Becoming a great teacher is a complex journey, especially for student teachers during their hands-on training. One important part of this journey is called reflective practice. This process helps teachers think about their classroom experiences, understand what they learn from them, and find ways to improve their teaching.
There are several helpful models for reflective practice that support student teachers as they grow. In this article, we'll explore three key models: Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, Schön's Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action, and Brookfield's Four Lenses. Each of these models gives student teachers a different way to look at their experiences and grow into better educators.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is one of the most popular models in education. Created by Graham Gibbs in 1988, it has six steps that guide teachers in thinking about their learning experiences:
Description: In this first step, the student teacher describes what happened during a lesson. They might talk about their lesson plan, how the class went, student reactions, and any surprises.
Feelings: Next, student teachers think about their emotions during the lesson. Understanding their feelings helps them connect their emotions to their teaching, recognizing both successes and challenges they faced.
Evaluation: In this step, student teachers look at what worked well and what didn’t. Evaluating both the good and the bad helps them find important insights about how they teach and manage the classroom.
Analysis: Here, teachers think about why things happened the way they did. They can consider how effective their teaching methods were, reflect on feedback from others, and think about bigger educational ideas related to their experience.
Conclusion: In this step, student teachers figure out what they learned from their analysis. They identify specific lessons that will help them improve in the future, like better ways to engage students or deepen their subject knowledge.
Action Plan: Finally, student teachers create a plan for how to apply what they learned in future lessons. This step makes sure that reflection is not just an exercise but a tool for continuous improvement.
By using Gibbs' model, student teachers can take a closer look at their experiences, helping them to grow as educators.
In contrast to Gibbs' structured plan, Donald Schön's ideas about Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action offer a more flexible way to reflect on teaching. Schön introduced these ideas in his book, "The Reflective Practitioner" in 1983.
Reflection-in-Action: This concept is about thinking on your feet while teaching. For example, if a lesson doesn't seem to connect with students, they can make quick changes to their teaching approach right away. This helps them stay aware of what their students need at the moment.
Reflection-on-Action: This type of reflection happens after the lesson is over. Here, student teachers think about what happened, what could have been done differently, and deepens their understanding of teaching. This kind of reflection often involves talking with mentors or peers to gain new perspectives.
Schön’s approach encourages teachers to be mindful of their experiences both while teaching and afterward.
Another helpful model is Brookfield's Four Lenses. In his book, "Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher" (1995), Brookfield emphasizes the importance of looking at teaching experiences from different perspectives:
The Teacher's Lens: This perspective is all about the teacher's thoughts, values, and beliefs about their teaching. By looking at their own views critically, teachers can identify any biases or areas they need to work on.
The Students' Lens: Here, student teachers think about how their students see their teaching. Gathering feedback from students—through chats, surveys, or observations—helps them adjust their teaching to better meet student needs.
The Colleagues' Lens: Learning from other teachers is important for growth. By observing peers or discussing their lessons, student teachers can gain fresh insights and useful advice to improve their teaching.
The Theoretical Lens: Finally, educators should think about how their experiences relate to educational theories and research. Understanding these connections can deepen their reflections and help them make informed choices in their teaching.
By using Brookfield's Four Lenses, student teachers can reflect holistically, recognizing that many factors influence their teaching.
Using these reflective models not only helps student teachers during their hands-on training but also helps them develop a mindset for lifelong learning. Reflective practice enhances important skills like critical thinking, adaptability, and empathy, which benefit teachers in and out of the classroom.
Engaging in reflection increases self-confidence among student teachers. By recognizing their strengths and areas to improve, they become more willing to take risks in their teaching. This cycle of reflection, growth, and confidence keeps repeating, creating better educators.
In summary, reflective practice is a vital part of the teaching journey, especially for student teachers. Models like Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, Schön's Reflective Practice, and Brookfield's Four Lenses offer valuable support. Each model brings unique ideas and highlights the importance of engaging with experiences critically.
By using these reflective practices in their daily teaching, student teachers can turn their experiences into tools for growth. This journey helps them become thoughtful and adaptable educators, ready to meet the diverse needs of their students and committed to continuous improvement.
Becoming a great teacher is a complex journey, especially for student teachers during their hands-on training. One important part of this journey is called reflective practice. This process helps teachers think about their classroom experiences, understand what they learn from them, and find ways to improve their teaching.
There are several helpful models for reflective practice that support student teachers as they grow. In this article, we'll explore three key models: Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, Schön's Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action, and Brookfield's Four Lenses. Each of these models gives student teachers a different way to look at their experiences and grow into better educators.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle is one of the most popular models in education. Created by Graham Gibbs in 1988, it has six steps that guide teachers in thinking about their learning experiences:
Description: In this first step, the student teacher describes what happened during a lesson. They might talk about their lesson plan, how the class went, student reactions, and any surprises.
Feelings: Next, student teachers think about their emotions during the lesson. Understanding their feelings helps them connect their emotions to their teaching, recognizing both successes and challenges they faced.
Evaluation: In this step, student teachers look at what worked well and what didn’t. Evaluating both the good and the bad helps them find important insights about how they teach and manage the classroom.
Analysis: Here, teachers think about why things happened the way they did. They can consider how effective their teaching methods were, reflect on feedback from others, and think about bigger educational ideas related to their experience.
Conclusion: In this step, student teachers figure out what they learned from their analysis. They identify specific lessons that will help them improve in the future, like better ways to engage students or deepen their subject knowledge.
Action Plan: Finally, student teachers create a plan for how to apply what they learned in future lessons. This step makes sure that reflection is not just an exercise but a tool for continuous improvement.
By using Gibbs' model, student teachers can take a closer look at their experiences, helping them to grow as educators.
In contrast to Gibbs' structured plan, Donald Schön's ideas about Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action offer a more flexible way to reflect on teaching. Schön introduced these ideas in his book, "The Reflective Practitioner" in 1983.
Reflection-in-Action: This concept is about thinking on your feet while teaching. For example, if a lesson doesn't seem to connect with students, they can make quick changes to their teaching approach right away. This helps them stay aware of what their students need at the moment.
Reflection-on-Action: This type of reflection happens after the lesson is over. Here, student teachers think about what happened, what could have been done differently, and deepens their understanding of teaching. This kind of reflection often involves talking with mentors or peers to gain new perspectives.
Schön’s approach encourages teachers to be mindful of their experiences both while teaching and afterward.
Another helpful model is Brookfield's Four Lenses. In his book, "Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher" (1995), Brookfield emphasizes the importance of looking at teaching experiences from different perspectives:
The Teacher's Lens: This perspective is all about the teacher's thoughts, values, and beliefs about their teaching. By looking at their own views critically, teachers can identify any biases or areas they need to work on.
The Students' Lens: Here, student teachers think about how their students see their teaching. Gathering feedback from students—through chats, surveys, or observations—helps them adjust their teaching to better meet student needs.
The Colleagues' Lens: Learning from other teachers is important for growth. By observing peers or discussing their lessons, student teachers can gain fresh insights and useful advice to improve their teaching.
The Theoretical Lens: Finally, educators should think about how their experiences relate to educational theories and research. Understanding these connections can deepen their reflections and help them make informed choices in their teaching.
By using Brookfield's Four Lenses, student teachers can reflect holistically, recognizing that many factors influence their teaching.
Using these reflective models not only helps student teachers during their hands-on training but also helps them develop a mindset for lifelong learning. Reflective practice enhances important skills like critical thinking, adaptability, and empathy, which benefit teachers in and out of the classroom.
Engaging in reflection increases self-confidence among student teachers. By recognizing their strengths and areas to improve, they become more willing to take risks in their teaching. This cycle of reflection, growth, and confidence keeps repeating, creating better educators.
In summary, reflective practice is a vital part of the teaching journey, especially for student teachers. Models like Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, Schön's Reflective Practice, and Brookfield's Four Lenses offer valuable support. Each model brings unique ideas and highlights the importance of engaging with experiences critically.
By using these reflective practices in their daily teaching, student teachers can turn their experiences into tools for growth. This journey helps them become thoughtful and adaptable educators, ready to meet the diverse needs of their students and committed to continuous improvement.