Reflective practice is the idea of looking back on a particular action and being able to learn from the experience. This technique is extremely beneficial for improvement in relation to professional practice, as well as being able to help an individual to understand what they already know and what they still need to discover.
Reflection is something I believe I have always done subconciously, but not been aware of. Similarly, I was unaware of it's benefits on my professional practice. Now that the technique has come to my attention, I'm constantly exploring the use of reflection and the different ways in which it can be done. My awareness of reflection is helping me to make decisions and improvements more efficiently. Initially, I found writing a reflective journal difficult and tedious. But with the help of the course and other's course blogs, I have managed to find ways of reflecting that suit me such as voice recording and evaluative questions.
Whilst researching the different forms of reflective practice, it is important to remember the theorists who have spent many years discovering it's many tools and benefits. John Dewey has always placed much importance on the use of reflective thought in order for us to be aware we are having an experience, for ways to to find links to other experiences and for ways to find meaning for ourselves in those experiences. Dewey disagreed with learning just by facts. For example, a child being taught a skill that teachers deem appropriate is expected to believe fixed answers. Dewey believed you learn more by reflecting on experience (Dewey 1938). I have to agree with this myself when I relate it to my professional practice. There is a copious amount of information on teaching and effective techniques to get the best out of your students. But as a teacher, I feel the most advantageous way to learn and improve is through the use of reflection on experience.
David Kolb's Learning Cycle
David Kolb created the learning cycle to display how learning and experience are linked. I found this exceptionally interesting when trying to work out where it was I personally entered the cycle and therefore where I began learning. I personally feel that I enter at different points in the cycle dependent on the given task. With many of the tasks I carry out on this course, I tend to enter the cycle at Reflective Observation. Before I complete any of the tasks, I gather inspiration and examples from other course blogs which I can then use to start working on my own. However, within my professional practice as a teacher, I enter the cycle at Active Experimentation. I try out various techniques I have already learnt and know, reflect on it's effectiveness and can then change it as appropriate for the next class.
Donald Schön's theory of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action was something that resonated with me immediately after reading about it. Reflection-in-action is the ability to reflect on an action as it happens and therefore be able to adjust the situation there and then. Reflection-on-action is reflecting on a situation away from the time it happened. Within my blog post on the 21st March, I mentioned how I had related this theory to my teaching with regards to behavioural management. Prior to being aware of reflective techniques, my approach to my classes (including behavioural management) stayed the same. I would always plan the session and stick to it as much as possible, regardless of any unpredictable situations. I would then follow this up by reflecting on the class after it happened, figuring out what was good and what needed improving for next time. However, since reading Schön's theory I have conciously perservered to think on my feet and use reflection-in-action within my classes. If the current behavioural management techiques within the class aren't working, I will instantly try something else. This new way of working has really improved the productivity of my classes.
Jennifer Moon voiced the implications of tacit knowledge. These are the things we have learnt and experienced that we cannot put into words. "If something cannot be described verbally, it is not amenable to being taught in the more conventional modes of professional education." (Moon 2004, p.42). As a teacher, I can fully understand this and the importance of being able to articulate knowledge to my students. However, I do believe that everything can be expressed in some way. I am at an advantage being a performing arts teacher, as I can express knowledge through movement and song.
Overall, I have really seen the benefits of my use of reflective practice and will continue to develop these techniques throughout my professional journey.
Bibliography
Dewey, J., 1938. Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books.
Moon, J., 2004. Reflection in Learning and Professional Develoment: Theory and Practice. London: Routledge.
Urwin, E., 2015. Module One: Web Seminar 2 - Useful Tips on Reflection. Another BAPP Arts Blog [online]. Available from: http://eleanorbapp.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/module-1-web-seminar-2-useful-tips-on.html [accessed 11th April 2015].
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