Running Head: TEACHER BELIEF STATEMENT

Teacher Belief Statement

Madeline Albrittain

EDUC 612

George Mason University

TEACHER BELIEF STATEMENT

In my classroom, building student:student and student:teacher relationships is

fundamental. Students cannot reach their full potential as learners unless trust and community is

established. It is a building block for student learning in which teachers can learn the individual

needs of their students (Fox, 2012, p. 73). Part of my job is to build that trust with each student,

It has to do with how things are said, how questions are asked and answered, and how much

teachers and students listen to each other (Kohl, 2002, p. 4). Listening and respect has to be

mutual in order to establish a learning community. I believe that each student should have the

opportunity to be successful. Learning a new language does not come easy to all students. As a

Spanish teacher, it is important that I scaffold my lessons to meet the needs to lower level

language learners. One of my goals for the upcoming school year is to introduce this in all my

lessons. The writing process is very difficult, particularly in a foreign language. With scaffolded

lessons, over the course of a week or two, the writing process is a little less daunting.

I believe students learn best when they are motivated and engaged in the learning

process. I incorporate technology into every lesson as means to engage all students in my

classroom. With my rigorous curriculum guidelines and preparing them for Spanish 3, it is easy

to get caught up in cookie-cutter vocabulary and grammar lessons. However, I have found that

students lose interest in the language and are neither motivated nor engaged with the happenings

in the classroom. In order to combat this, I incorporate authentic, formative assessment into my

weekly routine. Whether an exit slip, a think-on-your-feet speaking challenge, or a project-based

learning assignment, students are exposed to different aspects of foreign language acquisition. In

my classroom, formative assessment is a daily occurrence and I use it to improve instruction. For

example, if I find a common error in an exit slip, that will be the next days warm up activity.
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Project-based learning in my classroom always has a cultural component in which students are

exposed to different customs and traditions in Spanish-speaking countries. In my Spanish 2

classroom, students choose a Spanish-speaking country, research and present their findings to the

class. Each student is engaged in the process because they are using technology, they have a

choice in what they are learning and it is an authentic use of the target language. Often times

students use this project as an opportunity to share photos from the country theyve visited or

talk to their relatives about their Hispanic heritage. This learning is student-based and allows

students to engage in the inquiry process. Fecho states, The inquiry classroom is an active one

that seeks authentic learning that reflects the needs and understanding of all participants (Fecho,

2004, p. 50). I also use formative assessment because it encourages conversational Spanish.

Students complete speaking challenge videos and oral assessments. These often require partner

work and peer evaluations, encouraging students to guide one another in the learning process. At

the end of the year, they are asked to compare their first and last videos. Students come to class

the next day proud of what they have accomplished over the years course. Students are able to

see the progress theyve made and for many, it is a confidence-booster.

I believe that routine is essential in maintained an organized classroom environment.

Daily routine in my classroom involves daily prayer. The bell rings, students stand, and we offer

intentions and pray in the target language. After which, I go over todays agenda, tomorrows

homework and students begin on their daily warm-up. Toward the end of the year, this routine is

student-led once again allowing students to use the target language. This daily routine allows me

to check in with each student individually as I check their homework. Part of my weekly routine

also includes introducing new grammar structures to my students. If one of my goals as a

TEACHER BELIEF STATEMENT

Spanish teacher is they use a variety of grammar structures to express present, past or future

tense, I need to model the correct way in which each is used. Imperfect subjunctive and

conditional tense are not easy conjugations to grasp. Throughout my mini-lectures (10-20 mins),

I use songs, acronyms and examples to guide students through this process. As Brookfield (1995)

states in What is means to be a critically reflective teacher, before students can engage critically

with ideas and actions, they may need a period of assimilation and ground in a subject area or

skill set (p. 4). Lecturing should be used as a model or pathway toward critical thinking. If

students are properly guided, they will be able to use the new material in an engaging and

authentic way.

Lastly, I believe I have never perfected my practice as a teacher. I believe one of the

many marks of a great teacher is critical reflection. Farrell (2012) suggests, Reflective

practice is a compass that allows us to stop for a moment or two and consider how we can

create more learning opportunities for students. Critical reflection is not simply reflection about

past lessons or student interactions. Rather, it requires educators to think and act of what has

been revealed in this process. For me, engaging in critical reflection is similar to the Jesuit model

of contemplative in action because it involves constant inquiry and growth. I collaborate with

my colleagues and students in order to find more opportunities for professional growth. I use

online statistical quiz and test reports to examine the quality and fairness of my summative

assessments. I use this data from assessments to drive reflection to improve student learning.

Data about our student population can also help me adapt curriculum and maximize student

growth. Through critical reflection, I have begun to use these statistics to my benefit. I also strive

to provide a classroom environment in which students feel comfortable giving me feedback on a

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daily basis. While students often take advantage of this, I have students complete two

assessments in regard to my teaching (at the end of each semester). Student review surveys allow

me to see common trends in my classroom and ways in which I can improve. My goal to be a

critically reflective teacher means that I am willing to improve and grow at every opportunity I

can.

References
TEACHER BELIEF STATEMENT

Brookfield, S. (1995). What it means to be a critically reflective teacher. Becoming a critically

reflective teacher (pp. 1-27). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (CHAPTER 1)

Farrell, T. S. C. (2012). Reflecting on reflective practice: (Re)visiting Dewey and Schn.

TESOL Journal, 3(1), 7-16.

Fecho, B. (2004). Is this English? Race, language, and culture in the classroom. New York, NY:

Teachers College Press.

Fox, R. (2012). The critical role of language in international classrooms. In B. D. Shaklee & S.

Baily (Eds.), Internationalizing teacher education in the United States (pp. 59-76).

Lanham, MA: Rowman and Littlefield.

Kohl, H. (2002). Topsy-turvies: Teacher talk and student talk. In L. Delpit & J. K. Dowdy
(Eds.),

The skin that we speak (pp. 145-161). New York, NY: The New Press.