Anna Milotte

EDUC 612

7/7/15

Teacher Beliefs Statement

Beliefs on how students learn
Students learn in many different ways and cant be placed in just one category. What
style of learning that worked for this skill may not work for the next skill. To truly understand
these diverse learners and to allow them to succeed in their learning I believe that a democratic
classroom has to be established. I want my students to walk in every morning and feel theyre
walking into our room and not Miss Milottes room. Brookfield (1995) speaks to this idea of a
democratic classroom and how it helps children feel safe. As teachers we need to recognize how
scary of a thing school is and the need to help children feel safe when they walk into the room.
How can we expect them to learn if they are feeling timid or are unwilling to take some risks?
One way that I establish this safe environment is opening myself up and opening our classroom
up to sharing. Whenever I go on a trip somewhere I am always taking pictures and sharing them
at school because I want my students to see that I am a human being and not just a teacher. They
need to see that I do things outside of school in which they can relate to. This past year I visited
North Carolina and was able to visit their Aviation Musuem. My students loved looking at all
the pictures I took and we had several conversations centered around my trip. I also was able to
share pictures of my cat that I adopted in November and my niece that was born in April. I also
have time set aside each morning for students to share news they might have. This helps us get
to know each other better and again establish that safe environment where they feel their voice is
important and can be heard. Because I have established this environment my students feel safe
taking risks and putting themselves out there. Part of learning is taking risks and failing. Its
what you do with the failures that matters.
I also believe that it is very important for my students to see me make mistakes and to see
me work through them. In a democratic classroom they need to see the adult or authoritative
person making mistakes so that they know it is ok. They also need some guidance in how to
move forward after making a mistake. From here you can earn their trust so that they are willing
to also make and admit mistakes.
Another way to establish this safe environment is to allow them to be a part of the
construction of the room. This goes back to my statement about them walking in each morning
and feeling that it is our room. Every year I create classroom rules with my students and

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EDUC 612

7/7/15

afterwards we all sign them. This allows them to take ownership of what is happening in their
classroom. After the first few weeks of school I also talk with them about their seating
arrangements. I listen to how they feel about it and provide them with choices. We then
construct a new learning environment based on their needs. There is a certain level of power that
has to take place here because if not I would end of up having a classroom not conducive to
learning. I believe that giving them that choice is a balance of power and democracy.
Throughout the year I also constantly ask my students for feedback on a specific activity to get a
better sense about what types of learners I have and to better understand their needs as learners.
Creating our classroom together really helps them establish this safe environment and truly
become learners. It also allows them to truly take ownership and say this is our room as they
walk in each morning.
Beliefs on Instruction
I believe that a good teacher is one that is able to reach their diverse room of learners.
Understanding that one way of teaching will not always work is very important. I believe that a
skill needs to be approached in several different ways. For example, not all students are able to
do mental math, not all students find using manipulatives helpful, not all students learn best
when sitting. These are all factors that I have to take into consideration when teaching a lesson.
I also believe that instruction is always changing and evolving. Instruction should never
be the same year to year. Some may say that routine is necessary, but when asked how I teach
the same classes each year, I answered that I do not teach classes, I teach students, and there is no
routine for me (Farrell, 2012, p. 10). This quote does a great job explaining why instruction
should be always changing. Our students change from year to year and bring new thoughts and
learning styles with them so shouldnt our instruction also change?
There also needs to be a level of scaffolding in instruction. There needs to be that
balance of direct instruction, guided practice, and independent learning/practice. I dont agree
with the statement that students should be in complete control of their learning and that they
should be active from start to finish. We are the professionals and know the best ways to deliver
material. They do need some time where we as professionals show them how to do something or
show them who this person is. They then should have time to practice that skill or talk about that
person or event with support. Finally, they need to be given time to practice that skill

Anna Milotte

EDUC 612

7/7/15

independently. Without that time, they are not being forced to take those risks and therefore we
cant expect them to be learning. Along with this scaffolding I think there needs to be
meaningful learning. As teachers we need to make what theyre learning relevant to their lives.
For example, when my niece was born my students asked if we could write her a letter
welcoming her to the world. Letter writing is something that we introduce in first grade so we
were able to learn how to write a letter through a personal experience. They had control of their
learning in that they chose the context in which we learned about letters.
Beliefs on systematic reflection
My main belief about systematic reflection is that it happens through many different
forms which all lead to some kind of inquiry. Reflection can happen as Brookfield states through
different lenses. We can reflect through our students voices which will lead us to inquiry which
will lead us to change. Reflection can also happen as we converse with colleagues. The
important part of conversing with colleagues is that we understand at times we have to be
critical. We have to be comfortable admitting when weve made a mistake in order for
systematic reflection to occur.
As Schon (1991) points out we also have to make sure we are reflecting on action and
reflecting in action. He also points out that reflection in action can be the hardest form of
reflection because it all centers around the element of surprise. If a lesson or activity goes
exactly how we planned we are not typically reflecting in action. Part of that I believe is the
ability to be open to surprise or open to the fact that something may not go exactly how we
planned. From that, systematic reflection can occur.
Being a public school teacher I know the importance of data. I think if used
appropriately, it is a good way for us as teachers to be systematic in our reflection and in turn
help lead our inquiry. For example, at the beginning and end of each year I always poll my
students. At the beginning of each year I have them write about our upcoming year. I have them
tell me what they are excited about learning, what they are excited about doing, what they are
nervous about, and what they would like me to know about them. This is a wonderful form of
data collection because it helps me get to know my students a little faster than just observing
over several weeks. I can from Day 3 or 4 start to change my instruction based on the results. At
the end of every year I also have my students write a letter to future students. They talk about

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EDUC 612

7/7/15

what they really enjoyed about our classroom. I also have them write about something they felt
nervous about so that when my new students come in they can already have that sense of safety
and community. One thing I would like to add to this data collection would be to ask them what
they didnt enjoy. This way I can review their writing and consider these ideas as my next year
of students walk in the door. If I notice that class after class is saying they didnt like a certain
topic, activity, or daily routine I can reflect on why and make some changes.
I also think it is important to compare data with other teachers. Ive spoken previously
about how important our colleagues experiences are to our reflection. If we share data we may
be able to gain new perspectives or new strategies in which to try in our classrooms. This can be
a scary thing as we immediately go to that place where we feel bad about ourselves if we arent
performing to the same level as the teacher across the hall. But, I think the whole point of
systematic reflection is getting used to the idea that that will always happen because we all have
strongpoints and weaknesses. This is not a competition.
Role of Critical Reflection in Education
Id like to look at this from the angle of what critical reflection allows or helps us do as
educators. Being a good teacher means that we are critically reflecting constantly. In order for
this to happen though we all have to jump on board. I cant be the only 1st grade teacher that is
critically reflecting or the only teacher at Pinebrook critically reflecting. This is something that I
see as a problem at many schools and something I would like to see change. As Brookfield
(1995) points out, being critically reflective allows us to identify our assumptions and question
them. We can also gain new perspectives that we may never have seen. That could be through
our students eyes or through our colleagues experiences. Brookfield also mentions that he feels
the most important aspect of critical reflection is us finding our voices as teachers. Critical
reflection allows us to speak from the heart instead of what we are told a teacher is and what a
teacher is supposed to do. Education is a constantly changing and evolving field and critical
reflection allows us to identify where the change is needed. Because education is constantly
changing and evolving so must we. We have never truly learned all there is and critical
reflection helps us figure out where to go next. To end my belief on the role of critical reflection
I want to pull back to my democratic classroom. Brookfield (1995) talks numerous times about

Anna Milotte

EDUC 612

7/7/15

how we cant establish a safe environment unless we are critically reflecting on what we do as
teachers.

References
Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher: Becoming critically
reflective. Jossey-Bass, California.
Farrell, T. (2012). Reflecting on reflective practice: (Re)visiting dewey and Schon.
TESOL Journal, 3(1), 7-16.
Schon, D. (1991). Professional knowledge and reflection-in-action. The reflective
practitioner (pp. 46-69). New York, NY: Basic Books.