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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

Ellie J. Blackman

College of Western Idaho

EDUC 220-001 Diversity in the Schools

Natalie Tau

May 1, 2023
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

Introduction

What does it mean to be a great teacher? You may think back to a teacher you had growing

up, perhaps the one who hooked you on learning biology. You may think of the teacher who you

spent a lot of time outside of class with, the one who helped guide you through assignments.

Perhaps the teacher who comes to mind is the one who made class fun every day and always

lifted your spirits. What did each of these teachers have in common, and what makes them

“great”? Throughout this semester in EDUC220, I have diligently taken notes on readings,

observations, and outside sources to form my own opinion on what this mystery might be. In this

paper, you will discover the view I have created on what it takes to be a great teacher.

Keywords: students, teaching, education, diversity

All Students Can Learn

When a student enters a classroom at the beginning of the year, each brings something unique

to the learning environment. Every student comes from a different ethnicity, culture, and

background. I think that even though each student might have a different learning style, they all

share the same learning capabilities.

Lev Vygotsky called the space between what learners can do independently and what they

cannot do even with support the zone of proximal development (Kurt, 2020). This

psychological concept explains a student’s capacity to learn. For instance, a student who masters

basic addition will possess basic subtraction in their zone of proximal development, meaning it is

likely they can master that too with the correct guidance. The teacher acts as a guide and it is

their responsibility to know the student’s current zone of proximal development and how to

expand it. As a future teacher, I think it is important that I understand this theory of learning and

development to design and structure my lesson plans. Once I understand what my students
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

already know, I can guide them through tasks that are slightly above their aptitude until they can

master them on their own.

In our textbook for the semester, Child, Family, School, Community: Socialization and

Support the authors state that, “the ‘best’ teachers make students want to learn and reinforce their

efforts, while ‘worst’ teachers turn students off” (Berns, et al., 2023). This is model that I plan to

follow as I continue through my education to become a teacher. I think a teacher should be a

vessel of inspiration for students to push themselves to new limits. I plan to do my best to ditch

any preconceived stereotypes I have and treat each student as a unique equal. This way I will

ensure that each student who enters my classroom have the same opportunity to learn.

I believe every great teacher possess a few key qualities. I think each of these qualities can be

learned and applied to any teacher. In our textbook, Chapter 7: Ecology of Teaching, the authors

discuss everything that an effective teacher does. As I think about my own future as a teacher, I

make plans to follow the model that they have created. I will provide a space and time to learn by

organizing the classroom in ways that promote learning. I will involve the students in my

planning of learning activities by talking with them about lessons previously taught and lessons I

plan to teach. I will communicate high expectations for student success through posters

throughout my room and verbal communication. I will adapt learning activities to the needs and

abilities of my students by getting to know each of them and creating lesson plans that suit their

needs. I will also ensure success for students by providing guidance and support as they progress

through the curriculum (Berns, et al., 2023). I believe that every teacher has the capacity to be

great, but it is those who work the hardest who see the best results. I will be the kind of teacher

that inspires every student to learn.

Teacher’s Expectations
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

During my observations this semester with Jillian Duffer’s fourth grade class, Mrs. Duffer

gave me a lot of advice on how to deal with students. Of all the advice she did offer, there was

one that stuck out to me that I made sure to highlight in my notes. She said that at the beginning

of the year, it is extremely important to spend time with student’s going over classroom

expectations, teacher expectations, and what the students might expect from you as a teacher.

Throughout the year, standards will slip, and you will have to repeat the set expectations over

and over again. Mrs. Duffer told me to make sure I pick expectations that are things I want to

“battle” with for the rest of the year.

Because of that advice given to me, I do believe there is a great importance of picking the

right expectations to have of your students as a teacher. In Chapter 7: The Ecology of Teaching,

the authors of our textbook give an example of a longitudinal study of middle school students

whose teacher predicted their performance in math. The research found that there was a greater

impact on future math achievement for low achievers, whose performance was overestimated,

than for high achievers, whose performance was underestimated. These findings demonstrate the

power of “living up to expectation” (Berns, et al., 2023). As a teacher, you cannot put

expectations on students that may negatively affect their work, like too high or too low of

expectations. Through my own experience, I have also had a teacher’s expectations influence my

ability to learn. In fourth grade I had a teacher who inspired me to write creatively on my own. I

discovered a passion for creative writing, but it also made me enjoy writing in school. However,

in sixth grade, when I explained to my teacher that I wanted to be an author someday, she told

me honestly the expectations she had. She said I didn’t possess the right skills to be an author

and that I should try to pursue something “more attainable”. These expectations she set for me

stuck with me, and by seventh grade I had no desire to write, even for school assignments. My
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

grades had dropped, and by high school I dreaded my English classes. I think, because of my

own experience and examples given in our textbook, every teacher needs to be extremely

intentional about what expectations they place on their students.

I believe a teacher’s expectations should align with their education goals they set for the class.

Education goals are goals either set by students or teachers that measure the amount that a

person is going to learn in a specified time range. In a classroom, a teacher must set education

goals for the students to achieve by the end of the year. The importance of setting these goals is

that it gives the student’s something to work towards.

Students’ Social Ecology Theory

In any classroom, the minute a teacher tells students to group up or work in pairs, a

phenomenon occurs. Suddenly students are no longer listening to the instruction from the

teacher, but instead are looking around the room and trying to determine which friends they want

in their group. This is another thing I learned from my observation with Mrs. Duffer’s class. She

was giving an assignment, and before she explained the instructions, she informed the class it

would be completed in pairs. Afterwards, as the students were quietly working together, Mrs.

Duffer told me she had made a mistake. Usually, she would explain the instructions to the

assignment before telling students to pair up but this time she had forgotten.

I believe a student’s social ecology plays an important role in the classroom. In our textbook,

Chapter 2: Ecology of Socialization, the authors described socialization as “the process by

which individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and character traits that enable them to

participate as effective members of groups and society” (Berns, et al., 2023). I think socialization

is vital to the classroom learning environment because it is a way for students to learn what they

need to know to be integrated into society. The development of socialization also helps with
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

emotional intelligence which enables children to interpret their own feelings are the feelings of

others and learn how to form satisfying relationships (Berns, et al., 2023). A student’s

socialization is as important as the curriculum they learn in the classroom.

I have learned that everything in a student’s life has an effect, either positive or negative, on

their development. In Chapter 1: Ecology of the Child in our textbook, the authors describe Urie

Bronfenbrenner and his bioecological model of human development that provides the whole

picture of the developing child. According to his theory, there are four basic structures of

relationships that impact a child’s development (Berns, et al., 2023). As I go on to pursue the

education field, I can use this theory to help understand my students and their socialization. It is

every teacher’s job to know their student’s and what factors impact their social development.

Cultural Diversity Instruction

The United States cultural diversity is often referred to as a “melting pot” which is the idea

that diverse groups in a society blend into one common culture (Berns, et al., 2023). Each of

these diverse groups is represented in the schools and it is important that the teacher and the

school recognize each unique group.

I believe recognition of cultural diversity in the classroom is important. During this semester,

we read An Indian Father’s Plea, which was a letter from a Native American father to his 5-year-

old son’s teacher. In it, not only does the author address the teacher, but I think he makes much

larger points to a broader audience. He begins by addressing the fact that his son has been

labeled a “slow learner” (Grizzlybear, 1990). However, by his own account, this could not be

further from the truth. He explains that even though his son may not be living up to the Western

standards, he had already lived a life of complexity and been taught many things like counting,

math, and reading. I think the author’s main point behind this was to say that there are many
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

methods and types of learning that are different than the typical “American” ways. The author

also talks about how his child has changed since attending the school; he says he wants to cut his

hair, and he shows no interest in the traditions of his family anymore. Children are especially

sensitive to criticism from others. This is what made him feel ashamed of his culture and who he

was. The big idea with this letter and with diversity in the classroom in general is that teachers

need to be aware of each student’s background. Because of this powerful letter, I plan to learn

my student’s family and what is important to them. There is no need to squash culture in the

classroom, instead it should be celebrated and embraced. As a teacher I want to encourage

students to be proud of their culture by being a model for them. I will be proud of my culture and

background to show them they can be proud of theirs.

The idea of cultural pluralism involves a mutual appreciation and understanding of the

culture of various ethnic groups and their coexistence with one another (Berns, et al., 2023). In

my classroom, I plan to create a safe space where my student’s unique cultures can coexist with

one another. This idea differs from cultural assimilation which is when a minority ethnic group

takes on the characteristics of the majority ethnic group (Berns, et al., 2023). In cultural

assimilation, the behaviors and qualities of the minority group gets left behind. I would rather

encourage an environment where students feel comfortable to share their cultures as well as

embrace others.

Curriculum for all Learners

The key to every good education environment is a solid curriculum. A curriculum includes

the educational goals and objectives of the program as well as the teacher’s role and what

materials and resources they will need (Berns, et al., 2023). The American Curriculum is based

on American Common Core Standards and is primarily a State and local responsibility (U.S.
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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

Department of Education, 2021). The only problem with this is that there is variety throughout

our country, making it difficult for students who move states once or frequently.

As a teacher, there will be a designed curriculum set by the state I work in that I will have to

follow. There are many ways I can enforce curriculum in my class, and the way I plan to use is

the Developmental Interaction curriculum also known as the Bank Street curriculum. This

curriculum was developed by Elizabeth Gilkeson and associates at the Bank Street College of

Education in New York City in 1919. It focuses on the development of self-confidence,

responsiveness, inventiveness, and productivity (Berns, et al., 2023). As I mentioned previously,

I think all students share the same capacities to learn, and I think the best curriculum is one that

inspires them to put forward their best effort.

I believe another important part of curriculum is assessment. Classroom assessment can be

used to discover how and what information students are retaining. For example, if a teacher

delivers a math lesson, it would be wise to give a short quiz or a few questions at the end of the

lesson to see if students understood. If students did not do well on the quiz, then the teacher can

try other methods of delivery or assign additional work to help students with connections. I will

use assessments to determine what my students have learned while spending the year in my

classroom.

Conclusion

The truth is, there is not one singular quality that makes a teacher great. It is a compilation of

many things that mix together to form teachers who motivate students to learn. Just like how

every student is unique, so is the teacher. I believe that everything I have learned this semester in

EDUC220 has helped me understand what kind of work it takes to be a great educator in the

United States Education System.

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The Recipe for a Great Teacher: An Informed Beliefs Paper

Resources

Berns, R., White, S., & Berns, R. (2023). Child, family, school, Community: Socialization and

support. Cengage.

Grizzlybear, M. (1990, September). An Indian Father's Plea. Spokane, Washington.

Kurt, D. S. (2020, August 18). Vygotsky's zone of proximal development and scaffolding.

Educational Technology. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from

https://educationaltechnology.net/vygotskys-zone-of-proximal-development-and-

scaffolding/

US Department of Education (ED). (2021, June 15). Federal role in Education. Home. Retrieved

May 1, 2023, from https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html