Being A Reference Group Essay

453 Words2 Pages
I try not to compare myself to others, but there are a few reference groups that have affected how I feel or have felt about myself. Reference groups help us to make sense of what our role is in society, as compared to other groups around us. Being that I work for the Utica City School District, I would consider the other teachers and staff members in my building and I to be a group. As compared to other school districts in our area, our jobs are very unique. In the particular building I work in, our poverty level is 93%. In other schools in the district, their numbers are not even at 50%. We face many additional challenges that those from other school districts are not faced with. I feel that with help of the school district with programs like free lunch for all students, and free before and after school programs, we have a more imperative role in society. We do much more than…show more content…
How they act on a daily basis, is in large part affected by what they experience at home. When I observe their behaviors, this affects how I see myself, as a teacher and as a parent. Sometimes, I am rather hard on my son because I know what he is capable of, but I see what kind of effect that style of parenting has on some of the children that I work with, and it has helped me significantly to improve. Also, when I see the effects of other parenting styles on the children that I work with, it makes me want to be of more assistance to them, and to just care more about them in general. Before I was hired in the Utica City School District, I did not have the same love for children that I have now. I had not patience for children who did not listen to or respect adults, but working with these children has showed me that the majority of these ‘disrespectful’ children, are acting in such a way because they need your love and attention. They have changed my whole aspect on not only caring for children, but caring for others in
Open Document