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Reflective Teaching Practice: Why Do It?

Why should you engage in reflective teaching practice?  

Reflective teaching practice at its core is professional development for educators. Without any external support, it is the way that any educator can develop their practices, consider what is and is not working (and why), integrate feedback, etc. This makes engaging in reflective teaching practice imperative to anyone committed to growth as an educator. This practice also aligns well with student-centered learning as it recognizes the role of the educator and how they impact the learning experience. For example, rather than seeing low class attendance as a student issue, a reflective approach may encourage educators to consider different approaches to increase student engagement. 

An additional consideration is the reality that teaching is often situated in a context that is dynamic – not only in the knowledge domain, but also in the student body, the socio-political climate, and larger cultural context. Considering these realities, it is crucial to frame teaching and learning practices as iterative processes that can respond and adapt to changing landscapes. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, educators needed to quickly pivot and adapt their practices into the online and virtual space. Engaging in reflective teaching practice facilitates one’s ability to consider with intention what needs to change in the teaching space and evaluate the impact of these sudden shifts.   

Benefits to having a Reflective Teaching Practice

Without a doubt, it is easy to understand that engaging in reflective teaching practice can be extremely valuable to one’s professional development and improve the student learning experience. A different framing by Ash and Clayton (2009) suggests that, by having a reflective teaching practice, one can:  

  • Generate learning – articulate questions, confronts bias, examine causality, compare theory to practice, connect to systemic issues  
  • Deepen learning – challenge simplistic / superficial conclusions, invite alternative perspectives, ask ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions  
  • Document learning – produce tangible evidence of new understanding for evaluation and feedback  

Expandable List

After asking Microsoft Co-Pilot to explain what reflective teaching practice means, and then spending more time reading some literature on the topic, Maya realized that this could be helpful for her. Moreover, she heard that she may need to do so for her tenure and promotion portfolio. She also saw reflective practice as potentially helping her: 

  • Make sense of student feedback and use it constructively (rather than defensively) 
  • Balance her heavy research demands with intentional teaching growth 
  • Create a more inclusive classroom environment where students feel comfortable engaging 

Information Box Group

Question for your reflection:

What specific benefits do you see in engaging in reflective teaching practice as an educator?

References

Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Generating, deepening, and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection in applied learning. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1, 25-48.