Pre-service teachers (those training to be teachers) need to get into the habit of reflecting on their teaching. Reflection helps them understand what they’re doing well, what can improve, and how to get better at teaching. Here are some easy strategies for these new teachers to build their reflection habits.

Keep a Reflective Journal

• Write in a journal every day or week about teaching experiences.
• Focus on important moments in the classroom, decisions made, and how students reacted.
• Use questions like "What went well today?" or "What could I have done better?" to guide you.
• Look back at earlier entries to see how you’ve grown over time.

Team Up for Peer Observations

• Work with other pre-service teachers to watch each other teach.
• Afterward, talk about what went well and what could use improvement.
• Use a checklist during observations to make sure feedback is specific and helpful.

Analyze Videos of Your Teaching

• Film your teaching sessions and watch them later.
• Pay attention to things like body language, how you manage the classroom, and how engaged the students are.
• Think about the teaching strategies you used and how they worked. Consider changes for the future.

Set Goals and Reflect on Progress

• Create clear goals for your teaching, like getting more students to participate.
• After some time, think about how well you did in reaching these goals. What worked? What didn’t?
• Change your teaching methods based on your reflections for ongoing improvement.

Ask for Feedback from Mentors

• Get advice from mentor teachers after your lessons. Ask them specific questions for better feedback.
• Think about their comments—what makes sense, what you agree with, and how to use their suggestions in the future.
• Write down mentor feedback in your journal to track your growth.

Join Group Discussions

• Form or join a group with your peers to share experiences.
• Work through challenges together, giving each other feedback to learn from different viewpoints.

Use Reflection Frameworks

• Learn about reflection models like Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle.
• Use these models to break down your teaching experiences and analyze them step by step.

Get Student Feedback

• Ask students how they feel about their learning and your teaching style.
• Use simple surveys or casual chats to gather their thoughts.
• Think about how their views match your own and what changes you can make.

Notice Your Emotions

• Pay attention to how you feel during and after teaching.
• Consider why certain things make you feel strong emotions and how that relates to your teaching.
• Use these feelings to adapt your teaching methods.

Read Professional Resources

• Regularly read articles or books about teaching and reflective practices.
• Think about how these ideas can apply to your own teaching situations.
• Reflect on how what you read connects with your classroom experiences.

Make an Action Plan

• After reflecting, create a plan for how to make improvements.
• Write down clear steps to change your teaching, like trying new techniques.
• Regularly check if these changes are working and how they affect you and your students.

Celebrate Your Progress

• Take time to recognize and celebrate your successes, no matter how small.
• Have a way to mark personal milestones in your journey of reflection, building a positive view towards growth.
• This will remind you how important reflection is and keep you motivated to continue.

By using these strategies, pre-service teachers can build a strong habit of reflection. This not just helps improve their teaching, but also encourages a mindset focused on growth. Each time they analyze their experiences, they can turn challenges into learning opportunities, making their teaching time more rewarding and getting them ready for great careers in education. Through this reflective process, they will deepen their understanding of teaching, benefiting both themselves and their students.