Consider the following reflection from a university course in Education. Note that this particular reflection had a word limit of 200-550 words, and students were instructed to reflect on the idea of being a critically reflective teacher. Stephen Brookfield (1995), in his analysis of why critical reflection is important to teaching, suggests that “an uncritical stance towards our practice sets us up for a lifetime of frustration” (para 2). He suggests this is because teachers can have a different view of their classrooms to what is actually going on: they are unaware. This contradiction fascinates me. While on my prac placements, I was particularly conscious of this – lessons that I thought to be fantastic or boring, when looked at through a critical eye, turned out to be the opposite, or at least more in the middle. It was frustrating, to say the least. What we had learnt in our education theory courses didn’t quite match up to real-life experience. Having my supervisor give me notes at the end really helped me in evaluating my teaching and planning the next lesson. This, coupled with my own observations of my students allowed me to more closely align what Brookfield would call the “meaning and significance” (para 2) I intended for the lesson to what the students took from it. While being observed sometimes felt a bit “big brother” and sometimes just embarrassing, I have no doubt that it made me a better teacher. These kinds of ‘learning processes’ throughout a teaching career are important because they force us to revaluate our practice; to, in effect, become aware. Brookfield, S. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco, LA: Jossey-Bass. Which of the following sections of the text does the student talk about the significance of the event or experience? Check two options.
A.
What we had learnt in our education theory courses didn’t quite match up to real-life experience. Having my supervisor give me notes at the end really helped me in evaluating my teaching and planning the next lesson. This, coupled with my own observations of my students allowed me to more closely align what Brookfield would call the “meaning and significance” (para 2) I intended for the lesson to what the students took from it.
B.
Stephen Brookfield (1995), in his analysis of why critical reflection is important to teaching, suggests that “an uncritical stance towards our practice sets us up for a lifetime of frustration” (para 2). He suggests this is because teachers can have a different view of their classrooms to what is actually going on: they are unaware. This contradiction fascinates me.
C.
While on my prac placements, I was particularly conscious of this – lessons that I thought to be fantastic or boring, when looked at through a critical eye, turned out to be the opposite, or at least more in the middle. It was frustrating, to say the least.
D.
While being observed sometimes felt a bit “big brother” and sometimes just embarrassing, I have no doubt that it made me a better teacher. These kinds of ‘learning processes’ throughout a teaching career are important because they force us to re-evaluate our practice; to, in effect, become aware.