Why is it important for the practitioner to reflect on practice?

Question

in a childcare setting?

Answer 1

Self reflection is crucial in furthering your teaching skills. Actually, self reflection is a good habit in every day life and in all jobs.

As a teacher, self reflection gives you a chance to take a look at what works and what doesn't. You need to ask yourself questions such as, in what ways have a succeed in the classroom and in what ways can i improve? In my classroom (it's a state run pre-k classroom), we are always setting and reevaluating goals for our children in collaboration with their parents. When looking at a child's goals, as a teacher, I self reflect on the lessons I have been doing and what I can do to help each child in my class reach his/her maximum potential and goals.

Each year, we are evaluated and observed throughout. After, as a teacher, I set my own goals for self improvement.

Especially in the education field, self reflection can make or break success. There are constant changes in the classroom that require daily adaptations. Plus, there is always new research coming out about best practices. It is important to read and weigh out the benefits of new research. When you self reflect, you can see how to adapt your classroom to meet the ever changing demands of the education of your children.

Here's a good article on the value of self reflection:

http://k6educators.about.com/od/professi...

Answer 2

-Ensure 'best practice'

-Make sure they are following CURRENT legislations and proceedures.

-To highlight areas of improvement

-Boost moral when things are going well.

-to see what training may be neccessary

-To see if equipment and layout are working.

-As part of the agreement with OFSTED (if registered)-called 'self-evaluation'.

Book that may support study:

NVQ 4 and 5 study guide-Macleod-Brudenell (I think)

Answer 3

Because it will improve his/her teaching.  A good teacher will always reflect on the lesson to see if it was successful or not.  To assess whether the students learned what they were supposed to.  Without reflecting on your teaching, you are failing the students and not fulfilling your moral obligation as a teacher to teach to the best of your abilities.

Sports players watch endless hours of video of their past performances to see where they messed up, where they did well, where they need to improve, what impact a certain move had on the play and eventually the game.  Teachers should absolutely be doing the same thing.

Answer 4

I agree with Karen and would like to add that when "reflecting", think of the different teaching styles you observe.  I think it is a tendency to form a mission statement,  based on what it is that you find to be personally engaging, and forget to seek out divergence.  " Even a broken clock is correct twice a day."  is a proverb my mentor taught me. I think that when any teacher is at his/her best is when, through discovery, exploration and reflection, they see the strengths in others.  I thought I had it all figured out until I reflected and realized that I never will. You can learn a lot by learning you have a lot to learn.