The document is a statement of informed beliefs written by Mark Boatman for a class on families, communities, and culture. It outlines Boatman's teaching philosophy in 5 sections: all students can learn, teacher expectations, student social ecology theory, cultural diversity instruction, and curriculum for all learners. Boatman believes that effective teachers can teach to all ability levels, hold high expectations for students, understand influences on student development, promote cultural pluralism, and use various teaching methods to engage students. The goal is to encourage active learning and critical thinking to benefit all students.

1. SIB 1
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
Statement of Informed Beliefs Essay
Mark Boatman
Prof. Kae Hamilton
EDUC 204 Families, Communities, & Culture
TR, 10:00-11:15, Fall 2011

2. SIB 2
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
Introduction
A pivotal question in the pursuit of a career in teaching is, ‘why do you want to
teach?’ There are many reasons why I want to teach, but explaining previous personal
experiences in my life is a vital component. My background as a student and son to two
parents within the education system, gives me a somewhat unique view into the teaching
profession. It sound cliché, but is important to me to have a profession that can have
tangible positive influences on the community as a whole, or even one child. There is no
better way to benefit society than to teach, and I view teaching as more of a “vocation” than
a “job”. The various intrinsic rewards associated with the teaching profession are very
important. Camaraderie with fellow teachers, seeing students learn and develop, and a
love of working with kids, are all quite valuable to me. The main reason why I want to
teach is to be a positive influence in the lives of others, and an innate sense of generativity,
in which I can help guide the next generation of leaders. In this essay I will outline my
beliefs on what contributes to effective teaching, including techniques, methods, and
applied theories. These components will be examined in the following five sections: all
students can learn, teacher’s expectation, student’s social ecology theory, cultural diversity
instruction, and curriculum for all learners.
All Students Can Learn
I recognize that one component of the classroom, which is common to most
classrooms, is the presence of a diversity of abilities, both cognitively and socially.
Although I believe all children are capable of learning, the main struggle of teaching is
being able to teach to all levels of students. An effective teacher can tailor instruction so

3. SIB 3
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
the talented students who comprehended the subject matter are engaged, while enhancing
proficiency of the students who need more guidance. This is an aspect of teaching that is
very important, so every student has the opportunity and the drive to learn and become
knowledgeable. Each student has their own unique set of strengths, weaknesses, and
cognitive abilities, and through recognition of this fact, it is important to provide an array
of instruction, presenting subjects in a variety of ways.
An effective teacher understands that each student has a combination of unique
abilities, as it relates to learning. Psychologist Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple
intelligences focuses on eight distinct learning capacities to understand how individual
students learn what they are taught, and as theteacher, how to tailor instruction based
upon those intellectual strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. Multiple intelligence
theory provides a framework for enhanced classroom instruction, through adapting
lessons to ensure the student’s intellectual needs are fulfilled. Assessing student’s learning
styles and developing individual learning profiles, promotes achievement motivation and
empowers all students to succeed (Berns, 2007).
Teacher’s Expectations
Teachers wear many hats, and students often need them to be more than an
instructor, but often times a counselor, a cheerleader, or a role model; and often times the
teacher becomes the student. Although I may pursue teaching a particular subject, and my
knowledge of that subject may be great, teaching forces you to be a lifelong learner.
Students often ask intriguing questions and may present their own insights, which will
cause me to have to dig deeper and expand my knowledge.

4. SIB 4
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
One of my goals is to provide a classroom environment where students feel
comfortable and confident when approaching a task. I believe “setting the bar high” and
assisting students to meet class expectations is a very important aspect to effective
teaching. I want to promote a sense of self-efficacy in every student, where they have
confidence they can achieve a positive outcome in any endeavor they pursue. I would try to
accomplish this by giving encouragement and positive feedback when needed, setting high
standards for students, and evaluating and rewarding progress. This approach of learning
by doing, and trial-and-error, leads to discovering new ways to tackle problems. Students
react to attitudes about what the teacher expects from them. I believe if I am effective in
my teaching abilities, then all students can succeed, which in turn boosts student
achievement. Basically, the level of high expectations I hold should encourage high levels of
achievement from every student.
Theoretical knowledge often aids in effective teaching. In educational psychology,
Lev Vygotsky coined the term,zone of proximal development referring to a range of
tasks a child cannot yet accomplish on their own, but can when assisted by a more skilled
partner (Berns, 2007). During a lesson if a student is in the zone of proximal development,
they are almost able to solve a particular problem, they just need some additional help,
cues, or encouragement in remembering certain steps. This is referred to as scaffolding.
As a teacher, armed with this theoretical knowledge, you are able to assess what students
might need additional help or attention, and begin to remedy the problem through
collaborative efforts, peer groups, scaffolding, etc. This can also aid the teacher in
examining whether maybe the problem is the lessons are too intricate and difficult, or will

5. SIB 5
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
the students be able to grasp the content with further assistance. Zone of proximal
development pushes the boundaries of a students’ actual level of development towards a
potential level that could be achieved when provided with educational support.
Student’s Social Ecology
The socialization process is all about educating the young, so they can be
functioning, well-rounded members of society. Theorist Urie Bronfenbrenner’s
Bioecological Model provides a way to explain human development by looking at the
various factors, both internal and external that affects or influences one’s development.
More specifically, the interactions among various environmental factors and the affect
those have on a child’s development throughout time. The model is broken down into four
basic components: microsystems (relationships with significant others in a small setting,
such as family, peers, community, etc.), mesosystems (linkages between microsystems,
such as the family and peer group), exosystems (outside influences that affect a
microsystem, such as a parent’s work), and macrosystems (society/subculture to which
you belong, such as political ideology, ethnicity, religious beliefs, etc.). Microsystem
influences such as family, peers, and community, have profound effects on the
development of a child, and school is a pivotal cog on the chronosystem of development
(Berns, 2007). These factors that influence student learning and how the student perceives
things and interactions can include: maturation, attentiveness, past experiences,
temperament, and emotional development. Teachers also have individual perceptions
based on similar factors. The important thing is to reflect on those individual perceptions,
strengths, and weakness, and to react in an appropriate manner, such as providing

6. SIB 6
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
developmental appropriate instruction. One way to do this is to adjust/adapt the level of
instruction to best fit with the students’ learning needs and abilities.
One of the purposes for schools is to promote intellectual development, which leads
directly to knowing content matter and information, in relation to a specific field.When I
enter the classroom as a teacher I expect this new found knowledge will allow me to look at
the “whole picture” when dealing with a student. As a teacher you have to realize children
today are under immense pressures to succeed, and there are bumps along the way, which
can affect the whole system.Understanding the connectedness of ecological factors and the
outcomes those have on a child’s development is a hard task because every child acquires
knowledge differently. Acknowledging that each child develops uniquely is a vital
component to being a successful teacher.
Cultural Diversity Instruction
Children entering a classroom draw upon past experience and influences from the
community, family, and peers, in how they perceive others. Teachers need to be
cognoscente of beliefs and prejudices and display the type of classroom that is welcoming
to all, regardless of skin color, gender, orientation, or disability. This type of classroom
environment promotes positive interactions among people from different backgrounds,
which in turn foster positive attitudes among a diverse student population. I believe
despite students’ preconceived notions about a particular group or race, enabling children
to have positive experiences with cultural groups other than their own can change
prejudicial attitudes.

7. SIB 7
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
Although many argue against the notion of cultural pluralism, I believe this
approach to be the most beneficial for all students. This approach to diversity emphasizes
mutual appreciation and understanding of various cultures. Unfortunately there are some
aspects of cultural assimilation in our schools today. Cultural assimilation is a process
that pushes minority culture towards assimilating into the larger more dominant culture. I
don’t believe in a hierarchy of cultures, where one culture is better or dominant over
another. This does not promote equality and is simply not true.
I hope to work at a school that is diverse in its ethnic and cultural heritage, and
works hard with families and other groups for community improvement. I think teachers
should strive to embrace cultural relativism, meaning that every subculture has its own
identity that contributes to society as a whole, and we should try to embrace and
understand various cultural differences as worthwhile.One way a teacher can enact this
philosophy is by utilizing assigned group work. If you allow the students to always pick
their own groups, friends usually link up with friends, the genders usually seek out those of
the same gender, and there can also be exclusion based on race. However, if you
intentionally place people into groups to achieve a certain goal or complete an assignment,
then students are able to interact and work towards a common goal, while getting to know
someone new.
Curriculum For All Learners
Probably the most important aspect of teaching is reflecting on what works well in
the classroom, or more importantly how to improve instruction. It is important to gauge
through interaction with the student’s whether a particular lesson is working and whether

8. SIB 8
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
they are grasping the content. Also, teachers must understand the content of the school
curriculum that pupils are expected to know. I will strive to apply pedagogical content
knowledge to recognize common misunderstandings students may make in learning new
concepts and to know how to overcome those errors in thinking (Cooper& Ryan, 2010).
Although structured instruction and classroom rules are very important to
maintaining an orderly classroom, I tend to fall into the learner-directed camp, which
emphasizes learning activities that emerge from individual interest, propped up by teacher
guidance (Berns, 2007). I believe curriculum isn’t hampered by, but rather is supported
and reinforced by student exploration and discovery. This process is known as
constructivism, where the teacher scaffolds, or supports, the child’s initiated learning via
appropriate curriculum. However, I don’t believe learner-directed and teacher-directed
teaching approaches are mutually exclusive. I plan on using a mix of both methods of
instruction, where appropriate. Within the learner-directed model is cognitively oriented
curriculum, which builds upon Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and applies it
to an educational program. This theory focuses on applying previous learned experiences
to new life experiences with the goal of furthering knowledge (Berns, 2007).
Although I am not a big fan of standardized test, I may not have a choice. I find that
teachers are forced to spend so much time teaching to the test, rather than teaching what
may be the most important, engaging information. I fear standardized tests are leading to
disinterested students, and are being used more for teacher assessment than student
assessment. I favor authentic assessment that involves performance based testing and
focuses on how a student applies knowledge rather than how they store it in their minds.

9. SIB 9
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
As educators we should use assessments that measure comprehension and critical thinking
skills, rather than just choosing the correct answer on a multiple choice test. It is also
important to provide adequate feedback, both positive and negative, so that students
know where they stand, what they do well, and how they can improve.
Conclusion
In conclusion I have outlined many aspects of my teaching philosophy, which I
believe will start me on a path to becoming an effective teacher. In my classroom I want to
encourage students to become actively involved in constructing their own learning,
through purposeful teaching and students learning to think for themselves. In classrooms
today it can be dangerous to focus solely on what is being taught. I think a much more
constructive approach to teaching is to focus on how information is being taught.

10. SIB 10
STATEMENT OF INFORMED BELIEFS
References
Berns, R.M. (2007). Child, family, school community: Socialization and support (8th ed.).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, Inc.
Cooper, J.M. & Ryan, K. (2010). Those Who Can, Teach (12th ed.). Boston, MA:
Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, Inc.