Reflection of Practice: Learning Environment

As stated in Internship Program Standard 5, "a teacher fosters and manages a safe and inclusive learning environment that takes into account: physical, emotional and intellectual well-being."  This involves creating an environment of respect and rapport and effectively managing student behavior and classroom procedures.

During my first observation, I was challenged by my field supervisor to ask more of my students and raise my expectations for their participation and musical techniques.  In order to do this, I had to hold them to a new standard of musical practice even when it meant going back to basics or running a certain section of a song until everyone performed it correctly.  Though it was a painful process at first because it took time and effort to maintain these new expectations, I now see a difference in the "buy-in" of my students.  By challenging them to fulfill my expectations and sticking to those expectations, they participate more fully and are even more invested in their learning.The following link provides evidence of how consistency is vital when establishing expectations. Setting the Tone  Clearly, "teacher expectations play a significant role in determining how well and how much students learn" (Wong, 2009, p. 41).

Another benefit of these raised expectations is the close knit team culture of my classes.  My music classes usually have a "family" type environment, but requiring everyone to meet these new standards, has created a new system of classroom management.  The accountability for behavior and learning has shifted from my sole responsibility as the teacher, to peers monitoring and encouraging each other to remain focused and on task.  It is encouraging to see that raising the bar in one area can positively effect the whole culture of the classroom.

Looking forward, I hope to continue raising the bar for my classroom expectations as I strive to become more and more proficient in establishing a safe and inclusive learning environment for my students.

*Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (1998). The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher.

Intro to Teaching Reflection

As stated in Internship Performance Criteria 8.2, teachers grow and develop professionally when they participate in a collaborative educational community where feedback is given by colleagues to improve instruction and advance knowledge of teaching practices and methods.  Through collaborative learning in this course, I gained an understanding of how culturally relevant teaching practices can positively impact students in my classroom.

The purpose of culturally relevant teaching is to enhance learning by connecting academic concepts to students’ cultural knowledge, prior experiences and performance styles (see Figure 1). 

Figure 1

For every human being, previous experiences and cultural contexts determine the lens through which he or she learns.  It is vital that educators validate students’ identities and backgrounds by incorporating curriculum that includes their life experiences in their learning. As students and teachers become more familiar with the cultures represented in their community, they learn to value diversity, self-assess their own biases, and understand dynamics of difference within their school (Cross, 1989).

As I’ve participated in the course over the last eight weeks, one of my students has been on my mind. This particular high school student’s incredible work ethic is admired by all of the teachers at my school and he regularly receives good grades.  However, last year he started falling behind on assignments, often fell asleep in class, and missed several days of school. Eventually I pulled him aside to express my concern and ask what was causing these changes.  He explained that his father, a Mexican immigrant, had broken his ankle and was unable to work.  So he was working two jobs in order to help the family pay their bills, taking care of his father and younger siblings while his mother worked, and desperately trying to stay on top of the ever-mounting pile of homework so he could get good enough grades to go to college.  I was shocked! No wonder he had trouble learning at school. 

If teachers don’t understand the cultural factors and experiences that affect their students’ learning at school, they cannot provide the support and resources these students need to succeed.  This year, I hope to develop better knowledge of my students’ previous cultural experiences, plan curriculum that is relatable to students’ everyday lives, and facilitate discussion that opens students’ eyes to the diverse perspectives present in our classroom (Kozleski, 2010).   By accomplishing these goals, I can provide learning opportunities that help my students develop cultural competence and connect what they know to what they learn.

* Cross, T.L. (1989). Towards A Culturally Competent System of Care. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED330171

* Kozleski, E.B. (2010). Culturally Responsive Teaching Matters!. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED520957

Initial Knowledge of Child & Adolescent Development

During my first few years of teaching, I struggled to understand why my high school students were so apathetic, lazy, and whiny.  I tried everything I could think of to help them snap out of these caprices but rarely did my methods have any effect.

In reflecting on that year, I am able to realize that my expectations of those students were a result of the standard I held for myself as a student.  I always enjoyed school and wanted to learn.  I was an athlete, musician, theater performer and academic overachiever who refused to let lack of sleep hold her back.  So when I compared my own experience to that of my students, I wanted to tell them to "toughen up". Fortunately, as I began to research and better understand human development, I was moved to compassion for my students.

What a plight! There is so much going on inside of these students; hormones raging, brains developing, self-awareness arising, metacognition evolving, and relational awareness advancing. And that's just on the inside!  The outward peer pressure, family dynamics, community expectations, environmental forces, and media coverage greatly affects their ability to learn.  Students are combating these biological, cognitive, emotional, and sociological factors daily in our classrooms. So it is vital that I support them by furthering my understanding of child and adolescent development and the teaching methods that best aid them in their learning.