Foundational Beliefs about Education A Presentation for New Teacher Orientation Written and organized by: Sarah Dahl, Brina Johnson, and Angela Groom Seattle Pacific University Spring Quarter 2010 Welcome to our orientation for new teachers. We hope that you are inspired and learn how to move from good to great and survive to thrive. We will be presenting ideas based on research and collaboration.

The Learner and The Learned The Learned (teacher): Loves learning Strives for personal and professional growth Reaches out to students The Learner: Must be known by the teacher Has needs, strengths, and weaknesses Good teachers love learning as much as teaching; they strive for personal and professional growth. They will look for new ways to better themselves and to reach students.  Good teachers always take responsibility for bettering the education of their students; this occurs by knowing the students' individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses and preparing lessons accordingly

Memorable Teachers Make students feel welcome Respect and love students Treat students with dignity Celebrate abilities and strengths Install a sense of pride A memorable teacher makes his or her students feel welcomed, loved, and respected; that is, good teachers treat their students with dignity, they value and celebrate their students' individual abilities and strengths.  Memorable teachers do not emphasize success in terms of grades and standardized expectations; rather, they inspire students to succeed for their own benefit and sense of pride.

Every Child Can Accomplish Great Things Teachers: Inspire Encourage Have Passion Identify Strengths Good teachers possess a confident attitude in the belief that every child can accomplish great things. Teachers hope to encourage and inspire their students to succeed for themselves, rather than for a passing grade; they want their students to be passionate about learning. They want them to identify their strengths and use them to their fullest for future successes and personal fulfillment.

Student Centered High impact on student lives Teaching is more than curriculum Teaching is more than management Students are the possibilities of our future For educators, curriculum may change, philosophies of management or assessment may ebb and flow, but the impact on a students' life is constant. Children are the reason why many become teachers. Their innocence, desire, and possibilities bring to life the passing of information from the learned to learner.

Good teachers do not underestimate the power of their influence on young people, they are mindful of their capability to positively or negatively impact a child, and as such, they must be confident in every aspect of their profession.

Students are being educated in subject matters, they are taught respect and responsibility, and how to be a contributing citizen in the world around them.  The relationships among teachers and students and the learning that begins in the school years help pave the way for students to learn an academic curriculum, as well as learning how to be a good citizen.

Great teachers are genuinely interested in the student's home life and extracurricular activities and ensure that in-class activities and the classroom environment reflects a collaborative and respectful atmosphere. 

In the classroom environment, students should feel that their voices are valuable, heard, and respected by the teacher and by peers. 

The atmosphere in a good classroom engages the students to take pride in their own work, show respect for all members, and allow for opportunities to learn. Students are self motivated to learn.

Teachers begin this process with his or her students at the start of the school years.  This relationship helps to build the classroom atmosphere as well as the success for each child to grow up with an education that taught them much more than a curriculum, this education taught them how to be a respectful, responsible citizen.

Our hope is that all students will learn their math, language arts, science and social studies, but our real commission is to train students to function in our society.

All students are affected by the dispositions of their teachers; students can and will decide on his/ her own the worth of observable behaviors, values, and attitudes

Achievement is also encouraged by practicing reflection techniques; reflection allows for improvement, differentiation for students, alterations to lessons, further understanding, and the building on of goals.

By giving our students a voice in the classroom, there will be both an increase of interest and academic improvement.

Ultimately, what matters most is that the students feel that they were taught with respect and dignity and what they learned was relevant.

Bibliography Canestrari, A., Marlowe, B. (2010). Educational foundations: an anthology of critical readings, 2nd. Sage Publications, Inc. Los Angeles, CA. Dewey, J. (1897). My pedagogic creed. School Journal (54) pp 77-80. Ellis, A. K. (2001). Teaching, learning, and assessment together: the reflective classroom. Eye on Education, Poughkeepsie, NY. Ellis, A. K. (1998). Emile durkheim in the context of the american moral education paradigm. Routledge, Inc., and University of Oxford. Whitehead, A. N. (1916). The aims of education. Presidential Address to the Mathematical Association. ADD MORE HERE… I have size 6 spaced lines between entries… change if you need to.  Sarah (we need at least 3 more and I am not sure how to cite the lectures…