FIELD EXPERIENCE REPORT #2
Domain I, Competency 001
Subcompetencies 2, 3
Field Experience Report Session # 2
I interviewed two high school social studies teachers in reference to the importance of different goals in their classrooms. I was quite surprised at the dissimilarity of their responses. I will not use their names to protect their anonymity. Mr. A is a coach and teaches 10th grade history for three class periods per day. Mrs. B teaches history, geography and civics at all grade levels in high school. Mr. A is in his mid-fifties and has been teaching the same courses for 29 years. Mrs. B is in her thirties and has been teaching for 13 years at the secondary level. I wonder if their respective ages are a factor in the divergent outlooks they have.
When asked if a learner’s developmental stage, prior school or life experiences, or cultural and/or socioeconomic status was viewed to be more significant one than another in formulating goals, Mr. A’s response was, “No. It only matters how smart the students in the class are.” I then asked about the goals he set for the classes he taught. He stated that he follows the same goals he wrote in the 1990’s, when the school district forced all the teachers to evaluate and update their lesson plans. After this, I really didn’t know what else I could possibly ask him. He did not seem to have respect for the students or for their education. I guess my lesson from this interview is to never let myself become complacent or I could end up with an attitude and outlook like his.
By comparison, Mrs. B was a joy to talk with. When asked the same question about how significant the influences on goals for learners were, she gave equal credence to all three factors listed. With a classroom of 25 students, she has quite a mix of developmental stages, prior life and school experiences, and cultural/economic backgrounds represented in one class. She tries to set her goals and write her lesson plans encompassing as many of these factors for as many of the students as possible. For example, in discussing a region of the United States she will ask if any students have ever been there, calling on prior experience. With about 35% Latinos in her classes, she will cite the various cultures of the region, specifically including those represented in her class. When she has a wide variety of developmental stages in her class, (she mentioned freshman, as the development among them seems the most diverse) the information discussed concerning a region will cover interests from fairly immature to mature. (She always tries to name a rock star or sports personality from each region for the students to relate to.) Mrs. B reflected that a specific lesson may not lend itself to meeting each student where their needs are, but she sees meeting those needs as part of her ongoing maturation and growth as a teacher.
I was appalled at the response and indifference of Mr. A, and was almost fearful to speak with Mrs. B. I’m so glad I did! She was quite an inspiration for me. I wondered at first if the age of the teachers was significant in their different attitudes because of the changes in teacher’s education between their times in college. After reflection, I felt that age was not the difference; their commitment to their students was. I was also very surprised at the very different responses I received, so I called my father, a retired high school English teacher. After relating my experience, he said that there are always teachers at the extremes of the spectrum in any school. He felt that the dedicated teachers far outnumbered the ones who had given up long ago.