CUR 515Session 15

The Reflective Teacher

There is one quality……above all that makes a good teacher. It is the

ability to reflect on what, why, and how we do

things and to adapt and develop our practice

throughout our careers.

Professional Reflection Is… • Deliberate• Purposeful• Structured• Focused on linking theory to

practice• About learning, change and development

–Jenny Moon, 2005

“Reflection is a form of mental processing that we use to fulfill a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome. It is applied to gain a

better understanding of relatively complicated or unstructured ideas and is largely based on

the reprocessing of knowledge, understanding, and emotions that we already possess.”

Reflection is developmental.

Hit & MissHit & Miss

Relative Master

Relative Master

SteadySteady

I’ l l TryI ’ l l Try

Help!Help!

Second Nature

Second Nature

Reynold’s Model of Developing Competence, 1965

UNCONSCIOUSINCOMPETENCEUNCONSCIOUSINCOMPETENCE

We don’t know whatwe don’t know

We don’t know whatwe don’t know

CONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE

CONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE

Becoming aware of what we don’t know or

know how to do

Becoming aware of what we don’t know or

know how to do

CONSCIOUS COMPETENCECONSCIOUS

COMPETENCE

Using new skills and knowledge, carefully self-

monitoring

Using new skills and knowledge, carefully self-

monitoring

UNCONSCIOUS COMPETENCE

UNCONSCIOUS COMPETENCE

Skills have become“second nature”

Skills have become“second nature”

–Rollett, 2001

“Experts rely on a large repertoire of strategies and skills that they can call on automatically,

leaving them free to deal with unique or unexpected events…”

“The wealth of knowledge and routines that they employ, in fact, is so automatic that they often

do not realize why they preferred a certain plan of action over another. However, when

questioned, they are able to reconstruct the reasons for their decisions and behavior.”

Reflection & Theory• Dewey (1933) believed that

teachers must move from routine action to reflective action

• He believed that reflection begins in a state of doubt or perplexity

• Difficulty and uncertainty in practice are key moments for learning—> We can reflect on these problems to solve the perplexity and learn from them

ProfessionalDevelopmen

tJournal

DateTimeContextLesson nameCritical incidentsInitial feelings

ReflectionAnalysisEvaluationTheory (if appropriateAny other thoughts

Take aways, next steps

Critical Incidents

Effective Teaching BehaviorsRosenshine, 1971

1. Introducing topics and activities clearly

2. Explaining clearly with examples, other materials

3. Systematic and serious organization of lessons

4. Variety of teaching materials and methods

5. Use of questions, especially higher order

6. Use of praise and other reinforcement (non/verbal)

7. Encouraging of learner participation

8. Making use of learners’ ideas, clarifying and developing them

9. Warmth, rapport and enthusiasm; mostly shown nonverbally

Top 5 Professional Qualities• Understanding and

supportive

• Committed, dedicated and hardworking

• Fair with an inclusive and respectful approach

• Warm

• Humorous

Top 5 Teaching Skills• Clear instruction and

presentation

• Strong communication and active listening

• Patience

• Motivation and encouragement

• Organization and classroom management

Top 5 Favorite Teacher Qualities

• Sound subject knowledge

• Understanding and gives great advice

• Creative, interesting and imaginative

• Warm and cheerful

• Clear instructions and presentations

Mentoring Towards Excellence, 2001