Discussion 1
1.
After reading the articles, what new understandings do you have about becoming a reflective teacher?
Before this article I had never heard the term reflective teaching, but it helped me understand why it's important and gave me a new perspective on
teaching. Taking the time to reflect and analyze my teaching skills helps identify more than just what worked and what didn't. When reflecting, I can start to challenge the underlying skills, practices, and beliefs that define the way that I work. It will help promote a more positive learning environment in my classroom. When reflecting on our practices and awareness of teaching increases, we can then unlearn the ineffective teaching methods we have known.
2. What challenges do these ideas pose for your work?
Some challenges could be lack of time. In this field there is so much to do and not enough time. I constantly find myself trying to find time for various things like lesson planning, organizing the classroom, and preparing activities and necessities for the classroom. So fitting in time in busy schedules to reflect on our own teaching may be hard. Another challenge could be being closed to feedback. Some people don't take feedback or criticism very well and it may be hard to sit there and criticize your own teaching methods. Lastly another challenge could be personal biases. We all have them, but I think they do effect our teaching practices even if we dont realize so It might be hard to look past them.
3. What next steps might you take in becoming a reflective teacher?
Some next steps for me to take would be including reflection on the lesson plan. Including it on the lesson plan would help figure out the challenge of a lack of time for it. Another step I will definitely use is a reflective journal. Keeping a notebook within reaching distance so I can write down comments and observations any time during my lesson (or shortly afterwards). My notes might include highlights of activities and our centers that worked well, errors that need to be adjusted, and stuff that simply failed
and needs to be reworked or cut out completely. If you're someone who doesn't write out stuff very well or it's hard to think back and write in a journal a reflection checklist could be for you or even videotaping yourself and going back and reflecting.
