REFLECTION POINT 4 Denice Arroyo

As I reflect back on my coursework for Eucational C!an"e #ED$C %&'( it is

clear t!at my o)inions an feelin"s !a*e s!ifte re"arin" !ow I see myself as a c!an"e
a"ent+ Prior to ED$C %&' I felt stron"ly t!at I was a c!an"e a"ent because of my sincere
commitment to )romotin" stuent learnin"+ I know now, t!at I was )rimarily focuse on
only my stuents an c!an"e wit!in my classroom an not focusin" on brin"in" about
c!an"e wit!in t!e entire sc!ool builin" an beyon+
In orer to brin" about c!an"e -!eatley #.//0( state t!at we !a*e to be willin"
to amit we1re not ca)able of fi"urin" t!in"s out alone+ As a teac!er leaer an c!an"e
a"ent, it is im)ortant to create stron" relations!i)s wit! collea"ues in orer to !a*e
successful learnin" communities+ I now belie*e t!at it is im)erati*e to )artner wit!
collea"ues an !a*e c!allen"in" *ertical con*ersations in orer to come to a consensus
on w!at is best for t!e stuents we teac!+ ED$ %&' allowe me to see t!at e*en t!ou"! I
was t!inkin" systematically about my )ractice, I was not e2tenin" my knowle"e to my
entire sc!ool+
T!e E3uity Auit, Policy 4rief an Action )lan re3uire me to seek out
collea"ues an listen to t!eir e2)ertise w!ic! "a*e me a c!ance to see t!in"s from t!eir
)ers)ecti*e+ As I collecte ata about my sc!ool for t!e e3uity auit, I reali5e t!at w!ile
I o my absolute best to create an e3uitable s)ace for my stuents, my sc!ool !as some
"larin" ine3uities t!at !a*e not been aresse+ -!ile writin" my )olicy brief an
conuctin" a literature re*iew, it was clear to me t!at my sc!ool is not t!e only sc!ool
facin" suc! ine3uity+ As I continue researc!in" I was able to create an action )lan base
on w!at ot!er sc!ool istricts are oin" to combat t!e issues of ine3uity t!at we are
REFLECTION POINT 4 Denice Arroyo
facin"+ I fully inten to s!are t!is information wit! my collea"ues an )rinci)als an
e2)ress my *iews, e*en if t!ey are un)o)ular+
As I continue my 6ourney as muc! more informe teac!er leaer, reflecti*e
)ractitioner an c!an"e a"ent I know t!at my e2)eriences in ED$C %&' an t!e Core
!a*e "i*en me a creible *oice wit!in my sc!ool+ It is my obli"ation to 3uestion )olicies
I o not unerstan, )ro)ose solutions an be an acti*e )artici)ant in enactin" )ositi*e
c!an"es+ As an a*ocate for eucation, I will look beyon my classroom walls knowin"
t!at my current stuents, my )ast stuents an my future stuents eser*e an e3uitable
s)ace to learn+
REFLECTION POINT 4 Denice Arroyo
References
-!eatley, 7+ #.//0(+ Turning to one another: Simple conversations to restore hope to
the future+ #.n e+, ))+ 8498%(+ :an Francisco, CA; 4errett9<oe!ler
Publis!ers+