Being a Reflective Teacher

2652 Words11 Pages
MTL Module 2 - Reflecting on Professional Practice 2 Context: Primary, Church of England. Year 6. Mixed ability (L2-5) and mixed socio-economic background). This essay will examine the notion of reflective practice in association within the constraints of a professional teaching capacity. It will attempt to define what being a reflective teacher means, whether it is a worthwhile exercise to pursue and in practical terms, how it can be achieved. It will look at a number of different models of reflective practice put forward by educational theorists and the degree of their success. As with any model, it can only be tested on real evidence and this will be taken from my portfolio of work from my NQT year and to a lesser degree from ITT training practice. I hope to prove that being a reflective practitioner is worthwhile to your personal and teaching development, once you can establish the model and practical methodology that works within your own teaching philosophy. Before applying the theory of reflective practice to my experiences, it is important to understand what this “abstract” (Watson & Wilcox, 2000, p.58) idea means to me in my own teaching context and development. Definitions are numerous but most include a reference to critical reflection, where this can be described as “the conscious consideration of the ethical implications and consequences of teaching practice, with self-reflection, deep examination of personal beliefs, and assumptions about human potential and learning” (Larrivee, 2000, p.293). This explanation is far more accurate than others who focus merely on the practical process of reflection as being “an activity in which an experience is recalled, considered and evaluated” (Richards, 1991, p.1). If the process of being a reflective teacher is to be worthwhile, it also needs to influence future planning and teaching strategies where
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