Within this assignment I will start with a brief outline of what reflection is and propose a rationale for engaging in reflection. I will then identify three key themes that featured in my reflective journal and explore these using theoretical models and critical analysis in relation to the development of my professional practice throughout the course and as a trainee teacher. I will then conclude with a summary of my development and identify future professional development needs.
“Reflective practice is understood as the process of learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and/or practice” (Boud et al 1985; Boyd and Fales, 1983; Mezirow, 1981, Jarvis, 1992).
Reflection has been an important feature of Teacher education for the last two decades (Dieker & Monda –Amaya, 1997; Henry, 1999; Parkay, 2000; Yost and Sentner, 2000). Many theorists, educators and philosophers have developed theories and models about reflection dating back several decades.
John Dewey was the leading educational philosopher of the late 19th and 20th centuries and his ideas are still influential in practice today, he advocated child- centred learning and emphasised the child experience as starting point for learning( Dewey,1933) Key to his philosophy was the development of reflective thinking. Dewey believed that when things don’t fit with theory or go according to plan we learn from it, seeing these events as key moments for learning and by reflecting on the perplexity of problems developed fresh insight to learning.
Like Dewey, Donald Shön (1983) believed that reflection begins in practice when teachers are faced with unique and confusing situations, he named them “the swampy lowlands of practice” (Shön, 1983). He...
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...hat has worked and what hasn’t. If a student for example is taking blood for the first time and something goes wrong, they don’t find the right vein. Reflective practise would help that student to understand what he/she done wrong while carrying out the procedure and how they could stop that from happening again. Not is only reflective practice good for pointing out the bad factors of something but can also be there for when a procedure goes exceptionally well. If a health professional finds a certain technique works better than what’s in place already, reflective practise is a good way to shear the information you found with other colleges so they can carry out that particular producer. Gibbs 1988 is an example of reflective practice, he uses six stages when doing reflective practice which include Description, feelings, evaluation, analyse, analyse and actions plan.
Reflection, as explained by Moon (2013), is the process of looking back on an event or experience and thinking about it and learning from it. Reflection, which is learning through experience, is not a new concept. As humans, we naturally reflect on our surroundings and experiences on a day to day basis in order to make sense of them. (Norman, Vleuten and Newble, 2002). In a professional context, reflation is vital for a practitioner to learn and improve their practice. By using their own experiences, practitioners are able to analysis, and in turn, adapt or improve specific areas of practice
Dewey had a holistic child in mind as he developed his theory. Dewey encouraged teachers to involve students within their learning environment (Webb, Metha, Jordan 2013). Dewey wanted each child to learn through experiential means. This meant the task at hand for teachers was to change their teaching methods and to encourage their students to play a part in their learning. This changed education by allowing students to ask questions and to learn by trying direct experiences. John Dewey wanted teachers to take on a whole new thinking process when approaching education in their classrooms. This approach was meant to get rid of the scientific approach and to embrace a new child-centered approach (Schrag 2009). A large area that Dewey influenced and continues to today is within the early education classrooms. Although Dewey helped teachers to make advancements, the Cold War brought up a new challenge; the Science and Math Education
This essay will explore the authors meaning of reflection, how various reflective styles can benefit the practitioners within their settings, and how important reflection is within Early Years Practice. According to Appleby (2010, p.10), reflection is a generic term which describes various behaviours involving feelings, and thinking about thoughts and experiences, in order to examine issues and develop, new understandings and insights. Reflection within practice allows the practitioner to develop a sense of awareness around their daily activities, and helps them to evaluate how they could evolve these activities further, if the given opportunity was to arise again. Similarly, keeping a reflective journal
John Dewey dedicated his life to improving the education system through his philosophical beliefs. Some of these beliefs include freedom of the mind and strong bonds between students and teachers. He believed that high schools did not prepare students for the real world by simply teaching the fundamentals of learning: reading, writing, and arithmetic; instead, teachers must prepare students for real-life situations. Dewey suggested that in order for students to perform to the best of their ability they should be exposed to an environment that resembles the real world. These goals should be taught in a democratic environment in which the teachers and students should have equal voices. Also, the needs of the child should be placed above anything else. Through an interdisciplinary curriculum, students could explore their environments through a curriculum that focuses on connecting multiple subjects and choosing their own paths. Unfortunately, high schools do not acknowledge Dewey’s ideals, which often results in students becoming useless members in society, receiving jobs that only have pecuniary benefit.
Reflection is the examination of personal thoughts and actions. For practitioners this could mean focusing on how they interact with colleagues, patients and their environment. For example a clinician could reflect on an experience such as a treatment or staff meeting. By reflecting on experiences such as this a clinician can get a better understanding of their own behaviour, Wilkinson (1996). Reflection is therefore a process through which practitioners get a better understanding about their strengths and areas for improvement. Schon (1991) names two forms of reflection used by clinicians; reflection on action and reflection in action.
Without agreement on what reflective practice is, it is difficult to decide on teaching‑learning strategies. Reflective practice may be a developmental learning process (Williamson 1997), may have different levels of attainment (Wellington 1996), and may be affected by a learner’s cognitive ability (James and Clarke 1994), willingness to engage in the process (Bright 1996; Haddock 1997), and orientation to change (Wellington 1996). However, there does seem to be some agreement that critical reflection consists of a process that can be taught to adults. Brookfield (1988) identified four processes central to learning how to be critically reflective: assumption analysis, contextual awareness, imaginative speculation, and reflective skepticism.
Reflection is a key element of the human learning process. It can be used to justify aspects of practice and legitimise the knowledge gained from it, as opposed to traditional forms of learning.
As it mentioned above this reflective essay is based on the main theory on Reflection, which is the Honey and Mumford’s learning styles that was developed from Kolb’s work. This is based on four stages of specific styles of learning:
Dewey's educational theories were presented in his book ‘Democracy and Education’ (1916). Dewey’s thesis is that “education and learning are social and interactive processes, and thus the school itself is a social institution through which social reform can and should take place” (Field, 2001. p.3). In addition, he believed that students bloom in an environment where they are allowed to experience and interact with the curriculum, and where all
John Dewey was one of the most influential American philosopher born in Vermont in 1859. He graduated from the University of Vermont and eventually got his Ph.D. and went on to teaching at other universities. In his book Experience and Education he talks about traditional education, the theory of experience, criteria of experience, social control, the nature of freedom, the meaning of purpose, progressive organization, and at the end he raps it up with the means and goals of education. Dewey was a well-known philosopher and his ideas travel all around during the early 20th century. He had two main principles; the principle of continuity and the principle of interaction that led to what he believed was the proper way to educated students.
Dewey’s pedagogy was one with three distinctive traits: it was democratic in that it called for pluralism. It was a follower of the scientific method in that it was a systemic approach at solving problems and forming judgments, both practical and moral. It prized directed experience as an ongoing process of means as ends and ends as means. These three traits of Dewey’s philosophy are tied to all that he wrote and thought.
Reflective practice is the process of taking a step away from the work environment and thinking about your practice, consciously analysing the decisions you make during your practice and drawing on theory, relate it to what you do in practice (The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, 2016).
Reflection within early year’s settings and schools allows for the practitioner to think about the work that is being completed either whilst doing it or after it has occurred, the reflection allows for seeing how the work has gone or whether it needs to be changed for future practice. Schön is a key writer about reflection and illustrates the differences between reflection in action, reflection on action and reflection whilst completing the task. The above critical skills help all practitioners to develop understanding as they hugely impact on others lives, if this skill is not engaged in then practice could be effected (Leeson, 2004).
The reflective dimension is the journey of self-development through a critical analysis of one’s thoughts, behaviours and values. Reflection allows you to relate your inner self to the environment around you. It encourages social responsibility and constant improvement as you learn from experience and acknowledge success. (Olckers, Gibbs & Duncan 2007: 3-4) Reflection can boost learning by stimulating awareness of our feelings and practices. This allows health professionals to cope with unfamiliar circumstances and conflicts.