Teaching is one of the most reflective professions I have ever come across. We reflect on our classroom environment, teaching style, individual lessons, student engagement/impact and professional conduct. I don't know many other professionals that reflect on a daily/weekly basis.
So, apart of being a successful practitioner is to be a successful reflector.
I enjoyed reading this article as it links into the new registration teachers council guidelines where all teachers must get serious about reflection of their practice to meet new standards.
Linda Finlay discusses teachers need to be self-aware and critically evaluate their own response. This then impacts and improves future practice, and shows the theory life-long learners we promote to our students.
Reflective practice is defined by Finlay (2008) is different to everyone. It can be formal or non formal, like a short discussion with others or more explicit like in a appraisal. It is simply adopting a thinking approach that allows you to think and better inform your own practice. Finlay describes it as a umbrella over your thinking. Gordon 1984 talks about reflective practice as a "tool not a mirror." (Gordon, 1984, p.243) to me this means that there is no point to reflecting if there is no change. If all you see is beauty the reflective process not not meaningful. A scary thought to think, that teachers can not see there needs to be change.
The reflective model I relate to most is from the University of South Indiana. To me it represents the teacher with knowledge of self, the student, school vales and outcomes desired, curriculum and best practice. It gives a holistic view of the reflection and the outcomes needed or desired.
Cited from- http://www.usi.edu/science/teacher-education/student-resources/reflective-teacher-model
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