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I believe being a teacher-activist is...

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I believe being a teacher-activist is...

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I think that a teacher activist is someone who takes time to get to know their students and the community surrounding the school. I think it is so important to be involved in the area where your students are living. The connection you will make with your students will help the classroom environment.

Also, as a teacher activist you have to stand up for the rights of students and ourselves, as talked about in Activism is Good Teaching. For example, standing up against standardized testing because of the affects they have on students. It is important to stand up for your students because if you don't, no one will.

We also have to be activists for the families of our students. As talked about in Activism is Good Teaching, we have to be open and honest with the families about things that are going on. There are many times when parents are not aware of or do not fully understand policies or rules. It is our job to talk with them and help them understand what is going on with their student and in the school building.

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I think that collaboration is working together for a common goal. There are many different ways that collaboration can be seen in the classroom.

One of the examples of collaboration is having students work in small groups. They can do projects together and use their combined knowledge to complete assignments. Collaboration is very important. I think it gives students a chance to learn to work as a team and the value of everyone's opinions.

Another way collaboration can be seen is coteaching. As talked about in chapter 5 of For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood, coteaching can take place by teachers and students having conversations about the students' needs. That is a collaboration. I believe that collaboration, in this case, is a very good idea. students will learn best when the teacher is teaching to their needs. I think that collaboration is important here because it gives students a chance to show what they know and what they struggle with. It also gives the teacher and students a chance to bond and feel as a community.

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I think that community/family is an important part of a child's education. The people that kids are surrounded by have a huge impact on them, both positive and negative. The feeling those around them have about schooling, will rub off on the students and they will have similar thoughts.

I also believe that community/family is defined as the people who are similar to you and live near you. Many people have different views of what community and family are defined as. I think that they are both whatever you want them to be.

Our students all come from different backgrounds. As teachers, we step into communities that we may not be familiar with. As talked about in "What do you mean when you say urban?", it  is important for teachers to take a step back and evaluate their biases and spend time getting to know the community they are working in and the people there.

You can create a community feeling in your classroom by being accepting and having a "we are all in this together" attitude. I think that is important to have because outside of school, students may come from places where they are not getting the emotional support that they need.

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I believe my students will learn best when I…

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I believe my students will learn best when I…

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I believe that my students will learn best when I choose to make my classroom feel safe and accepting. When students feel accepted and safe, they are more likely to pay attention because they won't have those distractions.

I think they will also learn best when we have a mutual respect. Respect is super important in the classroom. Students are less likely to be willing to learn when they are not on good terms with their teacher.

My students will learn best when I get to know them and cater to their individual needs. In chapter 5 of American Education, the author discusses the different disabilities that you could see in your classroom. I think that knowing these and being aware of what they are will be helpful when teaching those students. You have to know about your students to be able to teach them to the best of your ability. As teachers, you also have to be able to understand your students, whether they have a disability or not. Some students may need more help than others and getting to know them will help them learn better.

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I believe that students learn best when they...

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I believe that students learn best when they...

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I think that students learn best when they feel that they are safe and have the essentials that they need, such as food.

It is important for teachers to remember that not all students come from ideal backgrounds. Some students do not know where their next meal will come from. Others did not get breakfast that morning because there was no food to eat at home. When students are hungry, they are less likely to learn because their minds are elsewhere.

When students feel that they are safe, they do not have that stress or sense of needing self defense. More learning will take place without those stresses. There will be some students in our future classrooms that will come from backgrounds of violence or traumatic situations. School may be the only place that they feel safe and it is important for students to make them feel that way.

In the America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline, the author talks about the zero tolerance policy and the issues with it. As students are coming into school and getting in trouble, schools are enforcing this policy where they are severely punished for every bad action that they make, including being suspended or expelled. In doing this for choices that can be solved in different ways, students that are suspended or expelled are put back in those situations where they do not feel safe. They give up on school because they were treated unfairly and their learning suffers. If they are not in school, they are not learning.

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I believe that all my future students are...

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I believe that all my future students are...

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I believe that all my future students are unique. They all come from different backgrounds, home lives, environments. They have different styles, interests, and cultures; all that can bring light into the classroom. Embracing differences and accepting people is what makes classrooms a safe place for students. If they feel that they are wanted and accepted, they are more willing to engage.

I believe that all my future students are capable of learning. Many times, students are given up on and labeled because they are known to be "difficult" or "bad students". In the Arresting Development article on Rethinking Schools website, the author discusses the zero tolerance policy. This policy used to be for drugs and guns. Now, this policy has boiled over into behavior too. Using this policy means that students are punished for major and minor offenses. It takes away from the learning of students that may have made a little mistake, such as accidentally leaving a Boy Scout knife in your pocket (as talked about in Stop the School-to-Prison Pipeline), and it was made into a huge ordeal. All students are capable of learning, but we are taking that away by using the zero tolerance policy.

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I believe the purpose of schooling is...

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I believe the purpose of schooling is...

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I believe that the purpose of schooling is to give all students the opportunity to grow as a learner and a person, and also to give each student a chance at success.

School gives students many opportunities. It allows students to find who they are as an individual. They are given experiences that they may not otherwise get. Students who may come from less fortunate families are given meals and a safe place.

I think that the purpose of schooling is more than giving students information. It's providing students with the essentials that they will need throughout their life.

On page 20 of America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline, the author discusses the costs of being a student as appose to being in prison. The cost of schooling is significantly less than prison. Many students grow up in households that are very familiar with prison. These students, more or less, believe that someday, they too, will end up in a prison or in trouble with the law. I think that purpose of schooling is to give students a better alternative. Schooling can give students motivation and guidance to avoid being in the system and to find a career that excites them.

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I believe that teaching is about more than giving students facts to remember. Teaching is about giving students the resources and knowledge they need as they grow.

I think that teaching is about giving resources, such as books and computers, to students to help them learn because they can use those resources as they need to throughout their whole life. As talked about in chapter 3 of American Education, equality is important in school. Giving students the same resources and opportunities to practice using them, gives all students the ability to use them.

I also believe that teaching is about acceptance. I think that teachers have to accept all their students to have the best teaching skills. In chapter 5 of American Education, the author talks about the discrepancy in the definition of race and the struggles that students face because of their race or disability. Using what we know about this, we can better teach our students by being accommodating to all students, no matter what they look like. In teaching, you have to be accepting; not over looking their differences, but embracing them and making them feel welcome.

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I believe that learning is gaining knowledge through experiences. Learning can be done by hands-on, visual, and verbal.

Every student has a different way they learn best, so as a teacher it is important to get to know all your students and how they learn to best teach them.

Learning is the ability to intake information and process it in a way that will remain in the brain for future reference.

I believe that learning happens in all aspects of life, in and out of the classroom. Students explore their environment and develop skills and knowledge based on their findings.

As a teacher, it is important to know that not all of what you teach will be accepted by parents and guardians. In chapter 2, the author discusses LGBTQ and how controversial it is. That topic will always be one that causes problems in the classroom. There are so many different opinions so it is important to teach students from a non-bias point of view. Teach students the facts and let them make their own decisions on their beliefs based on what they learned.

I believe that learning is about more than just teaching facts. In chapter 2, it talks about teaching students good character. It is important for students to learn the importance of making good choices. I think learning is about gaining knowledge to know the different between right and wrong.

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I believe my responsibilities as a teacher are...

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I believe my responsibilities as a teacher are...

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As a teacher, I believe that my main responsibility is to give my students the proper education that they need and essential skills to take with them as they grow into adults.

I also think it is a responsibility of teachers to give students a safe space to learn and grow as an individual. Giving students those opportunities can greatly influence their future and how they connect with the world around them.

Another responsibility I have as a teacher is to provide classroom structure and discipline that is consistent for all students. Having structure provides students with the knowledge of expectations and consequences.

The last responsibility I have as a teacher is to make sure that all students are made feel welcome and accepted. Students who come from different cultures, many times, feel left out due to lack of cultural representation. It is my responsibility to make sure that all cultures are represented in some way to involve all students in my class.