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Interview Summary And Analysis

Decent Essays

Mrs. Griffins made several comments during her interview that relates to our readings and class discussions. Her statement about respecting students’ culture and protecting their national identities immediately reminded me of Cary’s question—“How do I find useful information on a student’s cultural background?” According to Cary’s text, a teacher can pursue a child’s outside story for three reasons: respect, curiosity, and instruction. Mrs. Griffins models all three reasons.

First, she respects that as students acquire English as a new language, they do not have to forsake their native language. Second, to slake her curiosity, Mrs. Griffins values the use of technology to familiarize herself with cultures she is not accustomed to. Lastly, in designing instruction, Mrs. Griffins considers her learners, especially in …show more content…

Griffins’ idea of a suitable learning environment was interesting. Contrary to common behavior, teachers are normally encouraged to decorate the interior of their classrooms with visuals that cover academic material. However, Mrs. Griffins strongly believes that visuals can also be distracting, and even overstimulating. Instead of visuals, she decorates her room to have the welcoming emotions of students entering a home—with plants, pictures, bookcases, pumpkins, and a colorful fish tank. She noticed that her students had greater respect for their environment when she structured her classroom as a domestic attraction.

Moreover, when I listened to Mrs. Griffins, I recognized her strong conviction for assessments, “My ideal learning environment would not have any grades.” As she explained her reasoning, I understand her preference to not track a student’s academic progress in a linear fashion. Instead, Mrs. Griffins believes education should have flexibility to follow a non-linear design, with learners playing a significant role in determining their learning

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