Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reflective Teaching
HD 450
Maura Maldonado
Pacific Oaks College
Reflection 450
Reflection 450
In class we watched the video, Pedro Noguera: Challenging Racial Disparities in School
Discipline, this video impacted me greatly. Through research-based strategies Pedro Noguera
stresses that schools can become safe, equitable, and places where students thrive. My first
reaction to this statement, of course why not? But the reality of this statement even being made
reminds me that many of our schools have become the opposite of these desired traits. Im not
sure why this has happened. I believe a combination of issues, societies value system, family
structure, racial attitudes and too much or too little discipline have affected our teachers,
institutions and especially our children.
Through conversations with my classmates we came to the agreement that there are lot of
suggestions by adults and educators but we never hear how these suggestions should be carried
out. As the older one in the classroom and many years of experience observing the changes in
our children, families and societal attitudes I suggested that the importance of values need to be
brought back and taught in our curriculums. My classmates felt that teachers need to hold
themselves accountable for modeling and teaching values like character, respect and integrity.
Forming relationships with the children we teach and their families will support and transform
behaviors. Asking ourselves, what have we done for the child? How has my teaching or teaching
style affected this child? Are examples of reflective- teaching.
As I reflect on HD 450 I enjoyed the sharing of Maya Angelous thoughts on education
and being reflective. The powerful statement of, Be a rainbow in someone elses cloud is an
example of reflective teaching or being reflective about life in general. Presenting the best me
I can be whether it is to the world or the children I teach is least I can do. Working on achieving
to be the best I can be is something I can work on throughout my life. Allowing myself to learn
from what I have done and the willingness to change and grow from what I have learned is
allowing myself to be a blessing in the lives of others.