Philosophy Statement

Philosophy Statement Quira Perez

Assignment 2B EDUG 401

4/01/2010

As a prospective teacher, I tend to catch myself observing my teachers and professors to gain insight on how to, or even how not to run a classroom. The most important lesson I’ve taken away from all of my classes is that a teacher does not simply teach a subject but leaves some kind of memorable imprint on the minds of each student. I can remember every single teacher I’ve ever had—all the way back to preschool. Even my least favorite teachers are implanted in my memory one way or another. Much of who I am today has been shaped in some way by my educators and I feel this is evidence that it is important to go into the field because you have a passion to teach. Professor Stiler spoke of how if a child has a bad experience with school in the beginning, it can affect the rest of his schooling years. Because of facts like this, it is important that teachers take the nature of man, the nature of learning, the nature of society, and the nature of knowledge into consideration with every decision that is made for running an effective classroom.

When I held my interview with a male student from Yucaipa High School during his senior year, I was appalled with the bitterness towards the education system. All of his replies were hostile, to the point, and sometimes sarcastic. He did mention that part of his frustration stems from the way he is treated in the classroom. He complained, “In high school we are treated like helpless children but are expected to be adults and responsible for ourselves in college.” While the transition from high school to college is expected to be different, he makes a valid point. It is human nature to work best when you are participating out of desire rather than participating because you are told to do so. If respect is shown in both directions, the results are outstanding. I think it is important to create a classroom where the students all feel respected and look to me as their educator—but not necessarily their superior. If the students feel just as important a part of the classroom as myself, the learning process will be much smoother and at ease. The students will want to learn and be active participants.

Although there is a level of respect created on both sides, there are some students who aren’t going to cooperate. It is important for teachers to recognize these students so that they do not disrupt the learning of others. The nature of learning must be taken into consideration in all aspects of the classroom. The greatest distraction from learning is misbehavior. An effective discipline plan is essential for any classroom. After speaking with Monty Martin, a high school English teacher, I think that patience is the key. Often times, students yearn for a reaction to their behavior and a patient response may deter future offenses. I hope to set my rules and have them understood on the first day of school.

My main concern is that the students are respectful to one another because a safe learning environment will harbor the best results. As a teacher, I need to create a room that is void of prejudice, racism, bullying, and discomfort. If a student is relaxed and feels comfortable in their environment, there is less to distract from my lesson plans. My classroom needs to feel like home because it is nature to learn best in an environment you are comfortable in.

If a student is disobeying a rule that I have set, I will present a warning. Should the behavior continue, I will take the student aside and have a talk with him or her. Because I want to teach in an elementary setting, the most important part of the talk is to stoop down to the student’s level. My R.O.P. class from high school stressed that I need to be at the same height as my student because it makes the talk more personal and respectful. At that time, I can speak to the student about the behavior. Unless the behavior is harmful to other students, I would prefer to keep the student in class rather than in the administration office because they still need to learn the lessons.

If a particular behavior is reoccurring, it could be a possibility that my student has a learning disability and is acting out because of it. There are numerous learning disabilities like autism, ADHD, ADD, and more to look out for. The student may need extra help that I am not qualified to provide. In addition to the medical learning disabilities, there is also the possibility that I may have an English Language Learner in my class who doesn’t fully understand every word that I say. In order to keep these students from getting discouraged or lost, it is recommended that many hand motions be used. Visual representations also go hand in hand with the gestures. In reality, there are some students who just may not be interested in what it is I have to teach. By incorporating visuals and objects that allow kinesthetic learning, I can engage more students and keep them eager to learn.

Making students eager to learn may be tricky in a classroom depending on the child’s home life. Teachers need to take into consideration the nature of the surrounding society. A lot of homes may not value education as much as work based on their lifestyle and economic needs. It’s important to teach my students that education is very valuable and has come a long way. In previous years, it has been restricted to only men but is now accessible by everyone. I want to encourage the minimum of a high school diploma and hopefully a college degree someday.

Community involvement in the classroom was also a hot topic in the Educational Foundations Class. Some parents don’t attend school functions which can make teacher’s feel as though they do not care about their children’s education. As mentioned earlier, it is important for the teacher to take into consideration the possible reasons for the absence. It is possible that the parents do not speak English, or that they feel uncomfortable to attend class functions. I hope to create a classroom that is warm and inviting for not only students, but for their parents as well. I want to have parents actively involved in all aspects of my classroom and I will make a lot of personal phone calls to ensure it.

Lastly, I want to be sure to teach lessons that cover more than just the curriculum. It may be reality for many students to drop out of high school and I want to be sure that they are prepared for what life has to offer. It’s important that as a teacher, I care about each one of my students as though they were my own. I want to be sure that my students know how to be model citizens and avoid dangerous situations.

Being a teacher means being a role model. It is nature of knowledge that when something valuable is learned, it is passed on. When my students learn something in my class, I hope that they will share with their family members at home and their friends on the playground. By making each class interesting and worth listening to, I will be spreading education throughout the community.

Student Interview

I selected a male senior at Yucaipa High School to conduct my interview on but I was very shocked with the replies I received. The student almost seemed bitter towards schooling as a whole and I felt the responses weren’t necessarily an accurate representation of the school. I decided to conduct the interview with a female senior student, and her responses were very different. She seemed excited about school and about her learning environment. She was very enthusiastic about education and had a clear path for her future.

Strangely enough, I learned more about the way I ought to teach than the school itself. I think the most important part of being an educator is being able to guide the students in the right path and get them enthused about their future. The male that I interviewed mentioned that he did not take A.P. classes because he “can get into college without killing himself from stress”. The other student pointed out the jump start that she would have in college with the extra credits. I feel that if the first student were more aware of the benefits from the A.P. classes, he may have been more likely to put himself through the stress.

Another interesting point of difference came with the favorite teacher question. The male’s favorite teacher was his favorite because she let him do whatever he wanted while the female liked her teacher for the education he laid out in front of her. The male mentioned on an earlier question that school was frustrating because the students are expected to act like adults but are treated like children. Perhaps a way to really go about teaching should be to show that respect for independence and maturity by allowing self decisions but making the class and its’ lessons entertaining so that the students choose to absorb the knowledge rather than ignore it.

The first student mentioned that he was involved with sports in the beginning of high school but did not continue. The second student mentioned that she did sports throughout. I think this goes to show that being involved with extra-curricular subjects can be really helpful to focus on school. They tend to bring out an eagerness to learn that all students should have. As a teacher, I could start a program or two about things that the student body may be interested about—perhaps something that would be considered “non-academic”.

Out of the interview, that was the most important lesson I took. Teachers need to be engaging because some students, like the male I interviewed, don’t realize the value of education the same way that other students do. While it is tempting to put more effort into the high achieving students, it is the low achievers who need our help the most. The most important thing a teacher can do is design lesson plans that are engaging and intellectual all in a bundle.

Q: Do you like YHS?
A1: Well it’s the only high school I’ve been to so yeah sure.

A2: Love it :D

Q: Do you have any complaints about YHS?
A1: More complaints about the education system but there’s not enough time to tell them all

A2: It is a little bit crowded but the teachers there are okay and the activities are fun

Q: Do you take any AP classes? Why or why not?
A1: No because I can get into college without killing myself with stress.

A2: Yes I'm taking AP English so that I will not have to take it in college putting me ahead the other

nursing major students

Q: Are you active in sports?
A1: I was when I was in 9th and 10th grade.
A2: Yes I play basketball for YHS and love it. Also love going to all the other sport events here

Q: Do you feel your teachers really care about you as a person?
A1: Maybe a couple but not really.

A2: Yes all the teachers here do

Q: Do your teachers create a safe learning environment that you can feel comfortable in?
A1: Yeah sure

A2: Some teachers seem to just be there for the job but there are some very great authentic teachers

there that so how much they care and it is great.

Q: Does the community play a role in your education at all?
A1: Not in my education because the community doesn’t really affect me

A2: The community does a lot in government and economics with the community service projects.

Q: Do you have a favorite teacher? What makes him/her so special?
A1: Yes. She lets me do anything I want.

A2: Yes I do, He is just such a great teacher and he just shows how much he cares about the students

and gets to know every student throughout the year. Not just their name, but if they play sports and

everything.

Q: What are your views on homework?
A1: I feel that it is useless because I learn nothing from homework
A2: The homework levels in some classes are over the top but all in all due able.

Q: Do you plan to attend college? If so, where?
A1: Yes. Crafton for 2 years and then Humboldt

A2: Yes I plan on attending California Baptist University, majoring in nursing

Q: Has high school prepared you for college?
A1: Not really because in high school we are treated like helpless children but are expected to be adults

and responsible for ourselves in college.

A2: I believe it has and will find out next year in college if it has.

Teacher interview

Q: Do you like working at YHS?

A: Yes - I enjoy working at YHS very much.

Q: What is it about YHS that you really like?

A: I like that the faculty are all very vested in student success, that they seem to sincerely care about

each other and their students.

Q: How long have you been teaching?

A: I have been teaching 18 years - since 1992.

Q: Have you found your administration helpful when it comes to classroom issues?

A: Generally, yes. However, one of my long-standing concerns is that administration tends to act as an

intermediary between teachers and parents - which I take issue with. Principals should be involved if

the parent and teacher cannot solve an issue together. Our principals tend to deal with parent

concerns rather than first directing the parent to deal with the teacher first. That is how it is supposed

to work: parent contacts teacher and discusses issue - not parent calls principal to complain. That's

disrespectful to the teacher and I do not understand why our administration doesn't simply ask

parents "Have you spoken to the teacher? I would suggest you start there, since s/he is the person

who best knows what is going on with your child." Instead, they field the phone call/complaint and

then contact us. Parents need to understand that they must deal with us rather than go over our head

to administration without even giving us the courtesy of contacting us first. For the most part they do

a decent job dealing with the issue we send to them.

Q: What are your actions for discipline in the classroom

A: Generally, I try to be proactive in dealing with problems by setting a clear expectation from the

beginning that behaviors that are disrespectful or that impede the learning of others won't be

tolerated. Classroom rules are given at the outset and students are made clear on those rules

throughout the year. If a student is misbehaving, I have a few options: I might remove the student

from the room if the behavior is really disruptive and put him/her outside for a set amount of time and

then speak to him/her before allowing him/her to return to class. I might pull the student out for a

quick conversation to find out what the issue at hand is. What I prefer not to do is to get into a

confrontation in front of the class - kids tend to get more defiant when they've got an audience (they

have to "save face" you know) so removing them from the room first generally takes care of any

defiance or pride issues. Other times, a student may be held after class for a discussion. All

discussions are documented so that - should I need to meet with parents/counselor/principal - I have

a paper trail regarding the student's behavior.

Q: Do you notice the community playing a role on the students' education at all? If so, is it negative or

positive?

A: The only thing I can see in terms of the community is the lack of parent involvement - this seen

primarily through Back To School Night. Except for AP classes, these events are largely under-

attended. Where as I'll get 12-15 sets of parents for AP classes, I may get 5-6 for regular classes.

Atrocious. If parents can't spare one night a year to show interest in their kids' education, why should

they care? I will say, however, that in times of crisis (budget cuts, teacher contract disputes) the

community has done a good job supporting its kids and their teachers. I just wish they'd be more

directly involved in their kids' education.

Q: Does the school ever place special needs students in your class because of budget? If so, how do you

accommodate to their needs?
A: Placement of students is a tricky issue. "Special needs" is not a clear term. If you mean "special

education" - yes - they are placed in our classes, but not to my knowledge due to money issues.

Special ed has been moving over the years towards mainstreaming more kids (a mistake in my

opinion), but this isn't due to money (at least as far as I'm aware). What they HAVE done as a result

of money issues is to move ELL (English Language Learner) students of level 3 into our rooms. (The

ELL students are classes from 1-5, 5 being a fluent English speaker.) Three's generally are not put in

mainstream classes because they lack the language skills. So, when threes were put in my class last

year - they failed - largely because they quit attending class (obviously - why would they want to

attend a class they feel overwhelmed by?). In terms of any special ed kids placed in class, we

accommodate them according to their IEP or 504 plan.

Q: How do you incorporate "non-academic" subjects into the classroom?

A: I'm not sure what you mean by "non academic" subjects? I try and pull many things into my class in

order to connect literature to the larger frame of students' lives - I think that good teachers should

always do so in order that kids don't think that knowledge from school occurs in a vacuum: what we

teach is relevant to life.

Q: What do you do to keep your students interested and involved?

A: This relates to the previous question: I show my students that I love what I teach (they won't be

interested if you're not interested in what you teach); I try to communicate that what I teach is

important, that it connects with their lives HERE and NOW. I attempt to show them that my class has

VALUE and that it is time well-spent for them to be present and learning. I want them to feel like they

are walking away from my room with something useful. As well, pacing is important - you must keep

the kids moving along and try to vary your activities as much as possible. Good planning is half of your

classroom management.

Q: What is the most important "lesson" you hope to teach your high school students aside from the

curriculum?

A: I hope to teach my students that learning matters, that they matter, that they are far too valuable to

waste their time and waste their lives. I want them to see that life is good, the learning is good, that

being a thinking, expressive individual is something to be pursued and treasured; I want them to see

that there is so much more to learning and life than they imagined.

Q: Do you ever incorporate technology in the classroom? If yes, how so?

A: A little bit; I tend to shy away from it - technology assists learning, but it also inhibits it to a certain

degree. I want kids to focus on the basics: writing, reading, speaking. And I want them to develop the

depth that I think comes from learning the old fashioned way. I'm sure this will change as time goes

on, but I'm not a huge fan of endless technology - I think the toys tend to obscure the message too

much.

Q: What are your beliefs on homework? Is it helpful or detrimental?

A: I think homework is valuable, but not totally essential. I certainly don't give it that often - I've got too

much to grade already. Studies show that kids retain more if you assign homework. Good. But kids

need to be kids too.

When I interviewed Monty Martin, an A.P. English teacher at Yucaipa High School, I was intrigued by a lot of his perspectives. The first point that he brought to my attention was about the administration. When I asked him whether his administration was supportive of him and his decisions, he mentioned how often times if there is a problem, the parents will go straight to admin instead of talking to him first. In my eyes, this is almost like a “tattle-tale” situation. I do agree with him that it is really important that parents have open communication with the teachers and not jump to a higher authority when there is a conflict.

I had done an essay previously on community involvement and it was very interesting to see that his main complaint was the basis of my paper. He spoke of the lack of parent turn out for Back to School Night which is just one day out of the year. He said that if parents can’t care enough to come to just one night, it doesn’t seem that they really care about their child’s education. In the book, it talked about how this is the view of a lot of teachers but the problem may be that the parents don’t feel welcome or numerous other reasons. A possible solution to his problem could maybe be a personal phone call to each parent reminding them that it is back to school night and he would really appreciate it if they came to meet him. However, this may be unreasonable because working at a high school; he has at least 150 students.

I asked about the integration of special education and ELL students into his classes and he said that it is not uncommon. I was always under the impression that it was a big deal and detrimental to their education but Mr. Martin made it out to be the norm. He did mention that it can have bad outcomes but it doesn’t always have to end bad. I thought this was very interesting.

Another very insightful thought that Mr. Martin shared was the connection he tries to create with all of his lessons to real life. He wants his students to realize that education is valuable and deserves a lot of effort on both the teacher and the student. With this, he is able to keep his students involved and eager to learn.

Reflection #2

Reflection #2 Quira Perez

Group C EDUG 401

2/25/2010

Teaching requires more than just knowledge of particular subjects. In fact, it requires even more than just a teacher. In order to run an effective classroom, it is important to have classroom and procedure support from parents and the surrounding community. With an army of support, the teacher will have the best results for each student in her class because the same ideas and standards will be reinforced in more places than just the classroom. An interesting site that provides insight on how to create such a relationship is http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/columnists/mcdonald/mcdonald004.shtml .

There are numerous reasons why it may not be that easy though. As discussed in the previous blog, the students that comprise a classroom—or in a greater spectrum—the people that comprise a community come from various backgrounds and different cultures. There are so many factors to be taken into consideration when dealing with inactive parents. Many teachers that work in impoverished areas assume that the parents don’t want to be involved because they don’t care about education. This is expressed through “their failure to show up at school events, to return paperwork to the school, or to respond constructively to phone calls eliciting their help with academic or discipline problems.” [Oakes & Lipton, 2007]

In reality, many families that are living in poverty want their children to succeed in education and live a better life. Some factors to consider are the language spoken at home, the traditions or customs of the family, or even any kind of background information that could be preventing a more active role. If there is a will, there is a way to communicate the messages in an appropriate and effective manner. Without parental and community support, a classroom will experience many struggles.

On the opposite spectrum, there are students who have parents that are overly involved. “In some neighborhoods, typically middle class and upper class, nervousness around grades, test scores, and traditional indicators of success…emerge even in the earliest grades and worried parents can make children’s, teachers’ and their own lives difficult.” With all of the pressure and stress to get into good universities, some community members will voice their opinion in ways that aren’t appropriate or effective. Because most of the people who fit this scenario are from the middle or upper class, there is more power implied. The harsh criticism may discourage teachers and ultimately put a damper on the child’s education.

It is the teacher’s job to remain calm and confident while listening to the criticism. In addition, the teacher needs to be able to work with the parents, no matter how stubborn or overly involved, in order to achieve what is in the best interest of the child—that is, a strongly founded and supported education.

Works Cited

Johnson , Lynnette. "Teacher Guide to Better Parent Conferences | parent-teacher.net." Parent Volunteers|Parent Communication|Parent Conferences| Parent Involvement| Books| Resources|School Newsletters. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. .

Lipton, M., & Oakes, J. (2006). Chapter 1. Teaching To Change The World (3 ed., pp. 5,6). New York City: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.

Subject. "Education World Professional Development Center: Emma McDonald: Developing Positive Parent Partnerships." Education World The Educator's Best Friend. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. .

" The Unskilled Marketer “ Kate Hagen's Blog." The Unskilled Marketer “ Kate Hagen's Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. .

"What If She Said No? Cinie's World." Cinie's World. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2010. .

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Reflection #1 Quira Perez

Group C EDUG 401

2/9/2010

America is growing into a more diverse nation than ever before. Our nation encompasses races of all decent, diverse primary languages, households with various economic statuses, a range of sexual orientations, and social lives that are unique to each individual. As a teacher, it’s essential that each pupil is viewed as a student rather than a class. In addition to catering to the different needs and struggle areas, a teacher needs to shy away from stereotypes as a reason for failure. “Understanding the opportunity gap can help teachers combat our cultural tendency to blame students, their families, neighborhoods, or racial and other groups for their lower achievements—and to conclude that there is something fundamentally wrong with those who achieve less.” [Oakes and Lipton, 2006]

In today’s society, immigration is a headline topic on just about every media station. Although there are many races entering, the Latino population is undergoing special speculation. “Since the 1970s Latinos have tripled their representation [in our school districts], and white students’ proportion of the total has fallen by 22 percent.” [Oakes and Lipton, 2007] Part of being a good educator is being able to adapt to the changing circumstances. There are many ESL students being thrown into ordinary classes due to a lack in funding for other arrangements. It’s important that teachers recognize their different educational needs rather than labeling them as a “trouble student” or even worse, a “lost cause”. This link provides the ABCs to helping an ESL student. http://www.champaignschools.org/ESL/la30hr/instructionalstrategies.htm

Another type of student that all teachers must look out for is the impoverished. Students who are living in a home struggling with finances may struggle for a number of reasons. There may be a lack of nutrition causing difficulties to focus or function. Education may not even be valued in the home—at least not anywhere near helping provide for the family. If education isn’t at the top of the student’s priority list, it is important that the teacher moves it to the top of theirs. Without outside intervention, it is more likely that the cycle of poverty will continue.

Oakes and Lipton carefully craft an informative passage on the different types of students that most teachers will come across. Not every teacher is going to have a class full of students with straight A’s, rich parents, and perfect lives. In fact, it is highly unlikely that any teacher will come across such circumstances. The chapters inform prospective teachers of the different lifestyles that people are coming from.

What I took from the readings was that there is still a lot of discrimination—sometimes unintentional, in the classroom. It’s important for teachers to be aware of the diverse nature of any school and the students that encompass it. Preparedness for dealing with students of different backgrounds, no matter how culturally shocking they may be, is really important in the classroom. Lesson plans can be constructed to help students in different ways. Also, different approaches to teaching the same lesson can be helpful when dealing with students from such different backgrounds. The most important thing is that the students feel safe in their learning environment and are able to gain a connection with their teacher that will unlock the gate to a better education and future.

References

Harms, W. (n.d.). Breaking the cycle of poverty. University of Chicago Chronicle: June 11, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2010, from http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/970417/mayer.shtml

How To Stop Being A Victim | GNMParents. (n.d.). GNMParents. Retrieved February 9, 2010, from http://gnmparents.com/how-to-stop-being-a-victim/

Kafer, K. (n.d.). A Head Start for Poor Children?. The Heritage Foundation - Conservative Policy Research and Analysis. Retrieved February 8, 2010, from http://www.heritage.org/Research/education/bg1755.cfm

Lipton, M., & Oakes, J. (2006). Chapter 1. Teaching To Change The World (3 ed., pp. 5,6). New York City: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.

Working Poor - NIE: News - sacbee.com. (n.d.). Guide to The Bee - sacbee.com. Retrieved February 9, 2010, from http://guide.sacbee.com/119/story/738.html

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