Position Statement: The Role and Function of Schooling

Bigelow states that “teaching is, in the best sense of the term, a subversive activity” (Bigelow 447).  This means that no matter what stance we hold on the role of teaching, we are going to be “working in some relation to the social order” (Stanley 6) and so it becomes increasingly important to determine how we stand in relation to that social order in order to determine if or how we want to transform it.   The purpose of schooling has changed over the decades and centuries to reflect the values of the current society.  I believe in this current day and age, that it is our duty as teachers to teach for the transformation of the status quo in order to push for a more equal culture.  There is an anonymous quote that claims, “The only thing worse than change simply for the sake of change, is stagnation simply for the sake of comfort.”  I think that as teachers, the moment we begin to feel comfortable with the way things are, is the moment that we should begin to examine the status quo.  This is a concept that we should pass onto our students so that the world can become a better place.

Famous education philosopher Horace Mann envisions schools as a public good that would represent the values and beliefs of the public, and as “an arm of the government that could achieve social change” (Tozer 81).  It is difficult to determine what values and beliefs are represented by the current culture, but if teachers are supposed to represent the values of a democratic culture, which I believe we are, then the ideals I will be attempting to instill in my students are those of respect for diversity, differences, and a pluralism of cultures.   This “respect for diversity” and “all Men are created equal” is often quoted as the theory that guides our American democracy, but the practice of these ideals often falls short.  In reading some of Dewey’s philosophical work he wrote that it “is not whether schools shall or shall not influence the course of future social life, but in what direction they shall do so and how” (Stanley 3).  So in teaching for transformation I am aiming not to change the ideals of our society, but rather to encourage the practice of those we already claim to hold.

I think that in order to begin transforming the status quo as teachers it is first important to examine “the cultural context from which [we] come and … the culture context of the schools in which [we] are teaching” (Yeo 1).  In determining our curriculum we need to first determine what the status quo is where we are, or determining exactly whom we are teaching.  There may be some aspects that we will need to focus on more than others.  If, for example, I were teaching in an affluent, suburban, mostly white school district, then it may first be necessary to introduce my students to the kinds of problem that face under-privileged families and people of other races.  When teaching in an urban school that has a highly diverse population, less time would need to spent on this introductory aspect because those students are likely already facing a lot of social inequities in their day-to-day lives, and won’t need extra instruction on what kinds of discriminatory practices are prevalent.  This falls under Domain A, where teachers are given the responsibility of getting to know their students and their backgrounds in order to make content relevant and meaningful to them.

Once the students have become aware of social injustices, whether they started aware of them, or needed some additional instruction in order to know more, the next step is “for teachers to design lessons that not only deepen their students’ understanding of social problems, but also help them envision solutions to these problems (and how they can be a part of the solutions)” (Seider 55).  So what we’re teaching students is a respect for diversity and encouraging students to find ways to become part of the solution to intolerances, rather than part of the problem.

When teaching diversity there is a huge umbrella from which to draw from.  Respecting diversity means, among many other things, respecting differing races, religions, sexual orientations, genders, ethnicities, cultures, socio-economic statuses, and disabilities.  In the English classroom I believe this goal is best achieved by reading a variety of texts from various cultures, societies, and backgrounds.  By examining these texts, and the language used in them, students can begin to understand and respect the diversity present in America, and begin to think about the choices they will have to make, as they become voting citizens in this democracy.  Dewey believed that schools should focus on providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become active and productive members of society, enabling them “to take part in the great work of construction and organization that will have to be done, and to equip them with the attitudes and habits of action that will make their understanding and insight practically effective” (Stanley 3).  This statement also means that teachers don’t necessarily have to focus on a specific outcome to their teaching about social justice, but rather to give students the skills they need to reflect on experiences and be able to push for change.

The first step in how I would go about teaching respect for diversity is making sure that diversity is respected in my classroom.  This means not allowing discriminatory language to occur, and encouraging students to bring their own diverse experiences to the table so they can have a meaningful place in the classroom and in discussion.

One way to begin teaching students about diversity is read texts that address diversity across the year.  For example, in teaching students to respect LGBT, the first step is to position those texts as normative in the classroom.  “When LGBT-themed literature is read and discussed on a single day or even a single unit of the school year, such literature is positioned as nonnormative” (Clark & Blackburn 28).  The way to go about fixing this nonnormative positioning of LGBT, or any other minority genre of text, is to read examples of texts across the year in a variety of units and contexts.  There are many different lenses through which texts can be read, and by teaching our students to examine literature through many different lenses we are helping them to be more critical of their views on normativity, and then can begin helping them find ways to combat prejudice.

Another way that I plan on helping my students to understand and respect diversity is to have them engage in critical literacy when we read texts in the classroom.  The aspect of critical literacy that I favor, and that I think has the most creative potential is “paying attention to and seeking out the voices of those who have been silenced or marginalized” (Lewison 383).  This aspect allows students to first take a text and examine what voices are not present in the text, but then also exercise their creativity by re-writing a portion of the text from the point of view of the characters whose voices have been silenced, and analyze how the story or meaning would change.  I like this aspect because it incorporates both reading and writing, and allows for critical reflection and analysis of a text.

One of the most important roles of schooling in today’s society is to teach for the transformation of the status quo in order to push for a more equal culture.  Because the ideals that the American people claim to hold dear are “respect for diversity” and “all Men are created equal” I aim to teach for a transformation of our culture that more closely matches these ideals that we already claim.  Dewey believed, and so do I, that the job of teachers is to prepare students for the future, and give them the skills necessary to succeed, and if this means giving them the skills necessary to change the culture so that they can succeed in it, then so be it. The students are the ones who must make the choices that will lead them on the path to success.  I hope that my emphasis on democratic ideals, such as respect for all people, in the texts that we read and the critical analysis that we do with those texts, will guide my students to be active members of society who push for change and equality.

Works Cited

Bigelow, Bill. “Inside the Classroom: Social Vision and Critical Pedagogy.” Teachers College Record. 91.3 (1990): 437-48.

Clark, Caroline, and Molly Blackburn. “Reading LGBT-Themed Literature with Young People: What’s Possible?” English Journal. 98.4 (2009): 25-32.

Lewison, M., A. Seely Flint, and K. Van Sluys. “Taking on Critical Literacy: The Journey of Newcomers and Novices.” Language Arts. 79.5 (2002): 382-92.

Seider, Scott. “Social Justice in the Suburbs.” Educational Leadership. (2009): 54-8.

Stanley. “Social Studies and the Social Order: Transmission or Transformation? (Research & Practice).” Social Education. 69.5 (2005): 282-5.

Tozer, Steven E., Paul C. Violas, and Guy Senese. School and Society: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2009

Yeo, Fred. “The Barriers of Diversity: Multicultural Education and Rural Schools.” Multicultural Education. 7.1 (1999): 2-7.

Final Paper: My Philosophy of Education

While considering what my philosophy of education is, I found it useful to refer to the first chapter where it outlines that, “at the very least, a coherent philosophy of education is explicit about educational goals, methods for attaining those goals, and the justifications for both” (16).  I will be addressing each of these points throughout the paper in my exploration of my own philosophy of education.  In addition, relating to Jefferson’s ideals, I will be addressing how my philosophy of education reflects how I can prepare my students “for the three major dimensions of life: as individual persons, as citizens in a democracy, and as participants in economic life who must earn a living” (47).

Horace Mann envisions schools as a public good that would represent the values and beliefs of the public, and as “an arm of the government that could achieve social change” (81).  It is difficult to determine what values and beliefs are represented, but if teachers are supposed to represent the values of a democratic culture, which I believe we are, then the ideals I will be attempting to instill in my students are those of respect for diversity, differences, and a pluralism of cultures.   This means, among many other things, respecting differing races, religions, sexual orientations, genders, ethnicities, cultures, socio-economic statuses, and disabilities.  In the English classroom I believe this goal is best achieved by reading a variety of texts from various cultures, societies, and backgrounds.  By examining these texts, and the language used in them, students can begin to understand and respect the diversity present in America, and begin to think about the choices they will have to make, as they become voting citizens in this democracy.

I want to teach my students to become lifelong learners, because with how fast technology and science is advancing today, it will be important for them to be able to remain current with the times, a task that can only be achieved if they continue their education after their schooling years.  Dewey summarized this democratic ideal as “the all-around growth of every member of society” (224).  Only by becoming a lifelong learner can one hope to continue to have a positive effect of society.

I also intend on educating my students in a way that will allow them to have the greatest number of choices in their future career and life.  Every student has the potential to go to college and excel in whatever they put their mind to, so it is my job to give them the skills they need to succeed, but it is the student’s job to choose how to use the skills they have and what direction they choose go in.  While Conant felt that “less-able” students should take a vocational track to prepare them for their inevitable entrance into the laboring, working world, I am of the mind that a teacher should “equip each young person with the knowledge and kills to choose the best post-secondary step for himself or herself, and to have the preparation necessary to succeed at that choice” (223).  While standardized testing is a reality that teachers and students must deal with at this point in time, it is only a small, if realistically important, part of a child’s education.  Teaching to the test is a trap that too many teachers fall into when they become overwhelmed with what seems to be an overfull curriculum and a hugely diverse student population.  But, as Lemann critiques, “The purpose of schools should be to expand opportunity, not to determine results” (223).  So I plan to communicate to my students the importance of passing the standardized test, because as things stand, the tests determine the number of opportunities a student is presented with.

The system of testing that has been become an integral part of American education has led to some strict accountability measures for teachers, that can distract from other goals that teachers may have in their curriculum.  I think colleagues should work together to attain these common school goals, because there is no way that one person can know all there is to know about teaching.  This is only true within a subject matter, but also across the curricula.  As an English teacher, I can benefit from learning ways to integrate math, science, history, art, music, and foreign language into my curriculum in order to help my students make more connection between the material they’re learning, and as such, help them retain it better, and do better on the standardized tests.

The student comes first in my philosophy, because they have unlimited potential, and it is a good education, laden with critical thinking skills and authentic learning experiences, which will unlock this potential.  Students learn best through activities that address their interests, and not all students are interested in the same things, or in the same way.  This means that it is important to differentiate the curriculum in order to appeal to the greatest number of students, and to help the students understand why they are learning a particular skill, and how it may apply to their goals or interests.  This can become especially important for students who don’t come from or align themselves with the dominant culture and society.  They have just as much potential to succeed, but often have very different ways of learning that need to be met.  This means that treating students equally is not necessarily the answer, but rather treating each student as an individual in an attempt to take into account and “respond to difference among students that have consequences for learning” (404).

The best way to appropriately respond to the needs of various students, especially in a secondary classroom, is to have an open communication with them.  I will be asking all of my students at the beginning of the year what their interests are, and how they learn best, and will work their responses into my planning, as well as taking time throughout the year to reevaluate and see if any of those things have changed.  It is also important remember that if a student is not succeeding in my classroom, then it is time to examine what the possible factors in the situation are, and how I can go about improving the student’s chances for success.  The Cultural Difference Theory addresses the fact that all minority cultures have a culture that is different from that of the dominant school culture, and that this mismatch can lead to difficulties for a minority student.  This is a prompting for teachers to work together to determine how to best support these students, and to welcome their insights into the classroom.  When reading multi-cultural literature in an English classroom, the students from different backgrounds can bring a more in-depth understanding to the text.  However, it will be important to emphasize that the minority students aren’t representatives of their entire culture, just as the White, dominant culture students, aren’t representatives of theirs.

My philosophy of education focuses on the students, and their ability to enact social change using the skills that I will help to provide them with.  They are all individual people, who can succeed in whatever path they choose, and it is my job to prepare them for the future, but they will ultimately be the ones to make the choices that lead them on their path.  I hope that my emphasis on democratic ideals, such as respect for all people, in the texts that we read and the critical analysis that we do with those texts, will guide my students to be active members of society who push for change and equality.

Connecting to Students: Teacher Checklist

Original here

I SHOW RESPECT TO STUDENTS BY:

• Greeting them cordially each day
• Responding to them in a professional manner
• Treating them like young adults

I LEARN ABOUT THE HOMELIFE OF STUDENTS BY

• Creating lessons that would stimulate discussion about family life
• Talking to Students
• Taking time to meet with them individually if necessary
• Caring not only for the student at school, but being interested in their life as a whole

I RESPOND TO STUDENTS PROBLEMS BY

• Giving positive feedback
• Strategizing ways for the students to help themselves
• Offering my own advice and knowledge
• Open door policy(when available students are able to walk in before and after school to talk to teacher about grades, family issues, life in general)

I LEARN ABOUT THE CULTURE OR ETHNIC GROUPS OF STUDENTS BY

• Providing classroom activities that give opportunity for different or diverse perspectives
• Making an effort to plan trips that will broaden the students’ perspectives and expose them to different cultures and ethnic groups

I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES OF STUDENTS BY

• Creating lesson plans that include the native language of students in my classroom

I PREPARE STUDENTS FOR HIGH EXPECTATIONS BY

• Teaching them critical thinking skills
• Teaching life skills and preparing for the workplace (Building a resume, writing, interview prep, networking etc.)
• Setting a standard of failure not being an option in my classroom

I INCLUDE MULTICULTURAL MATERIAL IN MY DAILY CURRICULUM BY

• Including a number of class projects dealing with global issues

Domain A Exhibits: Examples of Organizing Content Knowledge for Student Learning

In my Class profile of Writers I examined aspects of my focus class in order to gauge what their interests were so that I would be able to make any content I taught relevant to them.  In line with criterion A₁ I was able to learn about the students’ prior knowledge so that I could then make the content of my lessons fit with what they were already familiar with.

Answering the question of “Why do we need to learn/do this?” is something that and understanding of criterion A₂ seeks to answer.   In my Multi-Day Teach Autumn quarter I helped students to understand the relevancy of learning to provide good description by comparing my own desire to read with their desire to read.  I asked the class if they liked to read really boring pieces of literature, and they predictably chorused “No.”  I was then able to relate to them by reminding them that Mrs. Cornelius and I have to read their papers, and we like reading boring work just as much as they do.  I also pointed out to the class that if they have trouble meeting word counts that teachers require, then the ability to write descriptive phrases and provide extended specific examples would help them to meet that goal.

Demonstrating criterion A₃ I used the knowledge of their prior knowledge to help them make connection between what they already knew, what I was teaching them, and what they were going to be learning in the future.  One of the ways I gathered information for my Class Profile of Writers was by obtaining a writing sample.  With these samples of student work I was able to assess what knowledge students already had and determine what specific areas they still needed work on.  When I was developing my lesson plan for my Multi-Day Teach Autumn quarter, I was aware of my students’ prior knowledge, and was able to tap into what they already knew about writing and help them to improve their craft.

One of the most difficult things for a teacher in this day and age can be finding materials that are both appropriate and relevant to students, as criterion A₄ suggests.  It can be hard to find materials that students will be able to relate to, but that retain some way to connect to academic content.  In my Multi-Day Teach Autumn quarter my lesson focused on tone words, and how they can be used to create parody.  At the time of my lesson, the unit that class was working in had a focus on gender roles.  So, in my search for a relevant text for the students to show them an example of parody that addressed and critiqued gender roles, I found a short movie remix of Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Twilight is part of pop culture, and from listening to my students’ casual conversations I knew that they had some familiarity with it, even if they didn’t like the book or film.  The result was that they were able to make connections to and be excited about the movie remix, “Buffy vs. Edward,” and I was able to guide them toward thinking more deeply about a subject that many of them felt they already possessed some expert knowledge on and therefore had an authority to contribute.

After teaching my students how tone words could be used to enhance their writing and create an effective parody I instructed them to write a parody of there own, evaluating them in a way that was explicitly aligned with the goals of the lesson as criterion A₅ requires.  I allowed the students to choose the base text for their parody, encouraging them to use a text we read in class that I provided a modal parody for, or to choose there own base text, such as a song or poem, that appealed to them personally.  This method made the assessment more authentic for the students because it allowed them to take more ownership of their writing by writing about a topic, or in a genre, that they cared about.

Domain A Artifact: Organizing Content Knowledge for Student Learning

In order for students to learn and understand the content knowledge that teachers are trying to impart, it is imperative that the teacher arranges and organizes the material so that it will be relevant to the student.  The primary goal here is to make the content relevant and interesting to the students first so that they’ll become engaged in the lesson, and then the teacher can bring the lesson back around to technical terminology and the source text to supplement the content.

Criterion A₁ : Becoming familiar with relevant aspects of students’ background knowledge and experience.

Becoming familiar with students’ background knowledge and experience is important because it allows the teacher to tailor her instruction to the fit with what the students are already familiar with.  By knowing what students are already familiar with, the teacher can tap into the students’ prior knowledge and make connections to knowledge they already have in order to help the students’ process and learn new concepts and ideas.

Criterion A₂: Articulating clear learning goals for the lesson that are appropriate to the students.

One of the questions that is heard with great frequency, and often frustration on the teacher’s part, is “When am I ever going to need to know this?”  One way to counter this question is to have clear learning goals that are communicated to the students.  If the teacher has a clear idea of what she is teaching her students and why, then she can communicate that reasoning to her students and being to deflect this difficult question.  If the learning goals can be communicated with clarity and they bear some relevance to the students, then the students are more likely to be interested in the content and willing to engage in the lesson.

Criterion A₃: Demonstrating an understanding of the connections between the content that was learned previously, the current content, and the content that remains to learned in the future.

By making connections to students’ prior knowledge the teacher can enhance learning of the content for the current lesson.  When a teacher works within the zone of proximal development she can drawn on knowledge that the student crialready has, link it to the content of the current lesson, and then give a projection and clues as to how the knowledge learned in the current lesson will apply to future lessons and help students as they move forward in their growth as intellectuals.

Criterion A₄: Creating or selecting teaching materials, learning activities, and instructional materials or other resources that are appropriate to the students that are aligned with the goals of the lesson.

When determining whether or not materials and activities are appropriate to the students and aligned with the lesson there are a few things the teacher must take into account.  First, the teacher must determine if the materials she chooses will appeal to the students interests in order for them to engage with and form a greater understanding of the content.  Second, the teacher must determine what is age-appropriate for her students in part by knowing her students background.  Third, the teacher must determine if the materials she has chosen are the best choice to help convey the content of the lesson.  And finally, the teacher would be wise to have alternative materials and activities arranged for students for whom the materials and activities she has chosen are not appropriate.

Criterion A₅: Creating or selecting evaluation strategies that are appropriate for the students and that are aligned with the goals of the lesson.

The main goal is choose evaluation strategies that are authentic.  The authenticity of the evaluation will help students apply the concepts of the lesson in a manner that will engage all of the knowledge they’ve acquired.  In addition to having authentic assessments, it is important that the students are being evaluated on concepts that directly relate to the learning goals of the lesson.  Meaning, if the concept wasn’t covered explicitly in the lesson, then the teacher should not be asking her students to complete a task on the concept.  Student should not be doing anything wholly new when they are being evaluated.

 

3rd Reaction Paper: Session 11/11 – Chapter 10

This chapter focused a lot on teaching as a profession, and whether or not it is one.  What interested me the most was the exploration into what qualifies teaching as a profession and who decides what should be taught.  The text states “The authority for what should be taught in schools must ultimately lie with the public as well as with professional teachers and administrators.  Consequently, teachers must ultimately learn how to balance a great number of competing perspectives while focusing on the best interests of each child in every classroom” (323).  This concept of stakeholders is something that the English cohort has discussed in some of our other class meetings.

Being a pre-service teacher in a teacher preparation program, it is very frustrating to consider that while I am receiving the education and qualifications for teaching, other people who have not been educated in this way are given as much, if not more, weight to their input on what should be taught in schools.  I firmly believe that as a trained and ‘highly qualified’ teacher, my opinion for what should be taught in my classroom should trump whatever opinion is presented by less qualified members of the community.  I was given hope, however, in reading the primary source text, when the author cited a conversation with an older teacher where she asked “Who has the authority to decide what I teach?” and he answered “You do” (333).  This is a comforting reminder, that yes, as teachers we must consider what will be supported by the community, but ultimately it is our decision what we teach in our classroom and how we decide to teach it.

The beginning of the chapter gives some strategies that teachers can use to lend some weight to their authority in the classroom.  It refers to these strategies as “The Authority of Rules”, “The Authority of the Expert”, and “The Authority of Community” (303-4).  Basically these three authorities give teachers a lens through which they can defend what they are doing in the classroom.  The other aspect of defense that can be used, which is only briefly touched on in this chapter, is the use of standards.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned through writing the extensive lesson plans that are required of us, it’s that by identifying the state standards that the lesson addresses, you can almost always defend your choice of teaching materials and methods.  This idea was touched on in the primary source reading when the text states “Before you start teaching a unit that you think may be controversial, inform the parents and principle about what you’ll be teaching and explain how it fits into the school’s curriculum and standards” (333).  When you can cite specific reasons, such as standards, you provide a rationale for your methods and a lot less room for argument.

I think it can be difficult to teach social justice issues and from a social justice perspective in the classroom because of a perceived fear of what teachers are “allowed” to teach.  This chapter provides some excellent resources, and rationale to help guide teachers in defending their choices.  Because much of this quarter in our program has been focusing on teaching social justice, but has not addressed the fears and difficulties associated with doing so, this chapter I think was especially helpful to read because of the resources and rationale that it provides.  I have had a hard time finding what we’ve been learning to be useful because not only was I not sure how to apply it in the classroom, but I was worried about bringing up controversial issues in the classroom.  This chapter has been a huge help in focusing the barrage of ideas that we’re getting from all our other classes this quarter.

2nd Reaction Paper: Session 10/28 – Chapter 11

This chapter focused a lot on reform and how the goals for school have changed and how reforms have sought to keep up with changing goals of the nation and the workforce.  One of the questions brought up at the end of the chapter is “in the face of one reform movement after another, what is a teacher to do?” (364)  Because the philosophies regarding what is best for education keep changing and are being implemented by teachers who haven’t necessarily had a hand in creating them, the best thing a successful teacher can do is have her own educational philosophy to guide her in teaching her students.  In this regard, teachers need to determine why they are educating students. The chapter suggests a few reasons such as educating for the workforce and educating for the sake of knowledge.

I think it would very possible to combine the two above reasons, especially in an English Language Arts classroom.  The chapter presents the findings from a series of studies conducted from 1986-1988 that investigated what employers look for when they are hiring.  “The five major studies conducted during this period unanimously recommend reading and comprehension skills, written and oral communication skills, thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills, and computational skills” (342).  As the chapter point out, these are the skills most often taught in an academically oriented classroom, rather than in a technical training program that can be found in vocational education.

The first three recommendations are things that are directly required in the Ohio Standards of Education for high schoolers.  As such, as a future English teacher, I will be best serving the needs of my students by focusing on reading and writing.  Through this reading and writing I can help my students to develop critical thinking skills that will allow them to problem solve and defend their position.  Whether I am preparing students for the workforce or for college, these are skills that will help them regardless.

In the Secondary English Education field, I have the benefit of the standards being quite broad, leaving me plenty of options to determine how to best engage my students to help them achieve these goals the state has set for them.  The general nature of the standards allows me to gage the interests of my students and select materials that will, as Aristotle says, appeal to their appetites while making sure those interests are “intended for the benefit of their minds” (348).

The guiding philosophy that I seem to adopting in this sense is what Aristotle calls education for the “whole of human excellence” (348).  Teachers should be preparing students for the betterment of their minds, but also for the real world.  Students should have the benefit of learning to their highest possible level.  The idea is that everyone improves.  The ultimate goal for each student is not a concrete static goal, rather it is the desire to grow.

AYP scores tend to throw a kink in this philosophy, but I think it is more important for the students to emphasize improvement over passing test scores.  If a student can feel confident that they have gotten better than they were before, they’re more likely to stay interested and motivated.  The improvement philosophy also helps students on each end of the spectrum stay involved.  They don’t get marginalized while teachers focus on those few middle-ground students.  With this philosophy, teachers focus on the education and betterment of all their students in order to benefit them on their journey into the workforce or into college.

Reading Response 2: Concept Clarifier and Vocabulary Enricher

Critical Literacy: doesn’t seem to have a set definition, but Lewison et. al. have narrowed it down to four categories: disrupting the commonplace, interrogating multiple viewpoints, focusing on sociopolitical issues, ad taking action and promoting social justice.  These four categories can be used a lens with which we can focus on the readings.

—Disrupting the Commonplace: seeing everyday through a new lens.  In other words, trying to see each experience from a different angle.

—Interrogating Multiple Viewpoints: seeing experiences from the viewpoint of another, and being able to consider that viewpoint and our own at the same time.

—Focusing on Sociopolitical Issues: seeing how sociopolitical systems, power relationship, and language are all intertwined and that we cannot distance those aspects of the world form our teaching.

—Taking Action and Promoting Social Justice: in order to take informed action against oppression or in order to promote social justice, one must consider the insights gained from examining the previous three dimensions.

Dialogical Education: making connections to students by inviting them to share aspects of their own lives in order to analyze and critique society at large.

Collective Text: a group portrait of all the viewpoints of the class that emerge from the sharing of work.

Students can create knowledge, not simply absorb it: this concept focuses toward an environmental viewpoint of education.  It emphasizes that students need to be involved in making meaning of their learning, and not simply wait for and rely on the “correct” answer that is given by a teacher.

All teachers are political agents: this is true in the fact that we will never be able to distance our selves and our teaching entirely from our beliefs, because they will emerge in our practice of teaching.  We help to shape our students views and understanding of society at large.

Students cannot do everything: the goal is of course to allow students to take the lead in every aspect of the classroom, but this is idealistic and cannot realistically be met.  Therefore, it’s important to temper students’ independence with adult supervision and judgment as the case may warrant.

Students should be given the trust of the teacher: when making decisions it is important to the teacher to first know her class, and second, to trust them to make the right decisions.  Don’t’ get so wrapped up in your own authority that you forget to let the students have their voice.

State Standards don’t take student interest into account: students who are interested and motivated to do something, have a stake in their learning, and can make connections between the content and their lives.  This allows the students to grasp at a deeper understanding than they would otherwise, and move beyond what is expected of them, and show that they have competency outside of a standardized test.

Teacher isn’t the sole source of information: students often realize and know that they know more about technology than their teacher does.  It’s important for them to feel as though they have some level of expertise, and for the teacher to accept that she is not all knowing, and help her students to find other resources that address their questions.

Exhibits for Domain B

Domain B Exhibits: Examples of Creating an Environment for Student Learning

My classroom management plan includes lots of examples of procedures I will be following in order to create a positive environment for student learning.  To begin with, in my classroom management plan I have included a problem solving form.  One way to be confident that students feel they are being treated fairly is to take their input into account when coming up with consequences.  On this form is a space for the student write down what he believes he can do to help him to follow a rule, as well as a space for him to make suggestions for what I, as the teacher, as well as the other students can do to help him to better follow the rule in the future.  I believe this method of discipline promotes fairness, addressing criterion B­­₁.

I also address in my classroom management plan how I will be keeping track of both good and bad behaviors.  This, in conjunction with the aforementioned problem solving form, will allow me to determine punishments that are consistent with the misbehaviors while ensuring that they will be effective to stop the misbehaviors, meeting criterion B₄.

Another way for students to feel as though they are being treated fairly it’s important to establish a rapport with them.  I will be establishing rapport with my student by journaling at the start of every class.  At the beginning of the year I will be giving the students prompts focusing around themselves, and not only do I expect them to write, I plan on responding to prompts myself as well those first few weeks, and sharing my responses with the class.  This way not only will I be getting to know my students, but they will also be getting to know me.  As the year progresses the journals will change in function, offering students a place to write about what is important to them, and also as a place for them to organize their thoughts before a class discussion.  I will continue to learn about my students as the year goes on through these journals.  By continually learning about my students and developing a rapport with them, I will be meeting criterion B₂.

Another thing I discuss in my classroom management plan is how to address cultural diversity by being sure to keep lines of communication open.  I will be starting off the year by sending a letter home to the parents/guardians of my students, which will encourage them to not hesitate in contacting me if they have concerns about my class or their student.  In addition to contacting parents I will be getting to know my students through journaling.  In building a rapport with my students I hope they will feel safe coming to me if they have a concern regarding the class.  This approach works for all sorts of situations.  If an open dialogue is maintained, and students are able to express themselves, then I will be more likely to understand them and be better able to assess their needs and concerns.  I will be able to communicate expectations to each student that will challenge him based on his ability and needs, addressing criterion B₃.

The first rule I discuss in my classroom management plan is “Be respectful to other people and their belongings.”  It will be the number one rule in my classroom because without respect the classroom cannot function in a way that is beneficial to the students or to me.  This rule covers aspects of respect such as remaining seated, listening attentively, and not interrupting while others are speaking, as well as more blatant aspects of disrespect, such as physical and verbal abuse or fighting.  This rule will be the number one way for me to meet criterion B₅ and make my classroom safe for my students so they have a positive environment that is conducive to learning.

Narrative on Domain B – Revised

Domain B: Creating an Environment for Student Learning

There are a variety of important qualities that must be present in a classroom in order for it to be an effective place for students to learn.  If students do not feel safe and comfortable in the physical environment in which they are learning, then they will have a difficult time comprehending the material that you are trying to explain to them.  In order to create this positive environment for students it is important to be as open with communication as possible in order to develop rapport with students so that they feel as though the teacher is being both consistent and fair.

Criterion B₁ : Creating a Climate That Promotes Fairness

First it is important to clarify what is meant by fairness.  If students are to feel as though they should be respectful of the teacher and the classroom, they need to feel as though they are being treated fairly.  This does not necessarily mean that the same consequence will be applied without further thought to each student in a situation, but it does mean that the consequence will fit the situation and the student(s) within the context of the situation.  Students should not have unnecessary consequences for actions that are a one-time offense, nor should a student continue to receive the same consequence for an action committed multiple times, if that consequence clearly isn’t having an effect.

Criterion B₂: Establishing and Maintaining Rapport with Students

First it is important to clarify what is meant by rapport.  Rapport is about building a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding.  An important aspect of building rapport with students is letting the students feel as though they can get to know the teacher.  If they feel they know about the teacher as a person, then they will be more likely to feel as though the teacher will understand them on a personal level, and will be more willing to approach her about problems and difficulties that they are experiencing.  It is also very important for the teacher to show the students that she trusts them.  This will, to some extent, keep them from feeling that they need to act out to get attention because the teacher is giving them positive attention by openly displaying trust in them.

Criterion B₃: Communicating Challenging Learning Expectations to Each Student

First it is important to clarify what challenging learning expectations means.  No two students are likely to have exactly the same expectations because what is challenging for one student may not be challenging for another.  In order for all of our students to achieve the highest level of success possible they need to have their needs individualized to some extent.  A teacher needs to be aware that her students are all different, and be willing to adjust her lesson planning accordingly.

Criterion B₄: Establishing and Maintaining Consistent Standards of Classroom Behavior

First it is important to clarify what is meant by consistent.  A consequence must be consistent and reasonable for the situation at hand, but not necessarily consistent from student to student.   This criterion ties in very closely with B₁, as it regards fairness, and consistency is often an aspect of what children and adolescents perceive as fairness.  It is very important in this sense then that the consequence fits the crime, or that previous actions help to build up credit.

Criterion B₅: Making the Physical Environment as Safe and as Conducive as Possible

First it is important to clarify what is meant by safe.  It is important to differentiation between safe and comfortable.  Students who feel safe are more likely to express their opinions in a class discussion, whereas students who are comfortable may not feel the need to consider an opinion other than their own.  It is important for students to feel safe by maintaining a blanket rule regarding respect.  Respect for every person in the classroom will allow for an atmosphere conducive to tackling difficult questions that require critical thinking and analysis.  This respect can be ensured by the teacher being willing to deviate from her lesson plan if a situation regarding respect or intolerance comes up.  School is a place of indoctrination for students, and it can be a place where they can learn to be accepting of all viewpoints if the teacher is willing to address these issues in her classroom.