Wendy Zhang

Domain C: Reflection on Dispositions

Besides having firm understanding of the knowledge of math and acquiring skills in
planning, teaching, assessing and developing caring learning environment, teachers also build
positive dispositions in order to perform to the best of his or her abilities. To improve the civility
in my classroom, I must combine a kind, easygoing disposition with a faithful and unwavering
commitment to accountability. In addition to the education courses that I took at Hunter College,
the fieldwork and student teaching experiences had guide me to become more dedicated in
teaching and commit to professionalism.
In Social Foundations of Adolescent Education, I learned that Teachers often have a set
view, largely functionalist, that informs their thinking. One of the downfalls is that it leaves out
so many students who do not subscribe to this line of thought. Thus, we need to approach those
students to get them to feel included and to get them to allow us to unlock their potential. It is
difficult for students to remain focused in the class when they feel that their teachers dont care
or they feel that they cannot relate to the teachers. On the other hand, it is difficult for teachers to
understand students behaviors when they dont know about the students background. In the
beginning of this course, I was asked to reflect on the reason of wanting to become a public high
school teacher. It has been my observation that some public school students struggle with math
and are never motivated to learn math. As a person who enjoys problem solving and views math
as an essential and valuable subject, I want to change this situation and make learning math
educational and interesting. It has come to my attention that students in public school need extra
help in succeeding academically. I want to help every student to improve learning and be
prepared for college. I want to have a sense of achievement. I realize not only do I need to focus
on planning good lessons to deliver inside the classroom, but I also need to assist students to
improve learning outside of the classroom. The various theories and facts that I have learned

Wendy Zhang

Domain C: Reflection on Dispositions

regarding public education made me realize I need to be an active and questioning learner. Thus,
when I learn more about the theories behind public education in the future, I will be able to judge
with my own thinking, stick to what I think is valuable and situate myself about where I want to
use them. Currently, I favor critical theory. Unlike the functional theorists rejection of social
change and conflict, critical theorists embrace the idea that through identifying the contradiction
that affect peoples lives, people can become aware of the forces that oppress them and become
human agents for social action to improve their situation. After having the new impression of
public education, I sense the urgency of changing the current situation. I believe in the
emancipation of individuals from oppression that is created by dominant socioeconomic groups.
I also believe the idea of empowered individuals. I need to empower my students to have human
agency, to give them the means to achieve something, and to make them become stronger and
successful. Since different societies have different mechanisms, facts can be subjective. It is
impossible to teach facts. Therefore, I need to teach students to become active and critical
learners. Thus, they will be able to judge what is right, care about what is right, and do what they
believe to be right. And they will be able to choose their own path and destiny.
In addition, my role in public education as a teacher is to make my classroom a place of
culture production a site of social change rather than of social reproduction. I need to interact
with students and school administrators to construct meaning and develop critical consciousness,
and give students agency and authority in learning. In terms of approaching students to get them
feel included and to get them allow us to unlock their potential, I need to relate to them and
understand their background. Before stepping into a classroom, or even a school, one thing I can
do is to look up the school online in order to find out the schools information, the neighborhood,
where the student population come from, the race percentage, parents income level and test

Wendy Zhang

Domain C: Reflection on Dispositions

scores. Such approach will allow me to better understand my students and connect to them.
Another essential approach is to give students the knowledge that has power. As a math teacher, I
need to connect math concepts to real life and use students background knowledge when
teaching math word problems. I want them to be able to use the information they gained and I
want to provide them knowledge that is useful on daily basis. To do so, I need to show them the
big picture.
The fieldwork and student teaching experiences provided me the opportunities to put the
above thinking into practice. Through these experiences, I learned to be patient when students
are reluctant to learn or make excuses for not doing work. I learned to demonstrate a positive
attitude throughout the lesson, and I learned to accept suggestions for growth and enhancing
teaching. For example, I learned that I need to write neatly on the board, I learned that I need to
allow students more think time in order to get more responses, and I learned that I can ask other
students to repeat, explain, or expand on the first students answer if they were not able to answer
in the beginning. These were things that I wouldve never thought of.
I believe education has to serve a purpose. Among the various purposes of public
education, I still believe the essential purpose of public education is to ensure equal education
opportunity. My role as a teacher in public education is to help achieve such goal. I need to
position myself and understand what being a teacher in modern world means. It requires me to
be broader than the subject I teach. Not only do I need to have adequate knowledge of the
content being taught, I also need to study history and students background in order to understand
the reasons of students behaviors and academic needs. Instead of transmitting knowledge, I
should teach students to have knowledge transformation. I should teach them to navigate the

Wendy Zhang

Domain C: Reflection on Dispositions

society, help them navigate their environment, so they can improve their circumstances, and live
a more dynamic life