Term 4 Week Four: Reflective practice as a way of thinking about teaching.

-

"...a practitioner (who) does not reflect, ... is inattentive to the limits of his actions." (Schön, 1982, p. 282).


Schön argued that teaching is not "a method but an art". He postulated that the "artful teacher" will find a way to solve the problems of his students by looking at himself, stating that a teacher will invent new methods to "develop in himself the ability of discovering them".

Schön put forward a novel approach, the idea of "reflection-in-practice" and "reflection-on-practice" in which the researcher becomes a part of the practice, allowing the proceedings of practice to continue, thereby confirming the legitimacy of the practice.


This approach is based on the teacher demonstrating a "tacit knowing-in-action" which reflects an intuitive understanding of everyday actions. Schön suggested that the reflective practitioner endeavours to make sense of the issues which he or she encounters through the reflective process on the understandings which are implicit in his actions - understanding the surface issue, a critical evaluation of the issue, restructuring it and then embodying the reflection in further action. This, Schön argued, is "an art".

The reflective practitioner moves beyond the idea of "knowing" about practice. Where the knowing practitioner will be spontaneous in action, there may be no reflection and therefore no awareness of the learning process. Schön argued that the reflective practitioner is able to correct the practice while in action and can make sense of the experience through the artistic and intuitive process of this theory.

He clarified this point by showing that the "doing and thinking are complementary". He illustrated this interaction as a continual interweaving of thought and practice. The process does not have an end. He believed that "when a practitioner does not reflect, he is inattentive to the limits of his actions".


If we examine the role of the teacher in creating a critically responsive teaching environment, we can see how teaching can be guided by three leitmotifs of reflection: experiential, inspirational and practical. The value of feedback in providing help and affirmation to learners can show how resistance to learning may be overcome through the use of reflective and formative evaluation practices.

Critical reflection is the hopeful activity that a critically reflective teacher could use to transfer power over students to power with the students, and in the process generate a learning climate in which critical conversation can occur and lead to greater learning opportunities. The voices of this dialogue, the teacher and the learner, are both empowered by the reflective process.



As we gather feedback from our students, we should consider how we have approached the year and whether we have created the opportunity for critical reflection in our classes and whether the learning environment that we have developed will allow the stunts to comment honestly on their experiences – have they been experiential, inspirational and practical? Will you be able to build on them as you finish this year and begin the preparation for 2015?



See Donald Schön and Steven Brookfield for more on these ideas.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Term 4 Week 6: Collective & Individual Intelligence

-
Thank you for your collective contribution to the discussion on Friday – it had me thinking about the power of collective thought which led to this article: Is Collective Intelligence Like Individual Intelligence? by Tom Atlee (2003). The article follows. The capacities I explore here are perception, communication, memory, reflection, problem-solving, creativity, implementation, and feedback. They are listed in a loose order (we perceive first, then think about what we saw, then implement what we decide, etc.). Keep in mind, however, that these capacities are not really separate or linear. Most of them are deeply involved in each other's functioning. But I think you will find it interesting to explore them separately with me here... PERCEPTION - Seeing, hearing, feeling, etc. -- these are different ways we absorb information from our environment, or gather it from within ourselves. This information is the foundation for everything we do with our intelligence. HOW DO WE DO THIS CO...
Read more

Classroom Focus: Learning Styles, revisited

-
As teachers we recognize that each person prefers different learning styles and techniques. Learning styles group common ways that people learn. Everyone has a mix of learning styles. Some people may find that they have a dominant style of learning, with far less use of the other styles. Others may find that they use different styles in different circumstances. There is no right mix. Nor are learning styles fixed. Students can develop ability in less dominant styles, as well as further develop styles that they already use well. Traditional schooling tends to use mainly linguistic and logical teaching methods. It also uses a relatively limited range of learning and teaching techniques, although this paradigm is changing as we move forward. Many schools still rely on classroom and book/document/website sourced teaching, much repetition, and pressured exams for reinforcement and review. A result is that we often label those who use these learning styles and techniques as "bright....
Read more

Classroom Focus: Making considered choices

-
Taking action in ways that address identified issues. This competency is about being actively involved in communities. Communities include family, whānau, and school and those based, for example, on a common interest or culture. They may be drawn together for purposes such as learning, work, celebration, or recreation. They may be local, national, or global. This competency includes a capacity to contribute appropriately as a group member, to make connections with others, and to create opportunities for others in the group. Students who participate and contribute in communities have a sense of belonging and the confidence to participate within new contexts. They understand the importance of balancing rights, roles, and responsibilities and of contributing to the quality and sustainability of social, cultural, physical, and economic environments. The future of this competency is to reflect on the sorts of learning students might need to access if they are to be and become "confiden...
Read more