Chapter4 Reflective Teaching
Chapter4 Reflective Teaching
Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, student shall be able to,
Define reflective teaching and its importance.
Identify methods for reflective practice.
Evaluate personal teaching experiences through reflection.
Pre-Test:
Direction: Write the letter of the correct answer.
1. What is reflective teaching?
a) A casual, spontaneous thought process about teaching.
b) A structured and deliberate examination of teaching practices.
c) Randomly trying new teaching methods.
d) Avoiding changes in teaching methods.
Introduction:
Reflective teaching is a practice where educators systematically review and analyze their
teaching methods and classroom experiences. This process helps in understanding how different
strategies impact student learning and in identifying areas for improvement. By engaging in
reflective practice, teachers can continuously refine their techniques and adapt to the needs of
their students, leading to more effective teaching and better student outcomes.
Discussion
“Teachers who engage in reflective practice can develop a deeper understanding of their
teaching, assess their professional growth, develop informed decision-making skills, and
become proactive and confident in their teaching.” -Farrell
Reflective teaching is a process where teachers think over their teaching practices, analyzing
how something was taught and how the practice might be improved or changed for better
learning outcomes.
The concept of reflective teaching also stems from Dewey (1933) who contrasted “routine action
with „reflective action‟ ‟. According to Dewey routine action is guided by factors such as
tradition, habit, and authority and by institutional definitions and expectations.
Reflective teaching is like investigating a case in the classroom, a teacher should collect some
evidence of his/her teaching, analyze the evidence, and decide what to do later based on the
evidence, the evidence can be some data that taken from the students.
It is used by a teacher to know what the students need in their learning and what should do the
teacher. It is about remembering and thinking about the teaching and learning process and then
evaluating it to make decisions about future plans and actions, by doing it, the teacher can make
the class more effective.
A personal tool that teachers can use to observe and evaluate the way they behave in their
classroom. A quieter and more systemic approach to looking at what happened. Jack Richards,
reflection or “critical reflection, refers to an activity or process in which an experience is
recalled, considered, and evaluated,
Reflective teaching is more than just casual introspection; it is a deliberate and structured
process. This means that educators engage in a systematic approach to examining their teaching
practices.
It is looking at what the teacher does in the classroom and giving it meaning.
Teacher is using reflection techniques to convey, analyze, and deliver information to generate
feedback.
Reflection involves:
[Link] to experiences
[Link] to feelings
[Link] experiences
1. Reflection for action – It is thinking about future actions with the intention of improving or
changing practice. This type of reflection requires teachers to anticipate what will occur during a
lesson, as well as reflect.
The primary goal of reflective teaching is to understand the impact of teaching strategies on
student learning. This involves:
1. Professional Growth
2. Enhance Innovation
Through reflection, teachers can evaluate the effectiveness of current methods and explore
creative alternatives. This encourages experimentation and the adoption of innovative
teaching strategies, leading to more dynamic and effective classroom practices.
3. Facilitate Teaching
Reflective teaching helps educators identify and address challenges in their teaching
methods. By analyzing what works well and what doesn’t, teachers can refine their
approaches to better facilitate student learning, making lessons more effective and engaging.
Through reflection, teachers can evaluate and adjust their instructional methods to make
lessons more engaging. This might involve incorporating interactive activities, varied
teaching materials, and dynamic presentations that capture students’ interest and enthusiasm.
6. Enhance Problem-Solving
Reflective teaching helps educators identify and address problems that arise in the classroom.
By critically analyzing teaching experiences, teachers can develop effective solutions and
strategies to overcome challenges, leading to a more effective and responsive teaching
approach.
Reflective learning allows students to assess their own work, understand their strengths and
weaknesses, and identify areas for improvement. This self-awareness and targeted effort lead
to enhanced performance and better academic results.
When students engage in reflective practices, they become more involved in their learning
process. Reflecting on what they’ve learned and how they’ve learned it can increase their
interest and motivation, leading to higher levels of participation and enthusiasm during
lessons.
Reflective learning helps students develop critical thinking by encouraging them to question,
analyze, and evaluate their learning experiences. Additionally, reflecting on challenges and
setbacks fosters coping skills, as students learn to address and overcome difficulties
constructively.
Summary
Reflective teaching and learning are vital for enhancing educational practices. Reflective
teaching involves a deliberate and structured process where educators critically analyze their
teaching methods and classroom interactions. This practice supports professional growth, fosters
innovation, refines teaching strategies, and strengthens teacher-student relationships. By
evaluating their effectiveness and adjusting practices, teachers can create more engaging and
effective lessons. For students, reflective learning encourages self-assessment, boosts academic
performance, and enhances engagement and motivation. It develops critical thinking and coping
skills, helping students understand their learning processes and improve their overall
effectiveness. Together, these practices lead to a more dynamic, responsive, and successful
educational environment.
Post-test
References:
Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic
Books.
Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Further
Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic.
Moon, J. A. (2004). A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice.
Routledge.
Answer key:
Pre-test:
1. b
2. b
3. c
4. b
5. b
Post-test:
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. T
6. F
7. F
8. T
9. F
10. T
CHAPTER IV: REFLECTIVE TEACHING
Lesson 2: Different Critical Reflection Techniques
Lesson Objectives:
Students will be able to explain the purpose and importance of reflective practices,
including reflective journals and learning logs.
Students will practice writing reflective journal entries, using prompts to explore their
thoughts, experiences, and learning outcomes.
Students will differentiate between reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action,
demonstrating the ability to reflect both during and after experiences.
Pre-test
a) Reflection on-action
b) Reflection in-action
c) Reflection after-action
d) Reflection before-action
3. What does the "So What?" component of reflective writing focus on?
a) Enhances metacognition
b) Provides a structured record of learning
c) Guarantees better grades
d) Reveals perceptions of the material
5. What is a key feature of a "Change Journal"?
Introduction
Reflective practices are vital for enhancing learning and fostering personal growth. They encourage
individuals to think critically about their experiences, making connections between theory and practice.
This guide explores various techniques, including reflective journals and learning logs, which serve as
powerful tools for self-reflection and deeper understanding.
By engaging in reflection, students and professionals can gain insights into their thought processes,
identify areas for improvement, and align their actions with their core values. These techniques not only
promote metacognition but also help individuals articulate their experiences, leading to a richer and more
meaningful learning journey.
Discussion
DIFFERENT CRITICAL REFLECTION TECHNIQUES
Reflective Journal
A reflective journal is a place to write down your daily reflection entries. It can be something good or bad
that has happened to you that you can self-reflect on and learn from past experiences.
A reflective journal can help you to identify important learning events that had happened in your life. The
events include your relationships, careers, and personal life. By writing a reflective diary, you can find the
source of your inspiration that defines you today. A reflective journal also provides a better understanding
of your thought process.
Reasons to Write a Reflective Journal
1. To understand the things that have happened.
2. To reflect on why it happened this way.
3. To align future actions with your values and lessons learned from your past experiences.
4. To share and get your thoughts and ideas out of your head.
How to Reflect Effectively
According to Schön, there are two types of reflection, one during and one after an activity or event.
Reflection In-Action
When you are thinking about or reflecting while you are in an activity, you are using reflection in-action.
Some reflection include:
Experiencing
Thinking on your feet
Thinking about what to do next
Acting straight away
Reflection On-Action
You can do reflect-on-action once the activity has finished based on what you can remember about it.
Step back into the experience, explore your memory and retrieve what you can recall. Reflect and
understand what has happened and draw lessons from the experience.
Thinking about something that has happened
Thinking what you would do differently next time
Taking your time
Examples to Reflect Effectively
Before the Experience
• Think about the things that could have happened.
• What are the things that you feel might be a challenge?
• The things that you can do to prepare for these experiences.
During the Experience
• Observe what is happening at the moment, as you make a particular decision.
• Is it working out as expected? Are you dealing with the challenges well?
• Is there anything you should do, say, or think to make the experience successful?
After the Experience
Describe your thoughts immediately after, and/or later when you have more emotional distance from
the event.
Is there anything you would do differently before or during a similar event?
What are the takeaways from this experience/lesson?
Use the three "W"s to write reflectively. The three "W"s are What, So What and What next.
So what? (Interpretation) Take a few minutes to reflect and interpret the event.
• What is most important / interesting / relevant / useful aspect of the event, idea or situation?
• How can it be explained?
• How is it similar to/different from others?
What's next? (Outcome) Conclude what you can learn from the event and how you can apply it next
time.
Here are the 10 writing prompts to guide you in self-reflection and self-discovery.
3. Learning Log
Learning Logs are like diaries students keep that record their reflections about what they are learning and
how they are going about learning it. Learning Logs are useful because they promote metacognition.
They are also useful tools for teachers because they can reveal students' perceptions (and misperceptions)
of the information, as well as reveal how they are reacting to the way the material is being taught. You
will probably find that students respond best to Learning Log activities when provided some structure.
For example, you can provide a set of “guiding questions” that students can select from and respond to. If
you decide to allow students to select from a list of questions, be sure to limit the number of options from
which students may choose. Often, providing students with too many questions to choose is
counterproductive. Some students feel overwhelmed by a list that is too long and spend much of their
time deciding which of the questions to answer. Likewise, human nature being what it is, some students
will select only those questions that require minimal effort. Ultimately, what you want is for students to
think deeply and grapple a little, so it is important to include some questions that require such an effort.
Often the best format of Learning Log questions is to:
Provide a limited number of questions from which students may choose to respond, and
Provide a few questions that students are required to respond. Below are examples of two
different Learning Logs.
5. Collaborating
• What did you notice about how well your group collaborated?
• When one of the members of your group seemed to dominate or take over, what happened? What
could have happened instead?
• Did you offer assistance (or receive an offer of assistance) to another student? How did this make
you feel?
• What would have been a good time to offer assistance to someone? Did you offer encouragement
to or compliment (or receive encouragement or compliment) another student?
• Which of the members of your group need more encouragement? How well are the member of
your group listening with interrupting?
• When someone interrupts, what would be the best way to handle it?
• When everyone is not doing his or her share in your group, what happens to the process? What
could you do to help everyone do his or her share?
• For each member of your group, identify at least one talent this person has that would be valuable
to the group. How is each valuable?
• What evidence can you offer that shows you respect differing opinions?
• What evidence can you offer that shows you recognize and celebrate others' successes? Why is
this important to do?
• What evidence can you offer that your group built a consensus when making a key decision?
• Was there a time when someone in your group provided someone else in the group negative
feedback? How well was it provided?
• How could the person providing the feedback do it better?
• How might the person receiving the feedback receive it better? What evidence can you offer that
shows that you are committed to peacefully resolving conflicts?
6. Teaching Tips
Step 1: Teach the core ideas and supporting points of the lesson.
Step 2: Provide students with a set of Learning Log questions. It is often best to provide a limited
selection of questions from which students are to select for responses and also provide some questions
that all students are required to respond to.
Step 3: Provide sufficient time for students to reflect and note responses. In lieu of traditional homework
focused at learning additional content, you may wish to assign writing in Learning Logs as homework.
Common Questions about Learning Logs
• How do less capable writers use Learning Logs? Students who are poor or extremely reluctant to
write are often mistakenly characterized as poor thinkers. You may find that some reluctant
writers, they are willing to note ideas in a Learning Log because they are sharing personal
perceptions. Regardless of how motivated some students may be to write in Learning Logs, some
simply lack the writing skills. These students can attain many of the same advantages by having
them communicate their reflections concerning each of the Learning Log questions into a tape
recorder.
• Should students’ Learning Logs be shared with other students? Occasionally, students will note
powerful insights that you may want to share with other students to help make a point. ALWAYS
ASK PERMISSION of the author before sharing the student’s response. If conducting a group
activity after students have written in their logs, you can ask open-ended questions and allow
students to volunteer to share their responses. Calling on specific students in not a good idea.
• Should the teacher read students’ Learning Logs? Ultimately, this is an individual decision that
each teacher must make. A key advantage of reading students Logs is that they provide valuable
insight into what students are thinking about their learning. If you decide to read students’ Logs,
INFORM THEM PRIOR to their writing in the journals that you plan to read their responses.
•
7. Learning Journal
A learning journal is a collection of notes, observations, thoughts and other relevant materials built-up
over a period of time and usually accompanies a period of study, a placement experience or fieldwork. Its
purpose is to enhance your learning through the very process of writing and thinking about your learning
experiences. Your learning journal is personal to you and will reflect your personality and experiences.
A learning journal may be called several different things: a learning log, a fieldwork diary or personal
development planner, for example. Different subject areas may ask you to focus on different aspects of
your experiences and may also have a different format. A journal could be a notebook, an electronic
document or sometimes can be recorded verbally on a tape. You will need to check which format is
required with your module tutor.
A learning journal should focus on your own personal responses, reactions and reflections to new
ideas or new ways of thinking about a subject that have been introduced to you through:
Lectures, seminars and workshops
Research and reading including any visual research: e.g. television, film etc.
Conversations and discussions with other students or tutors
Significant experiences that have happened in the work place, on placements or field trips
What should you write about?
The most important thing is to make time for your writing – regularly set aside some time to
think, and then write down your thoughts. Try to focus on using the journal to help you to
communicate:
What you think about issues raised on your course/ placement etc
Any flashes of inspiration you have had
What you understand so far
What you find puzzling, difficult or contradictory
How you can reach a better understanding of the above
What do you need to know more about, and how can you go about finding out more?
What resources have helped you to understand and/or been interesting to use?
How do you feel about the way you have approached the issue/topic so far?
What new knowledge, skills or understanding have you gained during the process of writing your
learning journal?
The discussion focuses on various critical reflection techniques, emphasizing the importance of reflective
journals and learning logs in personal and academic development. Reflective journals allow individuals to
document experiences and insights, fostering self-discovery and understanding. Learning logs, on the
other hand, promote metacognition by capturing students' thoughts about their learning processes. The
discussion highlights two types of reflection: in-action and on-action, encouraging real-time thinking and
post-experience analysis. It also presents various journal types, such as Question Journals and
Metacognitive Journals, each tailored to enhance engagement and critical thinking. Overall, these
reflective practices serve to deepen understanding, align actions with values, and improve learning
outcomes.
a) To record attendance
b) To track personal thoughts and learning processes
c) To summarize textbooks
d) To prepare for exams
a) Reflection in-action
b) Reflection on-action
c) Reflection during-action
d) Reflection post-action
Reference:
Answer key:
Pre-test:
1. B
2. B
3. B
4. C
5. B
Post-test
1. B
2. B
3. D
4. B
5. B
CHAPTER IV: REFLECTIVE TEACHING
Lesson 3: Processing Questions for Reflective Teaching
Discussion
Pre-test
Direction: Write T if the statement is TRUE and F if the statement is FALSE
Introduction
Reflective teaching is a vital process that encourages educators to critically assess their
instructional methods and student engagement. By systematically analyzing their teaching
experiences, educators can identify effective strategies, recognize challenges, and make informed
adjustments to enhance student learning outcomes. This reflective practice not only fosters
professional growth but also cultivates a positive classroom environment where students feel
valued and engaged. Through the use of guided reflective questions, educators can gain deeper
insights into their teaching practices, ultimately leading to improved educational experiences for
both themselves and their students. This lesson aims to explore the key components of reflective
teaching and provide tools for effective self-assessment.
Summary
This discussion on reflective teaching emphasizes the importance of self-assessment in enhancing
educational practices. By utilizing structured reflective questions, educators can critically evaluate their
lesson goals, instructional strategies, student engagement, and overall learning outcomes. Key aspects
include recognizing what worked well, identifying challenges faced during lessons, and adapting teaching
methods to meet diverse student needs. The process fosters a positive classroom environment and builds
rapport with students, ultimately contributing to their academic success. Through continuous reflection,
educators can make informed improvements, ensuring that their teaching methods align with students'
learning preferences and promote deeper understanding of the material.
Post-test
4. Building positive relationships with students can enhance their learning experience.
5. After reflecting on a lesson, a teacher should not change their teaching methods.
Reference
• Group 4. (n.d.). Reflective teaching [PowerPoint presentation]. SlideShare. Retrieved September
18, 2024, from [Link]
266716346
• Korthagen, F., & Vasalos, A. (2005). Reflections on reflective teaching: A case study. In
Reflective teaching and teacher development (Chapter 4). Routledge.
Answer key:
Pre-test:
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. F
5. F
Post-test:
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F