Running head: STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Statement of Informed Beliefs

Lorena Horne
College of Southern Idaho
EDUC 204: Families, Communities and Culture
Spring 2016
Instructor: Evin Fox

Authors Note
This paper was prepared for Families, Communities, and Cultures class, taught by Professor Fox.

Statement of Informed Beliefs

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Introduction
I truly believe that children learn by playing and having opportunities to use their creative
little minds. It is so much fun to see how excited they are to learn and how upset they get when
the weekend arrived. Children learn in different ways and I feel is very important to be aware of
that to be able to serve them better. I never really thought about teaching as a career but after
working with preschool students, I discovered I had a passion for teaching. My job made me
realize how much Early Childhood Professionals are needed, and the impact that we can make in
those first years of a childs life. I discovered the wonders that happen through play and I am
looking forward to applying that to my classroom environment. I will be the guide and my kids
will be the builders of their own knowledge. My positive attitude, loving and nurturing
personality, my enthusiasm and passion for teaching will help me reach my goals and become the
best teacher I can be. In this paper I will discuss the students ability to learn, the students social
ecology theory, cultural diversity instruction and curriculum for all learners.
Students Ability to Learn
Every child is different, as I teacher, a crucial part of my job will be to know and understand
each of my students and their ability to learn really well. Because my classroom will have
students with different learning styles, I will need to adjust my instruction according to that. For
instance, if I have students reading below grade level, I will make sure to spend extra time
focusing on the skills they need and meet them where they are. Every student is capable of
learning, however, some struggle more than others. By identifying who these students are, I will
be able to support them. Students are more engaged and achieve most successfully when
instruction is appropriately suited to their achievement level and needs. That is why it would be
extremely important to adjust my instruction according their learning needs and learning styles.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

Individual learning styles depend on cognitive, emotional and environmental factors, as well as
ones prior experience. For instance, I will have visual students, auditory students and kinesthetic
students. Understanding this will allow me to implement best practice strategies in my everyday
teaching, curriculum and assessments. By giving my students the opportunity to access
information according to their learning styles they will not only increase their self-confidence,
they will also will be successful.
Assessment is the first step in developing strategies to reach all students. Carefully assessing
and planning for all students in the classroom I will adapt my instruction to meet all students
needs. I believe that observations are an excellent assessment tool. Informal assessments provide
a quick check of students understanding. Using this kind of assessment along with formal
assessments I will be able monitor students learning and will take notes about the difficulties I
observe. I will spend time thinking about how I can better reach my students. Monitoring and
assessing my students progress will help me improve my teaching and become more effective.
The information obtained in assessments will give me an idea of what I need to re-teach and
enrich in my classroom.
Feedback is one of the most powerful techniques teachers can use in order to increase
learning outcomes on students. It should be clear and specific. By providing feedback, positive
and corrective, with specific explanations of what the student is doing correct, and what they are
not doing correct, the student will be able to fix his work. The feedback provided should be
supporting and encouraging As a result of this, the learning process will be enhanced.
It is essential to have positive expectations in the classroom. My students will perform the
way I expect them to perform. For instance if I believe a students is a high ability, above average
capable learner, the student will perform at that level because these are the expectations I

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

transmit to the student. This will not only benefit the teacher and the student, but also the
classroom environment. In order to maintain an environment in which instruction and learning
can occur, good classroom managements techniques need to be established. Effective classroom
management practices must begin on the first day of school. The most important thing a teacher
can provide in the classroom during the first week of school is consistency. Classroom practices
and procedures should be predictable and consistent. In a well-managed classroom, students are
deeply involved with their work, especially with academic, teacher-led instruction. Students
know what is expected of them and are generally successful. There is very little wasted time,
confusion or disruption. It is the teacher, what the teacher knows and can do, what makes the
difference in the classroom. In my classroom, my students will have clear expectations. My
students and I will make our classroom rules, consequences and rewards, together. They will be
displayed on the wall. The classroom schedule will be posted too. The students will be able to
see it upon their arrival. We will spend the first day of school learning about class behavior
expectations. When students know how the class is run, they will be more willing to do what I
need them to do.
I truly believe that teachers are not the only ones responsible for students learning. Students
should be active participants in their education and take charge in their own learning. Piaget
stressed that children construct their knowledge through active involvement. He believed that
cooperation is also helpful for active learning. According to Piaget, the teacher is a guiding
mentor, who encourages initiative, experimentation, reasoning, and social collaboration. She
arranges safe, supportive environments for spontaneous explorations where learners are free to
choose from many alternatives (Bullard & Hitz, 1997). Piaget believed that to be effective, the

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

teacher needs to be a careful observer, so that she can set up environments and experiences that
challenge children.
Vygotsky, the developer or the zone of proximal development, also believed that children
actively construct their own learning. The zone of proximal development is the difference
between what we can independently accomplish and what we can accomplish with assistance
from a more competent peer or teacher. This assistance is called scaffolding. In my classroom I
will use scaffolding to improve students learning. My students will feel free to ask questions,
provide feedback and support their peers learning. For instance if a student is not understanding
something I will partner him with a student who has master the concept and can help him
understand. My students will learn the responsibility of teaching and learning through scaffolds
that will require them to move beyond their comfort zone. Through this interactions, students are
able to take ownership of their learning.
Students Social Ecology Theory
Students acquire knowledge, skills and character traits that enable them to participate as
effective members of groups through the process of socialization. Urie Bronfenbrenner was a
theorist that believed that children developed within a complex system of relationships affected
by multiple levels of the environment ( Berk, 2000,p.26). He originated The Ecologycal System
Theory. According to Brofenbrenner there are four systems that influence child development.
The microsystem, which involves those that are part of childrens most immediate environment,
including the childs parents and other primary caregivers. The second system is the mesosytem,
which involves systems that interact with the people in the microsystem, including child care
programs and schools. Exosystems, which are places in which children do not spend time but
still impact childrens development including the parents workplace policies. Finally, the

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

macrosystem, that consists of the values, laws, customs and resources of a particular
culture(Berk, 2000,p.26).
Family, friends and community have a great impact in the development of a child. For
example, significant societal events can produce a variety of effects on children ( Berns, p.30).
Divorce can impact socialization tremendously. As a teacher it is my job to communicate with
childrens families and offered them the support they needed. Many students whose parents are
getting a divorce become stressed, demanding or disobedient. They also struggle academic,
which affects their progress at school. Assessing child development is another very important
aspect of the teachers job. For instance, at the school I work, the teacher was able to recognize
that one of her students was becoming extremely sensitive. She took the time to meet with the
parents. As a result she found out that they were going through divorce. By identifying this
student, the school was able to arrange services from the school social worker and the student
join a support group at school. Collaboration between teachers and parents is extremely
important.
A community is a group of people leaving in the same geographic area ( Berns, 2013).
Communities play a significant role in a students education and socialization. It provides a sense
of belonging, friendship and socialization for children. We have an unbelievable community in
the Wood River Valley. The members of our community always stand up for one another. Very
recently, one of my sons friends was diagnosed with leukemia. The community has been
organizing many community events to support this family. It is truly amazing. People are selling
sweaters, bracelets, organizing runs, hockey games and basketball games. In less than one month
my community has raised over $50,000. Not only that but they have also organized a meal train
for the family so they dont have to stress about cooking and have a healthy meal every night.

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

This is an amazing way of kindness shared by community members. What the community has
done for this girl will forever have an impact in her life.
Culture is the learned, or acquired, behavior, including knowledge, beliefs, art morals, law,
customs, and traditions, that is characteristic of the social environment in which an individual
grows up. Culture is a lived experience unique to each individual. As educators, it is our job to
include childrens culture in our classroom and truly engage our students. For example, for
students learning English as a second language, their home language is the language of their
family dreams and hopes. It is the language they have used since they were born. The students
home language is an important part of their culture, traditions and ways of learning and being.
While we, as educators are always eager to help language learners, we must not forget the value
of keeping this home language. I love that the preschool teacher of the school I work plays songs
in English and Spanish because she has a large Mexican population in her classroom.
Cultural Diversity Instruction
As educators, it is our job to connect with our students and build relationships with families.
We need to be prepared to teach in a diverse classroom because The United States is a country
where diversity plays an important role. Our classrooms will be filled with students from
different backgrounds and many of them will be second language learners. We need to help our
students recognize the value of different types of people. A way to do so is providing students
with an opportunity to share stories of their home life, such as family holiday traditions. This will
allow other students to have an idea of their peers cultural traditions. An important foal of
culturally responsive education is to teach students to respect and appreciate their own culture
and heritage. Our community has a Dual Immersion School. Children receive instruction in
English and in Spanish. It is a 50/50 model. The classroom teachers have several activities during

STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS

the year that promote diversity. They just start teaching Negroide , which is a typical Peruvian
dance. Because most of the Hispanic population in the Wood River Valley are Mexicans and
Peruvians, they choose to celebrate many of their traditions. I will promote cultural pluralism in
my classroom. I will use different activities to help my students appreciate and understand
different cultures and their coexistence in a society of different languages, religious beliefs, and
lifestyles.
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Developmentally appropriate practice is teaching that is attuned to childrens ages,
experiences, abilities, and interests and that helps them attain challenging and achievable goals.
(Bredekamp 2014). In other words, as a teacher I will need to know and study about child
development and apply my knowledge to my everyday practices. As a teacher I will need to
adjust my instruction based on childrens interests and what is appropriate for their age. As an
intentional teacher I would have a purpose for everything I do, carefully organizing and flooding
my environment with opportunities for the children to learn and grow. There are several
decisions that as teachers we need to make in our classroom every day. It is important to make
thoughtful decisions with intention, such as adjusting our instruction if the children are not
getting what we are trying to teach.
Curriculum for all Learners
Curriculum is an educational plan that guides the teacher. When I become an Early Childhood
teacher I would like to implement a play based curriculum such as High Scope or Creative
Curriculum. It is extremely important to implement a curriculum that is thoughtfully planned,
challenging, engaging, developmentally appropriate, cultural and linguistically responsive,
comprehensive, and likely to promote positive outcomes for all yourg children (NAEYC). It is

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amazing how much children learn through play. By letting them make choices we allowed them
to construct their own learning. I would take advantage of childrens interests and engagements
to plan an entire curriculum unit. I work with preschoolers at Hailey Elementary. The preschool
teacher noticed that the kids were interested in spiders. She decided to create a spider unit on
spiders. The children made their own spiders, explored the outdoors and found spiders. The
teacher invited a guest that owned a pet tarantula to talk about spiders and share her spiders with
the children. They read many books about spiders and at the end they made a short presentation
for second graders about spiders. It was an amazing unit and the kids were very engaged. When I
become a teacher I will observe what my students interests are and will plan according.
Conclusion
As a teacher I will put my best effort towards my students education. Their goals and
achievement will be my number one priority. I will make sure to get to know every student and
adjust my lesson plans according to their needs. I will acknowledge and respect culture
differences and will find ways to support classroom diversity. My ultimate goal will be to make a
difference in my students life by engaging them and inspire them to become the best learners
they can be.

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10
References

Berns, S. (2016). Child, family, school, community: Socialization and support (10th ed).
Stronge, J.H. (2002). Qualities of effective teachers. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum.
Bredekamp,S., Copple, C.(n.d). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood
Programs.
Berk, L. E. (2000). Child Development (5th ed.). Needham Heights, MS: Allyn & Bacon.