4/5/12

Reflecting upon Reflecting

I have been  reflecting a lot on reflection. I came to the conclusion that even though I consider myself  reflective , my reflections, generally on a rush, could definitely be improved.
By on a rush, I mean, thinking about important issues in the least predictable places, or what is more, reflecting with my colleagues while walking along the playground, or answering two or three important questions at the same time...It is true that  all these instances can trigger off a lot of thinking, however, reflection deserves a better place.
I felt really enthusiastic reading my colleagues' blogs and logs and I discovered that most of the teachers were  more reflective than I imagined . Building this community, where we share our teaching strategies,thoughts, doubts, beliefs, weaknesess , queries and the interaction with my mates makes me grow. I have read in an article that teachers that explore their own teaching develop changes in atittudes and become much more aware of what is really happening and this benefits not only their professional growth but the support they provide their students with.
Working as a head gives me a different possibility. On the one hand, reflecting upon the teachers' practices and on the other hand reflecting on my performance in many different aspects: my work with the teachers, the heads, parents, sychologists, the progammes, the teachers' plans, the impact on the students'work...Sometimes I feel overwhelmed!
Keeping my reflections in black and white will help and I will feel accompanied by all the ones who feel like reading my comments.




"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action."
                                                           James Levin
 

4 comments:

  1. Ever since I first met you, back in the 90's (1995 perhaps), I noticed you were a highly reflective person. Not just the person who goes in circles, reflecting upon her practice with what she already knows assuming this is all she can do, but that type of critical reflective teacher who is forever looking out there for new answers to her queries, questioning her assumptions...

    As Brookefield (1995) states without this habit (reflecting upon our practice) we run the continual risk of making poor decisions and bad judgments. We fall into the habit of justifying what we do by reference to unchecked "common sense"...

    As you see your reflection has provoked even more reflection in me! And has pushed me to researching on my own assumptions about what I understand by reflecting critically, something I have seen you do all these years!

    For your reference the book I have consulted is called "Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher"

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  2. Let me tell you that this blog thing for reflections has become an excellent excuse to have deeper level of thinking. I got the feeling that making my reflections public oblies me to think in a different way, or at least to offer you a better quality!! My hat to you and this idea!! I totally LOOOOOOOOOOVE IT! I find that reading my colleagues´ reflections is enriching.

    I also have the same feeling that you have about rushing through "my reflections". I have found myself having great ideas to share in the blog but I´m lacking time to sit down and write them. I generally think better when I´m walking to school, or when I´m having a shower, or even when I wake up very early in the morning before going to school! If I don´t take down notes of those ideas, then I forget them. So I decided to start recording myself...you´ll see...

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  3. Silvia has been suggesting that idea! But only you and her can be good at that! If you can find the time you were lacking and on top of that develop good reflective skills I may follow you...you may have a go first...ha ha!!

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  4. I totally agree with you Vivi!! You can reflect anywhere and specially when talking to your peers and even your students. Sharing our blogs is very enriching and little by little they can bring profitable innovations in our practises.

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