How to Become a Reflective Teacher

 Becoming a reflective teacher means being open-minded to suggestions, perspectives, changes, and making adaptations. It’s about becoming a better professional and a better person by learning from errors and making corrections. It means to grow wise in one’s classroom and campus environment and being willing to share this knowledge with peers.

There are some days when the last thing we want to do is think about our day at work. The sooner we forget, the better, or so it seems. But as teachers, sometimes these are the best opportunities to consider what went wrong and what could be corrected. So let’s reflect on what it means to be a reflective teacher. A reflective teacher should:

• Consider multiple perspectives
• Recognize strengths and weaknesses
• Be open-minded
• Take time to be insightful about a student, a lesson, a skill, a teaching technique, or a new program

 One idea for reflecting on lessons is to leave a notes space on your lesson plans. At the end of the day or the end of the week, make note of what went well, what didn’t work, or add any additional ideas that came to mind on the spur of the moment. I use colorful sticky notes or a red pen to make my notations, punch holes the plans for the week, and then store them in a three-ring binder. With each new year reflect on the old lesson plans. Granted, every teacher knows no group of students is ever the same from one year to the next, and as hard as we might try, the curriculum is never exactly the same year after year, but adjustments can be made to accommodate new groups and new activities.

 A second opportunity to reflect is with students at the end of a lesson. Ask students to share what they enjoyed most about the learning experience and what they would do differently. Ask what they remember from the lesson and what helped them to remember. As mentioned with lesson plans, every new group of students has different needs and come to your classroom with different experiences. If you can figure out how they enjoy learning then you can adjust your lessons to keep their interest and advance their knowledge. As instructors, as teachers, we must do what best meets the needs of our students.

Colleagues are also a great help when it comes to becoming a reflective teacher. Ask if you might observe their classroom or if they might stop by to observe you in yours. Perhaps you feel you have issues with your lesson cycle or classroom management. Whatever the case, mention your concerns to your colleague so that they might be aware what to watch for while you teach. If you are visiting other classrooms, take notes on what you see. Ideas pop up without warning and you’d hate to miss latching on to a good one. Afterwards, take time to discuss your findings. Listen to their criticism and try to offer constructive criticism for them to use. Reflective teaching is about discovery. Build upon what you’ve learned.

 In addition, department meetings, district meetings, and conferences are a final way to become a reflective teacher. Take time to interact and learn from fellow teachers, even if you don’t teach the same subject or grade level. The key is to open your mind to learning something new from a new perspective rather than refusing to change your frame of mind. What can you try to help you with instruction, planning, classroom management, meeting the needs of all students, or even motivation? Not every new program or teaching technique is successful one hundred percent of the time, but concentrate on discovering something you can use. It’s all about attitude.

Finally, take five or ten minutes each day to keep a journal of what you’ve learned about your day as a professional. Teachers must juggle so many responsibilities each day in addition to teaching students that we’re often caught up in the midst of our obligations and forget to help ourselves. Journal writing is a reflective task. In this way becoming a reflective teacher can also help you reduce your stress level and help you focus on the celebrations and work in progress from your day’s experiences, which in turn could help you become more productive and organized. If writing is not for you then reflect on your day while you exercise, while you do house chores, or even while driving home. Relax your mind and consider the possibilities.

 Becoming a reflective teacher is about traveling that road to self-evaluation. How can you become a better teacher? What could you do to help students understand? Being a teacher does not mean standing firm with one system, one way, one frame of mind; it means knowing when it’s time to change and adapt. There are various strategies to becoming a reflective teacher. Try one or try them all, but try. The destination is worth the journey.

http://www.aft.org/pdfs/teachers/principlesprodev0502.pdf

http://www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/TYC_V3N4_Reflectiveteacherexpanded.pdf

http://webserver3.ascd.org/ossd/reflection.html

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