Professional Reflection

Liz LeeRichard Taunton Sixth Form

College

Objectives

Explore the reasons for professional reflection

Identify opportunities for reflection

Consider next steps

When things don’t go as planned…

What is reflection

Reflection involves "a state of doubt, hesitation, perplexity, or

mental difficulty, in which thinking originates".

(Dewey, 1933)

Why reflect? The ability to reflect is the hallmark of

professional practice (Schön, 1983) Without critical reflection, teaching will remain at

best uninformed, and at worst ineffective, prejudiced and constraining (Hillier, 2002)

We can question our routine, convenient, everyday practices and ask questions about what really does and doesn’t work. (Crawley, 2005)

Professional development which begins in the classroom

Kolb’s learning cycle

Concrete Experience = DOING Reflective Observation =

REFLECTING Abstract Conceptualisation =

EVALUATING Active Experimentation = LEARNING

Have you ever said…

“My lesson went well" or "My students didn't seem to understand" or "My students were so badly behaved today.“

Time to reflect….In pairs, consider an occasion when you

have said one of the above

Now explain WHY you think this was the case

Why did the lesson go so well? What did you do? How did you engage students?

What it was the students didn’t understand? Why is was hard for them to understand? How can you remedy this?

What were students doing when they were misbehaving? When and why did this happen?

Sometimes we only notice the obvious, hear the loudest…reflective teaching requires a more systematic process of collecting, recording and analysing our thoughts and observations, as well as those of our students, and then going on to making changes.

How to begin the process

Why start? A response to a particular problem that has

arisen with a class/student Discover more about your own teaching

strengths/weaknesses Focus on a feature of your teaching

dealing with misbehaviours…or with students who contribute little in class

The first step is to gather information about what happens in the class. 

Collecting information

Peer observation Student feedback Recording lessons (audio/visual) Blogging

Blogging 1 Teacher diary / Blog

http://createinnovateexplore.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/the-creative-process/

“The Creative ProcessReflecting on my own practice has led me to consider what it is to be a creative practitioner, and the impact this might have on my learners. I’ve become PowerPoint adverse and in the last few years thought increasing about how and why the classroom activities I choose have had such a positive impact, not only results, but on the aspirations and creativity of my learners. I believe strongly in modelling positive behaviours, which includes not only working hard and resilience, but also more abstract concepts such as creativity, and the importance of play to learning – not matter how old the learner. Having undertaking some research I found a model by Pilskha, (2009) that was presented in a linear fashion, and I have reworked this to reproduce a model that I recognise in terms of trying to produce creative lessons that will foster positive learner characteristics as well as aid higher ordering skills for exams.”

Blogging 2 Teacher diary / Blog

http://jaffacakesandcoffeebreaks.blogspot.co.uk/

Tuesday, 5 July 2011Newly Qualified Teacher Today marked an important milestone in my career: I have completed my NQT year and my two years with The Programme. With my portfolio signed off, my final report filed and graduation from The Programme on Friday, I can't quite believe the changes the last year has brought.

To be honest, I can't bring myself to read previous blogs. Last year I was miserable but on the mend. I didn't enjoy teaching and I couldn't see myself going back to teaching in September. I'd survived the hardest year of my life, both personally and professionally, and felt knocked down time and time again.

Now - well, what a change. This year has seen my career metamorphose from a caterpillar of shit into, not quite a beautiful butterfly but, at least a majestic moth.

Yes, school is hard. Teaching is hard. Whoever tells you differently has either never done it or never worked with students who don't want to learn, in an institution with high standards.

How does this link with CPD?

Reflection forms crucial part of CPD

Ensures you are actively involved in your development

Passive observation no longer an option

Exam board

training

Curriculum

support group

meetings

Moodle/IT training

Formal training

WorkShadowing

Online learning (includes forums)

Watching videos/TV

programmes

Reading articles

Attending conference

s

Teaching others how to use ILT What

counts as

CPD?

Peer observation

EQR training

Action resear

ch

Become a subject learning

coach

Become an examiner

Job swap

Chairing meetings

Teachmeet

How do I start?

1. Assess What do I want

to achieve? What do I need

to learn?(Link to lesson

obs/appraisal) How will I learn

it?

2. Plan What activities will

help me achieve my aim?

Where can I access these activities?

What preparation do I need to have completed?

Assess Plan ReflectLog

Using resources

Ask Geoff! http://www.ifl.ac.uk/cpd/cpd-guidan

ce-and-resources/ask-geoff/geoffs-answers/keeping-noise-levels-down

TED Talks http://

www.ted.com/talks/tyler_dewitt_hey_science_teachers_make_it_fun.html

Teachmeet http://

teachmeet.pbworks.com/w/page/19975349/FrontPage

How do I start?

3. Reflect (GROW) Goals – what do I want

to achieve? Reality – What do I

need? Why haven’t I done it before?

Options – what are the possibilities? Can others offer suggestions?

Will - how will I apply it in practice?

4. Log - should contain answers to the following:

What professional development activities have I undertaken this year?

Have I reflected on the learning have gained from these activities?

Have the activities and the reflection made a difference to how I teach?

Can I show evidence of what the difference is and the impact it has made to learners, colleagues or the organisation in which I work?

Log it...Date Name of activity Why was this activity

carried out?What was learned? How will learning be

used?Further action needed?

28 & 29.1.13

Peer Review of partner college

To assess quality processes and offer feedback to SMT

Planning cross college assessments; alternatives methods of presenting college data

To improve my own planning techniques; to improve practices in my own college

Just need to do it!

Feb –May2013

Ofsted training (in house) To increase awareness of Ofsted requirements and so be able to prepare optimally for next inspection

More effective use of ProAchieve for analysis of data; importance of explicit judgements; need for honestly in reflection of own practice and results

To write course reviews and SAR more effectively

Continued analysis of data via ProAchieve to ensure competent use

28.2.13 Brief Interventions (alcohol awareness training)

To improve recognition of signs of alcohol use in students and gain strategies to discuss alcohol related issues with students.

Important of non-judgemental approach when counselling students. Importance of addressing the issue rather than ignoring it.

Has been used many times during lesson (esp H & SC) when students talk about their plans for the weekend/drinking habits; also applies to drug use.

Keep up to date with new drinks/drugs students

22.3.13 New strategies in T & L College Inset gain aimed at introducing strategies used by schools to improve T & L

Building learning Power, Guided Learning; Lazy Teacher etc workshops where methods for more effective differentiation and building students’ resilience and independence discussed

Used ideas from Building Learning Power already in lessons in helping students to find out for them selves rather than rely on me for answer when researching.

Planning to use Guided learning more explicitly.

So, what are you going to do next?

Discuss with your mentor Discuss with your line manager

(as part of appraisal) Plan your future Reflect on your practice

Thank you