Towards Becoming a Reflective Teacher

“Self-reflection is the school of wisdom.” – Baltasar Gracian

In a classroom set-up, it easier to conclude that the teacher is the one who does the teaching and the students are the ones who learn. In the traditional understanding of the teaching profession, the onus on making the students learn their lessons is on the teacher. The teacher is supposed to be an all-knowing reservoir from which the pupils draw their share of knowledge. But it is important to realize, in the present times more than ever, that the teacher is learning with the students too. Teaching is an ever evolving profession and the teacher can always strive to be a better version of oneself. Some teachers do have a reflective approach, while others don’t give much of a thought to it. Constant self reflection paired with feedback and criticism can help improve the standard of teaching.

The most basic requirement for being a reflective teacher is the virtue of humility. To be a reflective teacher is to take a stock of what one does in the classroom and to think about the pros and cons of it. A reflective teacher constantly thinks about whether a strategy works for the students or not, and if not, how to improve it. While reflecting, a teacher collects information about what goes on in the classroom. While analyzing and evaluating this new information, he/she can identify and explore one’s own practices and underlying beliefs which may lead to changes and improvements in the teaching process. Reflection is the first step towards being a professional teacher; it is the sign of professional development and it starts in the classroom.

Self reflection is a cyclical process of experience, observation, conceptualization and experimentation. It starts with a concrete experience in the classroom which not necessarily is a problem. Reflection is not a problem solving process, but rather is an activity to improve oneself. After having gone through the experience or a classroom phenomenon, the teacher reflects on the observation with carefully weighing the pros and cons and constantly referring to what went well and what did not. Based on these observations, the teacher conceptualizes the future plans and comes up with a concrete plan of action. The plan thus conceptualized is applied in the classroom and the results of which form the basis of further reflection. Therefore, for a good teacher, reflection never stops, no matter how experienced he/she is; no matter what is the level of competence one has achieved. The only aim of self reflection is the betterment of the students.

Self reflection requires an open mind. It requires a readiness and magnanimity to listen to others, to take constructive criticism and to change oneself. The teacher can assess one’s own teaching style in a number of ways. Students themselves can be asked to give explicit feedback to the teacher. If they aren’t comfortable, then a checklist of feedback can be given. The teacher can have a checklist of his own for self-assessment and reflection. Video taping of the class can be of great help to see when and how the limitations can be reduced to improve the quality. Further, one of the colleagues can be asked to observe the class to provide constructive feedback. Constant questioning of oneself on the lesson plans, preparation of the class, class delivery, communication skills, activities in the class, assessment styles etc. can help in becoming a reflective teacher.

Apart from humility and readiness to change, there are three further requirements to become a reflective teacher. They are: open-mindedness, wholeheartedness and responsibility. As a teacher, one needs to be ready to change the strategies of teaching to suit the needs of the students and the institution. It requires a wholehearted dedication and commitment towards the students. It also requires taking responsibility to one’s actions and towards one’s improvement. It is the responsibility of the teacher to make moral choices when they have to choose between the objectives and the teaching strategies. As a reflective teacher one is aware of one’s choices, actins and their consequences. The actions must have a definite and responsibly selected purpose. The teacher has an obligation to consider the consequences in relation to the students towards whom the responsibility of the teacher lies.