Week 17 / My Reflective Practice

Week 17 / My Reflective Practice

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”– Lao Tzu

Step 1 (Descriptive stage): My current reflective practice

I often reflect on what I do, in a variety of ways including: immediately, automatically and continuously, after a lesson or in the process. I make changes to plans based on what I see happening in the classroom, and I believe I am responsive to learner’s needs. I talk to colleagues about what is or is not working, mostly at a syndicate level.

I tend not to openly criticise a colleague's teaching and rarely have a chance to see colleagues in action to be able to do so. In terms of looking at my practice and backing up what I do through research, I read education magazines, with some research papers included. I do not share my thoughts through blogs or tweets, nor have I engaged in more systematic and sustained thinking over time by collecting data, unless as part of an initiative throughout the school, for example through our ALiM project in 2016 and 2017.

Step 2 (Comparative stage): Reflect on alternatives and other viewpoints in light of research

Viewing peers responses (in the survey) leaves me thinking that in general I am not alone in how I reflect, with the majority of colleagues making similar entries. Time could be one of the key reasons why teachers do not engage in blogging or online reflection readily (this was one of the more common ‘never’ or ‘rarely’ entered answers). I was surprised to see that more of my colleagues critically examine their own teaching and engage in research than I do.

Taking time to critically examine my practice is very important. I need to make time to think about where I am going in teaching as our school embraces and starts our Manaiakalani journey with 1-1 devices. I experienced something of a ‘eureka’ moment while reading Zeichner and Liston’s ideas (cited in Finlay, 2008, p.4), on the five different levels at which reflection takes place during teaching, because I do not spend a great deal of time on ‘Review’, ‘Research’ and ‘Re-theorising and reformulating’. I agree with the four characteristics of critical reflection according to Reynolds (cited in Finlay, 2008, p.6), especially as a school is a social entity by nature and therefore the good of the wider organisation needs to be at the fore of all we do, even when (or especially when), I am reflecting on my personal practice.

As a syndicate we have been working collaboratively and I am grateful to be sharing the Mindlab journey with them. We need to take time collectively to engage in what Ghaye calls ‘reflective conversation’ (cited in Finlay, 2008, p.7), and problem solving as a team. In relation to the second part of the survey, although I do prefer solitary reflection (in my head while biking to school) and informal conversations with colleagues during breaks or in meetings, I rarely engage in written reflection, other than to reflect at the end of units. I am keen to implement  this here on my blog.

Step 3 (Critical reflection): How does this reflective process inform and renew my perspective?

Referring to Jay and Johnson’s model (cited in Finlay, 2008, p.8), I have been using a simplistic version of reflection, based around ‘descriptive reflection’ and surface level ‘critical reflection’, without considering ‘comparative reflection’. My sense is that through blogging and sharing ideas (in syndicate meetings), as well as commenting on colleague’s blogs, I will add a new dimension to my own reflective process and enhance it.

What are the implications for your reflective practice when viewed from these alternative perspectives?

I think blogging, commenting and reading colleague's blogs (fellow Mindlab course members) and through participating in the online comments through the ‘Google+’ community I can broaden my perspective, collaborate with others in a wider social arena and ultimately improve my teaching practice.

References

Finlay, L. (2009). Reflecting on reflective practice. Practice-based Professional Learning Centre, Open University. Retrieved from http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/sites/www.open.ac.uk.opencetl/files/files/ecms/web-content/Finlay-(2008)-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf

Quote at the top of the blog. Retrieved from

http://www.keepinspiring.me/positive-inspirational-life-quotes/