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Statement of Informed Beliefs

Educ 220 – Diversity in Education
Bevin Etheridge
College of Western Idaho
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All Students Can Learn

For children to learn we first need understand who they are. Why is this important?

Because each student is biologically unique, and their upbringing plays a significant part in who

they are, how they learn, and where they come from.

A child’s first learning opportunities come from the overall ecology of the family, which

gives us a glimpse into the connections between the child and their environment (Berns, 2015). It

was Urie Bronfenbrenner that understood that human ecology and adaptation play a significant

role in a child’s ability to learn (Berns, 2015). These factors reveal that the interactions we have

in life from an early age, influence our behaviors and perceptions. It was “Bronfenbrenner’s

Ecological Theory that encompasses a bioecological approach to human development. It takes

into account the ecology of human beings by examining the interactional going on in the family,

school, peer group, and community” (Berns, 2015). Along with biology, these four influences

play a major part in the socialization of a child. It is through socialization that children learn,

apply knowledge, and exhibit characteristics that enable them to be functioning members of

society (Berns, 2015).

As an educator, it is my responsibility to provide a caring, safe, and engaging learning

environment. I want my students to know that not only am I their teacher, but that I care about

who they are and that is my job as an educator to help them to be the best learner they can be.

This comes by understanding the different dynamics of each student. What type of home life do

they have? Do they have a support structure at home? How do my students learn? Are they

visual learners, retain knowledge with a hands-on approach, or do they do best with direct

instruction and lecture? Are there any learning barriers and if so, what extra help and adjustments

or modifications do I need to implement to ensure that my student(s) are learning and growing
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academically. All of these factors ultimately determine how I approach learning and ensure

academic growth happens.

The most important thing that I can teach my students is that we are all capable of

learning. I want to convey that each of us are unique and these differences make us how we are.

In order to lead my class, I believe it is important to include real life connections when I instruct.

I also believe that it is important to utilize the creativity of my student’s imaginations and

interests, because used properly, can be used to motivate, and engage with my students. An

example is by students introduce us to characters they enjoy. This can be a great motivator when

it comes to reading or writing sentences. Using fun transitions between subjects or incorporated

during a lesson not only re-energizes students but helps me manage my classroom time while

making learning fun. This can be accomplished something as simple as having the kids jump in

place or jog in place to spell a word or counting numbers out loud help reinforce learning.

Another approach that I see as successful in the learning process also helps children with

socialization. Working with a partner or group work, encourages students to communicate and

create dialog with others, helps them apply critical thinking skills and problem solving, and

different student perspectives, thoughts, or approaches on a subject.

A student’s ability to learn involves understanding the whole child. This involves the

ecology of the student and family. Determining who they are individually, how they learn, and

what approaches to learning are needed when implementing the curriculum will help me on my

path to becoming an educator.

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Teacher Expectations

Just as important as learning who my students are, it is just as impetrative that I share

with my class who I am and what my expectations are for the classroom. Expectations take away

the apprehension and possible anxiety that some students may feel and perceive when they walk

into a new classroom for the first time.

As teachers, having clear expectations not only allows for successful planning of the

curriculum, lesson planning, instruction, but will hopefully influence my students to perform to

their best abilities. It is also important for me to realize that while I have a defined set of

expectations, when it comes to my students and what I expect them to accomplish, I need to

realize that my goals and ideas of their capabilities may not be realistic. It will be important for

me to remember that any perceptions can translate to how my students perform. According to

Berns (2015), perception is a teacher’s subsequent ability to demonstrate and present

information that ultimately influences a student’s learning. I also want to ensure that while I

perceptions of myself and my class, that I also make it a point to not create any preconceived

notions of that my students are capable of accomplishing everything I teach them successfully

the first time. It will be necessary to think objectively when it comes to my expectations and

extremely important to instead connect with them individually to assess their learning styles by

working to establish behaviors and capabilities when evaluating a student’s educational outcome

(Berns, 2015).

First and foremost, my main education goal is to ensure that my students leave my

classroom prepared for the next grade level. Having goals helps me to improve my students’

educational performance. Goals help with the development of thoughts, ideas and attitudes and

help overcome stress by creating a better self-image and allows them to discover who they are
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and what they are capable of accomplishing. This is turn will help them with interpersonal

relationships with peers. Educational goals also help to promote a positive learning environment

for the whole school in general. Working with administration, teachers, and other staff to achieve

benchmarks and continually striving to teach and achieve the core academic standards. Goals

help educators motivate classrooms, which in turn creates a student population that is

emotionally, socially, and academically prepared for future successes.

While there are numerous approaches, expectations, and goals that teachers can

implement and create, it is important to remember that I will not have all the answers or solutions

right now, I know that as an educator, my pedagogy will evolve. What I can do is strive to

continue to learn and seek knowledge from resources and fellow educators. I truly believe that an

exceptional educator is one that never stops learning.

Students’ Social Ecology

There seems to be an idea that children go to school and learn the important skills needed

to be successful after they graduate. The problem is that many students leave school with an

education that has been mandated by state and federal mandates and not necessarily geared

towards how a child social ecology. As a future educator, it is important that I recognize how

each student’s family, culture, and community plays a part in their social ecology and the

approach to learning inside the classroom.

According to Berns, understanding who your students are and how I acknowledge their

character and personalities is one of the most important components of teaching (Berns, 2015,

p.214). As a teacher, I understand it is imperative that I provide a welcoming learning

environment that encourages successes while being conscious of the diverse dynamics of the

classroom. No one student comes from the exact same home life. Each child’s socialization at
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home, church, on the playground, and within their immediate community all play into the

learning process. A child’s social ecology and learning experiences also open the door to reason.

Reasoning comes from the cause and effect that happens as they grow. Using reason allows kids

to explore or initiate experiences through learning. Children are taught what is acceptable in their

immediate community. They learn how to act in different settings, such as church, the grocery

store, and school. They start to develop a sense of security or distrust. They start to become

better communicators by asking questions and relaying knowledge. Each child’s educational

experience will be different based on their upbringing and the expectations placed on them by

their parents own socialization and culture.

So as an educator, how can I connect their social ecology to the importance of learning?

While I am aware that there will also be goals or standards set in place to measure the academic

growth and milestones of the class. I need to ensure as a teacher, that I am open and responsive

to the classism of my students and how this relates to their development academically. Knowing

that positive reinforcement and my attitude are examples that I want to model and teach my

students. Providing a positive classroom environment that fosters curiosity and exploration by

accounting for each diverse community and culture is important in the learning process by

allowing students to make connections. Another part of student’s social ecology and learning is

how to negotiate failures. Helping them to understand what happened and how to navigate

disappointments and confusion is an important part of the learning. All important aspects of a

student’s social ecology.

As humans, we are modeled after own families, friends, teachers. Essentially anyone that

has an influence will contribute to our socialization to some extent. As an educator, it is vital to

remember that the way a student learns is highly influenced by the faucets of people in our lives.
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Making sure that I am aware of differentiated learning styles, that academically I am

approaching my students with a positive challenge that encourages and fosters a love of learning.

Cultural Diversity Instruction

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it”

(Proverbs 22:6). Berns use of this biblical quote in our reading is one that I believe speaks to

how an individual’s life experiences and histories are meant to shape who they will potentially

become. As an educator, it is important to understand and know how to incorporate each

student’s backgrounds and stories as part of their educational experience. For me, having a

curriculum that emphasizes diversity or adaptable, looking for additional resources to engage

students, and providing a classroom environment that inspires diversity all play a significant role

in highlighting each student’s life and ethnic backgrounds.

Each student is influenced by their microsystem. As a teacher, it is important to

understand who my students are. Where they come from. What is their belief systems, customs,

and even their educational background? I cannot teach diversity if I have no grasp of who they

are. I will spend time researching belief systems, cultures, customs, and the educational beliefs

help build each student’s background. Encourage the development of relationships with other

classmates by providing classroom activities that share aspects of different cultures. Having a

classroom that is bright, colorful, while providing a safe environment that students feel

comfortable. Using music to help students understand differing languages, instruments,

meanings, and stories told through music. Art or images that showcase real people, cultures,

families, and identities. Storytelling and folktales provide context while creating an inclusive,

diverse, accepting environment that helps students understand that all life is valuable.

As an educator, understanding how society views diversity, it is important to understand

what and how cultural pluralism and culture assimilation play into acknowledging an
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individual’s culture and background? Cultural pluralism is defined in the book as “mutual

appreciation and understanding of various cultures and coexistence in society of different

languages, religious beliefs, and lifestyles” (Berns, 2015, p. 212). Cultural assimilation is “the

process whereby a minority (subordinate) cultural group takes on the characteristics of the

majority (dominant) cultural group” (Berns, 2015, p. 212). The idea behind these two definitions

is to help us better understand the macrosystem. The macrosystem is where we start to define

who we are, how we develop our beliefs, establish relationships. According to Berns, the belief

in acknowledging those from other ethnic backgrounds was to expect them to assimilate and take

on the traits of the larger societal demographic (Berns, 2015, p. 212). However, there has been a

change to using cultural pluralism to highlight the varied uniqueness that each culture believes.

And while the school system falls under the spectrum of macrosystem, it is within the small

microsystem of the classroom that teachers have the power to acknowledge diversity and use it

as a learning opportunity.

Educating students is more than just teaching the basics. It is about highlighting and

teaching that we are all diverse. That are culture and beliefs help establish who we are and what

we will become. Acknowledging and accepting diversity provides each student an opportunity to

learn that we are not all the same, that we each have something to bring to the table.
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Curriculum for all Learners

At the art of every teacher, there is a desire to help their students learn. Just as important

as providing a safe and welcoming environment, it is also fundamental that an educator use

curriculum that is adaptable to how each student learns. How a teacher plans lessons, delivers

information, and assesses their students is an important component to measuring milestones.

I have spent eight years working with students as a paraprofessional, and one thing that I

have learned from watching the classroom teacher, is that there is never just one approach to

instruction. Just like acknowledging a student for their cultural or ethnic backgrounds, it is key

that we grasp that not all students learn the same. Some are visual, some are hands-on, and some

need redirection and extra support to understand concepts. Also, understanding that even though

lesson plans are established ahead of time, that there must be some fluidity to time spent on each

subject to ensure that the class is able to apply concepts. Being able to adjust for the academic

needs of each student, assessing measurable data from previous years will give me some insight

into where they feel on the spectrum the previous year, what subjects did they excel in and which

ones do they tend to struggle with. Once I have evidence of learning, I can begin to differentiate

instruction and build on accountability, while helping my students create goals based upon their

learning.

Assessing the growth of each student must be done through continual assessments and

allows me to change delivery and planning based on need. For any planning to be effective, I

need evidence of student progress to determine if my approach can reach my students on an

academic level. There is no right or wrong method. To me the most important thing is will it
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provide me with immediate feedback. A couple assessment tools I find successful is the use

student-teacher small groups that encourages engagement in a smaller setting, by helping

students feel secure when answering questions or providing insight, while providing me with

immediate data. Another approach is whole class discussions where I can ask questions and

know which students understand and those that need clarification. This allows me to change the

direction of questions, invite other students to add their perspective, or even alter how I present

material during instruction time. I also believe that quizzes, tests, and student writing are also

key in deciding how effective my planning and delivery are resonating with the class. All of

these assessment tools allow me to chart, work one-on-one with individual students, provide

extra time when needed, provide modified and appropriate materials and assignments that help to

solidify concepts. For me, the most important thing that I can give my class from the first day, is

that I will be their advocate, I will work to ensure they reach milestones, and that they leave my

class prepared to advance.

I once heard a teacher tell another teacher that they did not become an educator to

become rich. They wanted to teach because they possess a love of learning and want to share

their knowledge and help future generations become productive member of society. Teachers

spend a large portion of time researching, assessing, and continually adapting their curriculum to

the needs of their kids. And while it may not be right for every learner, it is this ability to change

that helps students gain knowledge.

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References

Berns, R. M. (2015). Child, family, school, community: socialization and support. Cengage

Learning.