Blog 3

I thought that the superintendent that talked with us on Monday was very helpful and hearing about his background made me think of how important it is to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Listening to him talk about the struggles he faced in the beginning of his career in regards to working with students who came from different backgrounds and who had a different attitudes about education than the previous students he worked with, made me think about how even though it was difficult for him, it was very beneficial to his career. What especially stuck with me was when he compared his career with two of his fellow collegues in relationship to where they are today and where he is. He has dabbled in many different areas, has taught in different schools, has been a principal as well as a superintendent and with all of those experiences, he has gained a knowledge that has allowed him to take leadership roles and continued to learn in new ways. I think that his experiences such as teaching in an environment that differed from what he was used to, as well as challenging himself by continuing his education, contributed to his success and his understanding of students.

I think that the Social Cognitive Theory that is mentioned in Santrock explains how Environment, Behavior and Cognition influences a student's attitude about school which the superintendant experienced in different ways. For example, while he was in Chicago, students' environment and attitudes about school were significantly different than students in Decorah. I believe that if a teacher recognizes this and uses this theory to better understand a student's attitude about school which can also be referred to self-efficacy. Self-efficacy has such a strong influence on behavior because it is the belief that a student has if he or she can master a certain situation. This is important in understanding students' backgrounds in different cities. I think that his experiences in Chicago as well as Decorah as led him to have a better understanding of how different students behave and why. These definitions are important when understanding education because it is clear from his wide range of experience, it has made him a better teacher and leader in the school environment. Along with that thought, I agree with what he said about always moving forward and not being stuck teaching the same grade or subject for 40 years. I think it is important for a teacher to continue learning and exploring different areas of the career because it will only help in understanding students and better connecting with them to impact their lives in a positive way. Hearing him speak was very helpful because with all of his knowledge about the education system, it made me think beyond my education at Luther and the first couple of years teaching. I think that by continuing to learn, it will help me be a teacher who can really impact kid's lives.