence in how a child learns, because each family in each
community isnt the same and has different ways of doing routines as well as their lifestyle.
Teachers need to make sure that they understand each familys culture and customs so that each
childs educational development is developed appropriately. Having a diversity of cultures is a
good way to show children how to respect and understand other peoples perspectives and ways
of seeing the world.
Cultural Diversity Instruction
Around the world there are various types of cultures and students bring those cultural
backgrounds with them when they enter school. Teachers learn these new cultures and
incorporate them in the classroom, so other children can learn about them. It will make the
routine go smoothly in the classroom if there is given explanations of a childs background
history and as well there will be acceptance from the children to their classmates. Each child will
understand either why they dress the way they do, or why they have different colored skin, or
even understand the way they act. By incorporating it into the classroom teachers are showing
cultural pluralism and giving a knowledge of diversity. Some children will speak more than one
language and that will as well go with cultural pluralism. On the other hand children as well need
to understand cultural assimilation because the minority cultural group dont need to take on
the characteristics of the majority cultural group. By giving them knowledge of these
backgrounds it will help children develop and understand the different cultures.

Curriculum for all Learners

Teachers need to think and analyze their lesson plans because they have to make sure
they are developmentally appropriate for the children. According to Piaget, His theory of

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

cognitive development delineates the stages in which children, in general, develop a conceptual
understanding of the world based on their maturation and active experiences (Berns, 2013, p.
19). Otherwise if the lessons arent appropriate teachers cant expect the children to learn and
progress in their development. Like I mentioned before each child is different and learns
differently, so there may need to be adjustments made to what activities teachers do so that all of
the children can learn, experience, and explore different ways of accomplishing those activities.
As well as having different activities and doing them in different ways, teachers as well have to
use different methods of explaining and getting their message through. Some children are able to
understand the first time but other children may take more than just a simple explanation.
Knowing when assistance is needed is essential because then teachers know which child needs
help in what developmental area.
Therefore in a classroom there can be learner-directed and teacher-directed, because
when teachers combine both of these curriculums together they are helping each child progress.
At the same time each child is helping the teachers because they are showing you what they are
capable of doing and how a teacher can build upon those demonstrations. Being able to use
assessments for children in a way that is appropriate will be beneficial to teachers as well as to
the student. Knowing how to reflect back on what you have done in your classroom to deliver
those concepts of cognitive development is very important. When reflection has occurred
teachers can then build new ideas that can work even better. By reflecting and seeing how
children did during the day will help me make sure that all children are on the right track because
that is what is important, to see that children are progressing. As well to really think and observe
each child in their developmental area and figuring out in what ways they can understand and
progress better if they are not progressing.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Conclusion
In conclusion in a classroom there will be a diversity of cultural background which
teachers need to make sure to incorporate them in the classroom so that the environment is
inviting and comfortable to all students. As well there will be different ways of teaching because
all children have different ways of learning and being able to understand and accommodate to
those situations will make the classroom environment be better for teachers and most importantly
for the children. Making sure that the curriculum is appropriate for the children is essential so
that every child can progress in their education in every aspect of it.

References
Berns, R. M. (2013). Child, Family, School, Community (10 ed.). (B. Chapple, Ed.) Stamford,
Conneticut, United States of America: Cengage Learning.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS