Increased professionalism in teaching comes from reflective practice. Teachers who think metacognitively about what works for them, and what needs improvement, become more thoughtful in their day-to-day implementation of instructional strategies and classroom management techniques. Approaching one's own teaching from an action research stance allows teachers to objectively pinpoint areas that interest them and that need work. The following methods are suggested for incorporating more systematic reflection into the teaching day.
Reflective Journals and Lesson Plans
A reflective journal is where teachers record daily events and their reactions to them, with the focus on instructional practices, classroom management, student issues, or other professional observations. It is important to also note any gut feelings about the situations that are observed. For ongoing issues, make notes in the journal of strategies that have been tried and the results, and people or other resources that can be used for help.
Reflective lesson plans follow a specific format. Fold paper lengthwise and on the left list the steps in the lesson, and on the right, make notes about what occurred each point of the lesson. These provide an opportunity for a more focused look at teaching strategies or recurring problems learners may be having, and may be done systematically, one content area a day or week, to ensure that reflections are spread across the instructional day.
Videotaped Lessons and Peer Conferences
Teachers often feel self-conscious when videotaped, but few methods provide a comparable opportunity for reflection. Ideally, if two like-minded teachers are able to partner for the videotaping process, some of that pressure is removed, and teachers can concentrate on general observation or a specific watch for certain behaviors, such as gender bias or questioning skills. If videotaping is not available, partner for lesson observations and let the other teacher know what to watch for.
Peer conferences also provide time for reflection. Small groups meet regularly to share successes and to raise issues they may be struggling with. They discuss strategies they've used successfully and offer suggestions on what to try next. The emphasis is on problem-solving and on helping each other become more reflective and strategic in teaching.
Student Input and Lesson Evaluations
Students are often the best at providing honest feedback on teaching. Providing K-12 students with times for regular input can be valuable. For example, giving students a choice on projects and then asking them why and how they made those choices, as well as for suggestions, provides feedback on the types of learners they are, the type of work they enjoy, and the type of instruction that is most beneficial for them.
Students can also provide structured evaluations of specific lessons, and when given the right prompts can be very insightful about what needs to be done to strengthen instruction. Asking students for a positive comment, a negative comment, and a helpful suggestion, for example, is a simple way to discover what worked and what needs improvement. General prompts could also be posted and students could choose two or three to respond to after lessons.
Reflective practice helps teachers improve instruction and classroom management, but it may help them avoid burn-out, too. Because reflection provides time for calm review of the day's happenings, self-reinforcement of things that worked, and space for devising strategies for improvement, it puts the teacher in control and allows them to grow professionally from their own expertise, daily experience, and understanding of what students need.
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