Demonstration of Illinois Professional Teaching Standards
 
 

            The more I learn about the profession of teaching, the more I realize how it depends on collaborative relationships.  I am learning amongst peers and from teachers.  I am part of a larger community and am involved in Korean traditions, extracurricular activities, music, and church.  I do not live in a bubble and cannot separate my "multiple" identities from being a student.  In the same way, my students will have their own webs of relationships.  My education courses have shown me that parental and family support can have a great impact on learning.  Teachers obviously play a huge role because they are more direct.  The point is that collaborative relationships are vital to all students' progress as learners and as people.

            I remember teachers telling me to have study buddies in each class just in case I am absent or need additional help.  My parents have always stressed the importance of a good education.  To them it meant economic and social opportunity.  That is why they made the decision to immigrate to America.  Living in the northwest suburbs of Chicago during middle school through high school was conducive to learning because education was emphasized everywhere from advertisements in restaurants to street signs bragging about high school championships. Here at the University of IL, much of the Champaign-Urbana community is very supportive of the educational goals of this campus.  I know I can count on professors, TA's, and my peers if I have questions about what I am learning.

            But will my students have as many positive collaborative relationships available to them?  Will their environments negate the learning process?  What if their parents didn't finish high school and don't encourage higher learning?  These are all questions that I must consider.  Students may have infinitely variable circumstances that affect the extent of how relationships may effect their education.  I have included in this section:

            Before I am ready to teach students, I should get to know their community and the educational philosophy of the school.  I need to introduce myself to other staff members and continually thank all the people who I consider as my professional colleagues, mentors, and supportive friends and family.  I must be aware that some of my students are not supported to continue their education or may have to work to help out their families.