Activity 3: ​​Responses to Finlay, L. Reflecting on reflective practice. (2008) article

I have always found the act of reflection difficult. It's value is often tarnished depending upon the moment - a bad day and I am overly judgmental of my performance, a good day and I lose my perspective and miss 'clues'. Although I have always thought of myself as being a reflective practitioner, it is something that I invariably am reluctant to share and am aware that, like many others, I am uncomfortable about the peer feedback I may receive.

In this article Finlay (page 16) suggests four guiding principles for effective reflection in educators:

* present reflective practice(s) with care 

* provide adequate support, time, resources, opportunities and methods for reflection 

* develop skills of critical analysis 

* take proper account of the context of reflection.

The second of these is often the most problematic in a school setting. As the teacher load gets heavier with each passing year reflection is something which often gets set aside as an added extra! Resources are also stretched at schools, so the support is reliant often on people who are feeling their own way with reflection.

Boud and Walker (1998) also identify that not all educational establishments are as supportive as they should be of reflection as a powerful tool. They suggest that educators need to work harder to create ground rules so that negative influences do not creep in. The introduction of the new criteria for judging teacher competence, appraisal and attestation leans heavily on the teacher's ability to reflect and present evidence of their own practice.

“Unless teachers develop the practice of critical reflection, they stay trapped in unexamined judgments, interpretations, assumptions, and expectations. Approaching teaching as a reflective practitioner involves fusing personal beliefs and values into a professional identity” (Larrivee, 2000, p.293)

So it is imperative to develop the skills in depth to become a more skilled practitioner.

Schon (1983) Identifies that the new practitioner has to take time to reflect on lessons, usually at the end of the day and that it is a 'nuts and bolts' process of surface features which have or haven't worked and need adaptation. Whereas the experienced practitioner with a higher level of metacognition is able to adapt their practice whilst in motion. Certainly as a Beginning Teacher I spent time each day recording my thoughts, whilst now I find myself adapting in the moment - being better able to read the signs of interest or lack of.

The model which I personally find the most effective for it's brevity, effectiveness and perceptiveness is most closely allied to (Quinn, 2000, p.82)

• retrospection: i.e. thinking back about a situation or experience; 

• self-evaluation, i.e. critically analysing and evaluating the actions and feelings associated with the experience, using theoretical perspectives;  

• reorientation, i.e. using the results of self-evaluation to influence future approaches to similar situations or experiences. 
(Quinn, 2000, p.82). 

This in turn ties in with the simpler and concise:

                   
                       (Outward Bound) from Burton in 'Reach, Teach and Touch'.

The advantage of using this is that it can be modelled easily for the level that I teach at. We expect our children to reflect on their learning so it is important that we can scaffold methods of them doing so. By asking for their feedback for your teaching based on the same model you are using, the similarities/ discrepancies in perceptions become blindingly obvious.

My greatest area of reflection, prompted by the course, has been in my Leadership style. Having applied this model to my reflections I have been able to see a clear way forward to help advance teacher development and communication. I aim to use the Servant Leader model more astutely, only when required for support and to start to ask the harder questions when asking teachers for reflection on their own practice. 

References:

Boud, D. and Walker, D. (1998) Promoting reflection in professionals courses: the challenge of    
   context. Studies in Higher Education, 23(2), 191-206. 

Larrivee, B. (2000) Transforming teaching practice: becoming the critically reflective teacher,   

    Reflective Practice, 1(3), 293-307.

Quinn, F.M. (1988/2000) Reflection and reflective practice. In C.Davies, L.Finlay and A. Bullman   

     (eds.) Changing practice in health and social care. London: Sage. (Original work published in   
     1988 and reproduced in 2000). 

Schon, D.A. (1983) The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic Books.

   Uploaded by MindLab (2015) Reflection Models. Retrieved from: 
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt0-2nucCMI