Running head: TEACHER 1

Inner-city Teacher

Gino Fragoso

Azusa Pacific University

TEACHER 2

Inner-city Teacher

The modern American educational system has roots throughout history. It is the

amalgamation of knowledge gathered by some of histories great thinkers. Those served by

knowledge began with the wealthy who had the opportunity to learn to read and write. As time

went on the view of education changed and more people of lesser means began to be taught.

Although a noble pursuit, education has a history of inequality and inequity. Today one of the

schools that suffers from this is Magnolia Avenue Elementary, an inner-city school in Los

Angeles. This paper will discuss my preparations and search for effective teaching strategies. It

will also consider the social and cultural implications of teaching in an inner-city school. The

demographics of the school will be described as well as connections between the historical

setting of three philosophical approaches and my current educational experience. It will then

examine how the setting of an inner-city school affects my goal of maximizing my first-year

teaching success. I will examine my educational values as well as both implicit and explicit

biases, and their effect on the educational goals of my students. The paper will then discuss the

three philosophical approaches and how their educational philosophies departed from the

established norm of their time. It will then discuss how my study of the changes throughout the

history of education speaks to me about the responsibility educators have in affecting educational

reform within my classroom at Magnolia Avenue Elementary. My strengths as evaluated from a

strength quest survey will also be discussed in the context of the responsibility in working

towards a positive change. Finally, this paper will discuss how my love of knowledge has been

affected by the readings in this course. Change is something that does not come easy to

established norms. As teachers, we have a small sphere of influence that begins with our

classrooms. Without the courage to affect change we are sheep leading sheep. As an educator I
TEACHER 3

want to have a positive influence on my students and to create a learning environment that

promotes equality

Section A

Community Context

Magnolia Avenue Elementary is made up of 97.6% Hispanic or Latino students, 97% are

considered socioeconomically disadvantaged, 50.9% are English Language Learners (ELL) and

11.3 are students with disabilities and 156 second grade students. (California Department of

Education, 2017). I have been placed in a third-grade classroom with a class size of 24 students.

The data from the SARC report suggests that the community around the school is also primarily

made up of Hispanic families. The report also tells us that the community around the school is

considered of low socioeconomic status (SES). On the latest reported California Assessment of

Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) assessment system results, 25% of students

“showed understanding of core concepts in English language arts/literacy,” and 20% of students

“showed understanding of core concepts in mathematics” (California Department of Education,

2017). The data shows that the school is underachieving as less than 1/4th of its students are

meeting the expectations of the CAASPP assessment. This would suggest that the school has a

lot of room for improvement and that perhaps new teaching strategies should be considered.

Historical Connection

When looking for effective teaching strategies for students, we must look at the data that

will help us choose the most effective for the demographic. This section of the paper will

compare the historical setting of the three philosophical approaches that this paper will discuss

and my current educational experience both as a student and as a teacher. Having grown up in a

predominantly Hispanic community with a low SES population, this is what drove me to choose
TEACHER 4

to work at Magnolia Avenue Elementary and gives me particular insight to make those

connections. Born in 1796, Horace Mann was considered a leader of the common school

movement in the U.S. (Gutek, 2011). This shows that Mann was raised while the founding

fathers were still politically active. During Mann’s time, one of the major educational debates

centered around the role of religion in education. “The religious context in which Mann lived

was growing more complex as immigration accelerated growth of non-Protestant, non-English

sectors of the U.S. population, especially the Roman Catholic Irish and Germans and Jews”

(Gutek, 2011, p. 225). Just like the immigrants of his time, the influx of Hispanic peoples in the

U.S. has brought with it a Catholic culture. According to the Pew Research Center, a 2011 study

found that 62% of Hispanics listed Catholicism as their religious affiliation (Taylor, Lopez,

Martínez, & Velasco, 2012). The culture of the Catholics of the past and present have many

similarities like socially conservative views while still having liberal tendencies. Another issue

that would be close to my current teaching community would be immigration. There is no data

on the amount, if any, of illegal families make up the population of my classroom or school.

When found, illegal immigrants are removed and sent back to their home countries. This is

mirrored in Mann’s time as President Jackson accelerated the removal of native American tribes

from the East to west of the Mississippi (Gutek, 2011). Although there is a large difference in the

reasons for removal from their home, the connection is that during Mann’s time, just like today,

there are people being relocated which can brings a fear or distrust of government.

The second historical setting this paper will examine takes place between 1874 and 1946.

William Chandler Bagley was known as a proponent of essentialism, which means “that schools

should emphasize a curriculum of basic skills of literacy and mathematical computation and

subject matter derived from the liberal arts and sciences” (Gutek, 2011, p. 369). The connection
TEACHER 5

between essentialism and current common core curriculum is that there were standards of

education being set to promote the equal education of all the subjects still studied in school

today. “Most of the American normal schools were established as two-year institutions,

specifically designed to prepare prospective elementary school teachers” (Gutek, 2011, p. 370).

The connection here is that like in modern times, teachers were needed who were qualified not

just by knowing the subject matter but in knowing the history of education and the best and most

current educational approaches. This mirrors my own experience as a student since that is the

kind of knowledge, we teachers are expected to have. If teachers are to be used to educate the

population of the U.S., then they have to be qualified and prepared to do just that.

The final philosophy that will be compared takes place between 1921 and 1997. Here we

will look at the setting of one Paulo Freire, an advocate of liberation pedagogy (Gutek, 2011).

During the 1950s and early 60s, Brazil implemented a program to modernize and industrialize

the country, however, “most of the financial profits of industrialization remained in the coffers of

the ruling elite at the top of the economic and social hierarchy, with few benefits trickling down

to the lower socioeconomic classes” (Gutek, 2011, p. 452). One theme in the community of my

current school is that there is not enough wealth being shared by the low SES residents. This is

connected to the context of what was happening in Brazil because they too were fighting for

equitable distribution of wealth much like educators are fighting for equitable distribution of

resources for all students. My own experience in education has taught me that although great

teachers make do with what they have, they are always in need of better materials and higher pay

just like the families of the students at Magnolia Elementary.

TEACHER 6

Section B

Inner-city Education

The structure and context of educating students in an inner-city setting plays a great

importance when trying to maximize my success as a first-year educator. When going into a new

setting it is important to do research to familiarize oneself with the culture they are about to

enter. “In general teachers in high-poverty schools more often report having to work with

outdated textbooks in short supply; outdated computers and other kinds of technology; and

inadequate or nonexistent science equipment, materials and labs” (Hudley, 2013). Due to the

lack of materials, I will be at a disadvantage when trying to maximize my educational goals for

the students. “Combined with deficient supplies, materials and opportunities to learn,

deteriorating physical plants, often another characteristic of high-poverty urban schools, can

diminish student engagement and achievement (Hudley, 2013). There are a lot of limitations to

working in an inner-city school. Although low student engagement leads to poor student

achievement, the article points out some of the causes. Unfortunately, they are things I have little

control over. In order to succeed in engaging the students I will have to get to know them and

show I care about them. One way to overcome the hurdles of funding in the classroom is to ask

for materials. The local community would be my first source. Teachers lose nothing in asking

local businesses to donate low cost materials that they may not need. There is a good chance they

will not all donate but it does not hurt to ask. There are also grants that can be applied to so that

companies can donate to the classroom or school as well. A positive to knowing this information

is that I can relate to the students. Having attended a public school in a low SES district, I can

relate to the lack of materials that the students face.

TEACHER 7

Values

In my studies I have had a chance to examine my own biases and philosophy of

education. Although I agree with many educational philosophies, I mostly gravitate towards

social reconstructionism. Social reconstructionism is the philosophy that schools should teach

about how to make the world a better place through the changes they can create (Parkay, 2016).

This view should extend to the students that they have the power to change their own

circumstances. My view is that education provides students with the opportunity to better their

lives from the ones they are growing up in. I believe that through education we can teach

students the value of hard work and showing them that they are capable of making a difference.

The purpose of education is not just about giving students enough knowledge to go out into the

workforce. This would imply that I would be satisfied if most of my students scored at least a 2

on the SARC report which says that “the student showed foundational understanding of core

concepts” (California Department of Education, 2017). I believe one of the purposes of

education should be to help students find their interests and nurture them so they can have the

tools they will need to pursue a career in their chosen field. Parents should also be made into

partners that can be used as resources regardless of their educational levels. To achieve this, I

must get to know the families so that I can incorporate their home lives and interests into the

classroom to increase student interest and engagement.

Biases

Explicit or implicit, biases can and do affect everyone. They can stem from the values in

the community where one grows up or through what a family may teach either verbally or

through example. One research article looked at the different predictors of teacher perception in

preschool such as gender, ethnicity, age, and social skills (Baker, Kupersmidt, Tichovolsky,
TEACHER 8

Voegler-Lee, & Arnold, 2015). Being aware of what these kinds of biases can have on teachers

and students is important if one is going to try and change. Although some biases cannot be

disposed of, they can be suppressed and ignored if they are identified and not acted upon. The

research found that teacher perceptions can lead them to rate male students as having more

behavioral problems and lower social skills when compared to the perception of female student

behavior (Baker et al., 2015). Although focused on preschool teachers, these biases can be found

in teachers of all grade levels. We all go into the classroom with the best of intentions, but we

take our history with us. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that teachers recognize their

own biases so that they are not transmitted to the students. The last thing I want is for any of my

students to think that I do not believe they can achieve. I want to show my students that they all

have value so that they can have as few obstacles in their lives as possible. The last thing

students need is to go into a school where they do not feel cared for.

Section C

Philosophical Approaches

This portion of the paper will look at the philosophical approaches of the three educators

mentioned in part A. Beginning with Horace Mann, as a proponent of the common school

movement Mann was instrumental in setting up common schools because he, along with the

Whig party, believed that schools could instill the “right attitudes and values” into children to

create a society of orderly, civil, and industrious citizens (Gutek, 2011, p. 228). The traditional

paradigm of the time was that education should be modeled on the values of the upper-middle-

class Protestants. This push for education was due to the decrease in voting requirements and

fears that uneducated people would vote and make poor choices. (Gutek, 2011). Mann did not

shift from the status quo in that he too believed in raising educated citizens would lead to a better
TEACHER 9

society. Specifically, Mann “was conflicted by the strict religious prescriptions that humans were

depraved and his adult beliefs that people could reform society through their own personal and

moral uplift” (Gutek, 2011, p. 230). This shift in belief that all people were deserving of

education to better themselves demonstrates a desire for equitable education for the students of

the common schools. During his time, “Schooling was seen as an essential reform that was

foundational to all other reforms in that it would create an enlightened citizenry who

altruistically would overcome special interests to work for the good of the commonwealth”

(Gutek, 2011, p. 242). The desire to educate all citizens for the good of the country is a departure

from the time because the Puritan majority was being chipped at by the people of different

religious backgrounds immigrating into the country. The common school system had to adapt to

serve everyone and not just the perceived needs of the powerful majority.

William Chandler Bagley was a traditionalist educator. His philosophical approach of

having teachers take education courses, “then called pedagogy, were typically the history and

philosophy of education, methods of instruction, and classroom management” (Gutek, 2011, p.

370). This was different from the norm of the time because before the push for education courses

the only qualification teachers needed was knowledge of the content and not how to present it to

students. Another departure of the time was the disconnect between elementary and higher

education. During his time, much of the 19th century, elementary students had to attend private

academies which would prepare the students for colleges and universities (Gutek, 2011). Bagley

differed from this established norm which originated in Europe by viewing schools as a coherent

unit or “ladder” that students could climb thanks to the introduction of high schools which were

designed to connect the path from elementary schools to the colleges or universities (Gutek,

2011). Another departure from the norm is that Bagley’s essentialism “which was a reaction
TEACHER 10

against certain aspects of progressive education, especially what he regarded as extreme and

romanticized child centeredness and social reconstructionism” (Gutek, 2011, p. 372). Although

social reconstructionism could be seen as a push for equitable education, it was a reconstruction

based on the beliefs of those in charge of the educational system. “Bagley stated that teachers

should present conflicting viewpoints on social, political, and economic issues and encourage

students to weigh the evidence and reach their own conclusions” (Gutek, 2011, p. 373). From

another point of view, Bagley’s approach to education of presenting different viewpoints is more

equitable because it can take into account the viewpoint of the minority as opposed to only being

presented the viewpoint of the ruling majority.

The final viewpoint that will be compared is that of Paulo Freire. His philosophical

approach is the most departed viewpoint from the social paradigm of his time and location. I say

location because unlike the other two discussed, Freire’s career is centered in Brazil. Before the

introduction of his liberation pedagogy, Brazil was seen by some educators as using schools to

legitimize the exploitation of the people, “schools are to convince the children of the lower

socioeconomic classes that they are living in the best of all possible worlds and that they should

accept and support the established social, political, and economic conditions” (Gutek, 2011, p.

455). This shows that the traditional education people were getting was far from equitable as the

poorer schools would only use instructional methods which maintained the imbalance of power

and wealth with the ruling elite. Liberation pedagogy “is designed to empower people to resist

and to reconstruct oppressive conditions and to create a more equitable, just, and humane

society” (Gutek, 2011, p. 458). This marked a substantial shift from the status quo as liberation

pedagogy sought to give the people the power and knowledge to be able to stand up for

themselves. “He maintains that teachers need to develop a critical consciousness of the real
TEACHER 11

power relationships in the schools in which they teach and of the social, economic, and political

conditions in which their students live” (Gutek, 2011, p. 460). This approach not only allows

teachers to get to know their students better, but through exposure forces them to care about the

well being of their students because they would no longer be able to hide their heads in the sand

and ignore the conditions which they may have previously worked to maintain.

Section D

Reform

This study of educational change speaks to me as an educator because I will be working

with underprivileged students. Through the research done for this paper, I have become even

more steadfast in my support of social reconstructionism. As teachers we have the privilege to

help shape the minds of each student that comes through our classroom. We also have the

responsibility to create educational reform as we see fit. I cannot and will not accept that the

world into which my students were born into cannot be made better for them. This portion of the

paper also takes into account my results from a CliftonStrengths survey created originally by

Don Clifton. To work towards change in the school I have chosen to work at, I must take into

account my strengths as an educator and use them purposely to enact that change. According to

the survey, my top strengths were, in descending order, strategic, relator, communication,

deliberative, and responsibility (Clifton, personal communication, May 07, 2019). Having

strategic as my primary strength means that I can feel confident about the decisions I make in my

classroom because I have taken many factors into consideration. To apply my talents in

academics I would have to reflect on different solutions to the problems that may occur in my

classroom and participate in cultural activities around my school to better understand the local

community (Clifton & Anderson, 2006). By going into the community and learning about the
TEACHER 12

local culture I would have more information to draw upon when deciding how to work towards

change such as different pedagogical approaches that take into account the different challenges

that come from working in an underprivileged school. Were I to observe many behavior

problems in my classroom I would have the ability and responsibility to try and implement

positive behavior intervention strategies that would take into account the school culture to

increase its effectiveness. My strengths of relator and communication mean that I more willing to

accept students regardless of our differences, that I should demonstrate my openness to my

students so that they know they can come to me for advice and given a forthcoming nature could

ease the students into sharing their thoughts with me (Clifton, personal communication, May 07,

2019). The strength of deliberative means that I am inclined to set and reach high standards

which transfers to high expectations for my students, this along with my responsibility strength

means that my students will see me as a dependable figure that admits when I am in error and

demonstrates honesty (Clifton, personal communication, May 07, 2019). By taking these

strengths with me into the classroom and developing them, I will be able to find out what

changes the students feel need to be made and create a plan of action to carry out the change.

Section E

Social Justice

My love of knowledge has been affected by the StrengthsQuest survey because I have

learned what some of my strengths are. More importantly I have learned how to improve upon

them so that I can continue to improve as an educator. In his book, Palmer writes, “If we are to

grow as persons and expand our knowledge of the world, we must consciously participate in the

emerging community of our lives, in the claims made upon us by others as well as our claims

upon them” (Palmer, 1993, p. 57). In his book, Palmer makes the point that all knowledge is
TEACHER 13

connected and that there should not be a culture of objectivism because it creates a disconnect

between the learner and the subject mater (1993). My love of knowledge has been affected by his

words because I am now more open to learning. As teachers, we are taught to bring the students

culture into the classroom to help engage them and have them relate to the subject matter. This is

mirrored in Palmer’s text because he believes that knowledge should not be objective but

subjective. Palmer gives the example of studying a rock for its composition and how that creates

a disconnect between the data and the researcher, what he would prefer is for the researcher to

want to learn how that rock got there and realize that it is not an individual object but one that

has been created through the interactions of many different factors which lead to its creation and

composition (1993). This change in how one learns retains the knowledge but brings community

to the learner because they will always see that knowledge is tied to the earth and by extension,

we are all tied to one another. Learning this truth has caused reminded me that as a teacher, I will

play a pivotal role in my students lives and that we will be tied together. By demonstrating

fairness and equity towards my students I am setting the example of how we are all tied together

and have the responsibility to be accepting of people’s differences because like it or not, we are

all part of the same community.

Conclusion

By looking back at the changes that people brought upon education we can see that

educational reform is not just possible but an inevitability. As culture in the U.S. changes and

advances so too must education. Going into my new classroom I find I have renewed purpose

and a connection to my students before the school year has even begun. By looking at the

changes that have been brought to education despite the pushback of those in power I can see

that I have the responsibility to enact change that I believe will benefit my students. Using the
TEACHER 14

strengths which the survey identified I am better equipped to teach my students because I know

what my strengths are and how to use them. My love of teaching has never come into question,

but the methods and determination to be the best educator I can be is constantly reinforced

throughout the knowledge gained from every class I have taken and every experience I have had

as an educator. By looking at the demographics of my, soon to be, inner-city classroom and the

knowledge that we are all connected I can take that data and use it to find connection with my

students and begin to learn about them as students and not scores. Knowing that we are all tied

together in community means that I not only desire to promote equity for my students but that I

have the responsibility to create a positive learning environment, not just in my classroom but in

the community which through my students I am a part of.

TEACHER 15

Resources

Baker, C. N., Kupersmidt, J. B., Tichovolsky, M. H., Voegler-Lee, M. E., & Arnold, D. H.

Teacher (mis)perceptions of preschoolers’ academic skills: Predictors and associations

with longitudinal outcomes. Journal of Educational Psychology 107(3), pp. 805-820. doi:

10.1037/edu0000008

California Department of Education. (2017). School Accountability Report Card

Reported Using Data from the 2017-2018 School Year. Retrieved from

http://search.lausd.net/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe?w3exec=sarc20172018&which=5055

Clifton, D. O., & Anderson, E. (2001). StrengthsQuest: Discover and develop your strengths in

academics, career, and beyond. (2nd ed. 2006.). Washington, D.C.: Gallup

Organization.

Gutek, G. (2011) Historical and philosophical foundations of education: A biographical

introduction. (5th ed). Boston: Pearson. (ISBN-13: 9780133450988).

Hudley, C. (2013, May). Education and urban schools. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from

https://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/indicator/2013/05/urban-schools

Palmer, P. (1993). To know as we are known: A spirituality education. San Francisco:

HarperCollins. (ISBN: 0060664517).

Parkay, F.W. (2016). Becoming a teacher. Boston: Pearson.

Taylor, P., Lopez, M. H., Martínez, J., & Velasco, G. (2012, April 04). V. Politics, Values

and Religion. Retrieved June 16, 2019, from https://www.pewhispanic.org/2012/04/04/v-

politics-values-and-religion (Taylor, Lopez, Martínez, & Velasco, 2012)