1

HD 450 REFLECTIVE TEACHING

Ruth Camberos Velez
Reflection
When I started taking this class I thought I was going to have a hard time completing the
work. The expectations from professor Robin were very high. I was not aware of my capacity. I
never knew how capable I was, until she came and unknowingly challenged me to be a better
writer and critical thinker. It was not easy for me to get to the level she wanted me to be, a BA
student level. I read and read and read again. I wrote and wrote and wrote again until I got it.
This class taught me how to observe children for who they are and not for what they do
or how they act. I practiced observing children from a different level and, critically thinking why
they act in certain ways. From the beginning to the end of an observation I learned how to
analyze every single moment and not judge what I saw. Children are different and they all go
about learning experiences in unique ways. I knew that, but, I never stopped to really analyze
everything they do or say without generalizing somewhat, or stereotyping by their gender or
other identity markers.
Reflective Teaching helped me learn to reflect on what I teach, what I see, and what I do
when it comes to children. The course has helped me be more conscious about why children do
things and how children do things. I taught me to really observe the meaning of the children
when they are playing. I learned not to jump into conclusions just based on one observation. It
helps me take the time to really look at every child as an individual. The observations I had to do
as assignments for this class helped me refine the ways I used to do observations before. After
taking this class I am more detailed and more observant of the outcome rather than the behavior.

Sometimes in the past I tended to focus more on the childs behavior than the why or so
what of what the child is doing. I focused more on what they are learning rather than how they
are acting. I do re-direct mean words or behavior without interrupting learning. I re-direct in a
simple natural way that they just follow most of the time.
This class helped me develop my sense of observing every child as one self and not being
biased towards their behaviors or ways of doing certain things. Just because I do not do things
the way they do, that does not mean it is not done right. It is important to model fairness, and not
judge children or compare them with each other.
Reflective teaching challenged my reading and writing skills in a way that I never
thought I would be able to accomplish. It is very rewarding when you work hard and at the end
you get to see the outcome reflected in a grade. It is very satisfying for me to see that something
I thought was going to be a big accomplishment for me ended up being a satisfying learning
experience that polished my reading and writing skills.
Reflective teaching is a class that make me think of who I really am as a teacher and how
I treat my students in my class. I learned to reflect in who I am, how I really teach, and how I
have to be in order to really understand my students. This class taught me how to analyze,
examine and observe myself first, and then the children. I can now to identify my strengths and
my weaknesses as both an observer and as a teacher.
I enjoy working in class sessions doing the group assignments with class mates. At the
beginning it was not easy, but little by little I felt more comfortable. The conversations in class
and the lectures were very interactive and help me feel more confident about talking in front of

the class. By talking to each other and to professor Robin I gained the ability to talk in class
without being ashamed of myself or the mistakes I may make while talking.
One of the assignments I enjoyed doing was the Book Reflection 2. This reflection was
about how we were disciplined our own childhood. For many of my group it was not discipline,
it was punishment. Our parents did not know how to discipline without using physical
punishment. Back then we were hit with a belt, chancla, cords, or anything our parents would
find on the way to be used for that. They did not think they were abusing, they thought they were
disciplining their children. I think as a result we were more afraid than respectful of our parents.
I personally did not suffer as much as my brothers. The reason behind this was because I was the
only girl, and even though I did get punished it was never as bad as what my older brothers
received. Now I laugh about it, but, back then it was not that funny, it was painful. I remember
one time we misbehaved at the table during meal time, and my dad became very upset. He made
all of us, my four brothers and I, bend our knees to the floor and stay on them for about 30
minutes, I was really tired and my brothers were too, but, we were still laughing and playing
around so my dad grabbed the belt and started hitting us one by one, until my mom stopped him
from doing it.
This class made me reflect on the way our children are being disciplined now in this
century. Some of them are still suffering the same types of punishment I was exposed to. Some
others are more fortunate and have different cultures and are disciplined in a different way. I am
really involved with the families I serve and keep an open communication to make sure I am
educating parents as well as children on how to implement discipline at home without falling
into abusive punishment. I now know that parents need to be supported in how to help children
appreciate natural consequences.

Thank you professor Robin because you challenged me without knowing and helped me
understand and develop my critical thinking skills and also gave me tolls to improve my
observations. Reflective Teaching was a class that helped me grow in many different ways; it
gave me the confidence to believe in my abilities and also gained trust in my own work. It helped
me build confidence in my receptive and expressive language. This class helped me rebuild and
redefine my teaching style by learning how to observe children; but most of all I learned how to
examine and define myself first