WEEK TWO:
Nature and Purpose of Reflection
In this module we seek to understand the nature and purpose of reflection.
Definitions of reflection
According Bell & Gimmett (1996) reflective practice is regarded as:
• an essential competence for all professionals (Agyris & Schön, 1974; Schön,
1983, Senge, 1990)
• a vital skill for teachers (Ballantyne & Packer, 1995; Boud, Keogh & Walker,
1985; Kemmis &McTaggart, 1988; Osterman & Kottkamp, 1993; ZuberSkerritt, 1993)
• an essential skill for lifelong learning (Candy, Crebert & O'Leary, 1994;
Mezirow, 1991; Brookfield, 1988).
BUT is the process of reflection, which underpins reflective practice well understood?
There are multitudes of definitions for the concept of reflection. They range from the
simple to the complex. For example compare the following two definitions.
Reflection is a way to reconsider experiences that involves looking
back on one’s behaviours, strategies and goals as a systematic and
deliberate process of self-analysis and evaluation (Susi, 1995, p.
109).
and
Reflection itself is a complex process in which feelings and cognition
are closely linked (Burrows, 1995, as cited in Sheard, 2000, p. 1).
What is the purpose of a definition for reflection? What should we look for?
Revisit the reading by Norsworthy (2002) and particularly note how the definition for
reflection was developed.
Norsworthy, B.E. (2002). Revisiting reflection. Waikato Journal of Education, 8, 101-114.
In the above article, reflection is not presented as a cognitive process as I believe that
you cannot look at your own work without involving your entire person. If I am critiquing
my practice, I can assure you that my emotions are going to be involved. I have taken
great care to situate my practice within the teaching/learning relationship due to my
understanding of this relationship based on scriptures such as Deuteronomy 4 verse 10
and Psalm 90 verse 12.
Deuteronomy 4 verse 10
New Living Translation
Tell them especially about the day when you
stood before the LORD your God at Mount
Sinai, where he told me, 'Summon the people
before me, and I will instruct them. That way,
they will learn to fear me as long as they live,
and they will be able to teach my laws to
their children.'
Comments
In this verse the verb to teach, and the
verb to learn are the same word, Lamad.
Thus there is a very real sense in that I
see the process of teaching being the
process of causing learning to occur. This
influences my choice of methodology, my
view of assessment, etc.
This same relationship can be seen by comparing Deuteronomy 5:1 which focuses on
learning where Deuteronomy 4:1 which focuses on teaching. When the prefix and the
suffix are taken from the original Hebrew word for learn in Deuteronomy 5 verse 1 and
the word teach in Deuteronomy 4 verse 1 we are left with the same root word
On this subject Bruce Wilkinson writes:
Can you believe that? It’s the same word! That’s right, the same Hebrew word means to
learn and to teach. Do you realize the significance of that? We can’t separate teaching
from learning. They are married, they are one. Somehow and in some way what the
teacher does and what the student does must be inextricable related.
There is further insight into this Hebrew word for teach and learn. The root means “learn,”
but when you alter it and put it into another stem called the Piel, it changes the meaning to
“teach.” According to Hebrew grammar, the fundamental idea of the Piel is to “busy
oneself eagerly with the action indicated by the stem”. What’s the stem? “to learn.” To
teach, therefore, means to busy oneself eagerly with the student’s learning. It also means
“to urge,” “to cause others to do” and “an eager pursuit of an action. (1992, pp. 26, 27)
Psalm 90 verse 12
New King James
So teach us to number our days, that we may
apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Comments
Here the relationship is very clear – the
teaching is to result in wisdom = ie wise
living or doing, not knowing. Once again
we have this very clear relationship between
teaching and learning.
Optional activity
READ: Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards
definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education,
11(1), 2-22.
In this article, the authors outline what they believe are four essential issues concerning
reflection. . You might not understand fully what the words (such as reframing) mean – but
don’t be too concerned – we will revisit them in more detail later in the course.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Definitions can tell us much about what people think education is, what knowledge is,
what good teaching is, etc.
Learning
activity
Consider the following definitions or descriptions while thinking about which one
might best suit or fit your own beliefs and values within the educational process.
These definitions are chosen for their range of approaches to reflection. Though
they all refer to the process of reflection – are they referring to the same
process? What are the different aspects of these approaches? For those of you
who are kinesthetic learners, I suggest you print them and cut them out and
organise them in different ways according to the priorities or foci you see in them.
Journal Entry: Record your thoughts about the definition of reflection in your
notes or online journal. These ideas will be helpful when you come to write for
Forum Two.
Reflection is defined as ‘systematic
enquiry into one’s own practice to
improve that practice and to deepen
one’s understanding of it (McIntyre,
1993, In Calderhead & Gates, 1993)
“In my words, reflective thinking is a
constant and careful reconsideration of a
teacher’s beliefs and actions in light of
information from current theory and
practice, from feedback from the particular
context and from speculation as to the
moral and ethical consequences of their
results. (LaBoskey, 1994).
"an active, persistent, and careful
consideration of any belief or supposed
form of knowledge in light of the grounds
supporting it and future conclusions to
which it tends"
(Yost & Sentner, 2000)
“the disposition and ability to consider
education as the result of many social,
political and individual factors
accompanied by an understanding of the
need to base subsequent action on careful
analysis of the results of such inquiry”
(Clift et al.,1992)
Reflective Practice is a process of
reconstructing one's experiences and
identifying possibilities for
action within a context of professional
practice.
(Bell & Gillett, 1996)
Not only is reflection cognitively complex
reasoning and wondering but we have
seen it become an attitude toward one’s
practice
(Applegate & Shaklu, 1992)
A way of thinking about educational
matters that involves the ability to make
rational choices and to assume
responsibility for those choices
(Ross, 1987)
Reflection involves the critique of assumptions about
the content or process of problem solving. The
critique of premises or presuppositions pertains to
problem posing as distinct from problem
solving. Problem posing involves making a takenfor-granted situation problematic, raising questions
regarding its validity.
Mezirow (1991)
reflection refers to the intentional activities
that stimulate the intellect and the affect to
explore learning experiences and lead to
the development of new meanings
(Boud, Keough & Walker, 1985)
Reflection is thinking for an extended period
by linking recent experiences to earlier ones in
order to promote a more complex and
interrelated mental schema. The thinking
involves looking for commonalties, differences
and interrelations beyond their superficial
elements
Clark (2004)
reflection is “a means of transcending
more usual patterns of thought to enable
the taking of a critical stance or an
overview”.
(Moon, 1999)
Reflection is a way of thinking about
teaching and related matters; it leads you
to make rational decisions about teaching
and learning and to assume responsibility
for those choices.
According to Jay (2003, p. 1) reflection
entails a “process of contemplation with
an openness to being changed, a
willingness to learn, and a sense of
responsibility for doing one’s best”
Daudelin (1996, p. 39) provides a definition
of reflection that explicitly captures its
relation to learning, "Reflection is the
process of stepping back from an
experience to ponder, carefully and
persistently, its meaning to the self through
the development of inferences; learning is
the creation of meaning from past or
current events that serves as a guide for
future behaviour.
(Cruickshank, Bainer Jenkins & Metcalf, 2003)
My own processing of reflection, and indeed the reflective literature in general draws
heavily on the work of Habermas (1971), Mezirow (1991) and Van Manen (1977). You
are not expected to delve deeply into their work; it is sufficient to understand the
relationship between these authors’ ideas and their influence on the reflection literature.
Both Mezirow and Van Manen built on the work of Habermas though applied it
differently: Mezirow to action research and adult learning
and Van Manen to professional practice and pedagogy.
However, as indicated earlier, my starting point is
Proverbs.
Throughout the Book of Proverbs, Solomon invites his son to
‘incline his ear”. When teaching face-to-face classes I talk
about this as ‘leaning into learning’. What do you think I
mean? What has this got to do with reflection? To what degree do you lean in to
learning? (In a way this is like the translation used in The Message for Matthew 6:33)
“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.
Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday
human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what
God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may
or may not happen tomorrow.”
Perhaps you could take the time to read through Proverbs or Psalms
looking to understand this learning process. I did this over an 18-month
period early in my involvement with Christian Education and learned so
much about teaching, learning, knowledge, understanding and wisdom
etc. I certainly recommend it as a long-term project – a little and often.
Reflection – in the book of Proverbs
In the book of Proverbs we read much of three aspects of
knowing:
Knowledge
Understanding
Wisdom.
How do these differ? BRIEFLY, one might say:
Knowledge
If I read and remember this statement, that is knowledge. My
knowledge can include an awareness of where this insight
comes from, how it forms a part of some philosophy etc. It is a
perceiving through the senses. It does not necessarily contain
commitment. Those with knowledge are able to collect,
remember, and access information. They "know" the Scriptures,
the literature, the information. They are scholars. But, it is possible to have knowledge and
lack understanding and wisdom; to have the facts, but have no clue as to the meaning or
what to do next.
Understanding
Understanding focuses on what we accept and value, how we organise those values into
principles for living. Understanding represents an integration of knowledge so that patterns
are recognised, from which inferences can be made. Another way to look at understanding is
that it is the perception of meaning. Understanding – a matter of the heart as in Psalm 49
verse 3. “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of
understanding.
Wisdom
Wisdom is aligned with the ability to live consistently in harmony with God’s priorities and God’s
ways. Wisdom is an entirely different level of experiencing truth than are knowledge or
understanding. Wisdom is something lived, not something known. Wisdom is not understanding
an insight but living it. Thus at each point there is a greater integration and a deeper realisation of
the truth in question.
Those with wisdom know which principle to apply now. Those with wisdom know what to
do next; they know which way to go. They do the right thing. They are like the Tribe of
Issachar (1 Chronicles 12v32) who “understood the times and knew what to do”. In
contrast, there are many who have great knowledge and understanding, but consistently do
the wrong thing. Wisdom, in this sense, is the goal, and knowledge and understanding only
have eternal value as they result in wisdom, or what we end up
being.
Note the beautiful picture of this in Deuteronomy 31 where we read
of an inspired artisan who helped build and furnish the tabernacle.
And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanship.
Reflection and Epistemology
Underpinning one’s view of reflection is one’s epistemology or the beliefs you hold about
how we know. Epistemology comes from two Greek words, episteme, meaning 'knowledge',
and logos, meaning 'word'. When logos is extended to ology, it means the study of. So
epistemology is the study of knowledge what it is, where it is, how we get it.
Why consider epistemology?
Ideas are powerful. Ideas have consequences, and ‘most ideas that shape our lives are
accepted (at least initially) somewhat uncritically’ (Sproul, 2000, p. 9). We typically accept
what some significant other or others accept, and live within that, interacting with that view of
reality.
For some the emphasis on the process of reflection represents a movement away from
modernism and its assumptions about knowledge, widening the processes and products
which count as research (Bullough & Pinnegar, 2001). For some, they are their own
legitimacy with no outside reference point.
For the modernist, truth is objective and knowable, it exists separate to ourselves. For the
postmodernist there is no such thing as singular, objective truth. Rather truth, if it exists is
personal, whatever one believes is true. Post modernism has brought with it a radical
questioning and scepticism of tradition and what I call ‘formal’ theory. For some then, the
reflective process presents a dichotomy – a search for understanding and coherence within
a framework which values eclecticism without coherence or integration. On what basis do
you make choices? An educational vision which represents the outworking of a metanarrative is viewed with suspicion; as intolerant, arrogant – but is there an alternative?
A key question remains:
Is truth created or discovered? This is not, of course a new question. Pilate asked
this question of Jesus (John 18 verse 38).
Optional activity:
For a helpful paper that considers the questions does truth exist? What is truth? To what
extent can we know it? See: Dulle, J. (n. d.). The Question of Truth and apologetics in a
modern/post modern world. http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/apologetics.htm
The following excerpt comes from Leffel & McCallum (1996)
http://www.equip.org/free/DP321.htm
At the heart of the issue is whether or not objective truth exists. Objective
truth means truth that is independent of individual or cultural belief. When
something is objectively true (like the existence of the moon), it’s true for
everyone regardless of whether they acknowledge it or not. Objectivity assumes
we all live in one reality, even though we may experience it differently or have
different beliefs about it. Those of us who believe in objective truth think that we
have a common base from which to discuss what is true and what isn’t, because
we all live in the same real world.
Postmodernists deny this shared reality. Instead, they claim that different cultural
groups live in different realities. To them, a people’s reality is their perception or
interpretation of the external world, and is not the world itself. Postmodernists
claim we are really creating truth as we interpret. We are not discovering truth.
According to postmodernists, a thing is true because I believe it; I do not believe
it because it is true.5
As Christians, we accept the reality of both subjective and objective truth, and we
believe we can discover both through a combination of our own reason and
revelation. The Bible teaches we can come to know a love that transcends
knowledge (Eph. 3:19), and that relationship with God goes beyond mere
statements of fact about God. This is subjective or experiential truth. But the
reality of subjective or experiential truth in no way rules out the reality of objective
truth. Postmodernists, on the other hand, think all truth is subjective. On this, we
can never agree.
The Bible’s emphasis on historical revelation (1 Cor. 15:13-15), doctrinal
propositions (Rom. 10:9), and natural revelation (1:18-20) presume that objective
truth exists.
For the post-modern student, knowledge is the product of our culture and language. An
example would be the following explanation offered by Berger (1963, p. 117):
A thought of any kind is grounded in society… The individual, then, derives his
worldview socially in very much the same way that he derives his roles and his
identity. In other words, his emotions and his self-interpretation like his actions
are predefined for him by society, and so is his cognitive approach to the
universe that surrounds him.
Leffel & McCallum (1996, p. 4) explain:
Rather than conceiving the mind as a mirror of nature, postmodernists argue that
we bend nature through the lens of culture and language.11 This leads them to
reject the possibility of discovering objective truth since each culture approaches
reality differently, depending on its language, its particular needs, and its historical
conditions. To know objectively we would have to transcend our cultural lens, and
according to postmodernists, this is impossible.
But perhaps this is exactly what Paul is calling us to do in Romans 12 verse 1ff which in The
Message reads:
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life
– your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life- and place it before
God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do
for him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it
without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from
the inside out.
Thus we have the possibility of being securely anchored in a commitment to Biblical truth
while at the same time holding a willingness to critique, to enquire and to submit our
assumptions to critique and evaluation. Nowhere is this more important than in relationship
to education where typically we have taken on the world’s thoughts as normal, and,
therefore, like the air around us, take them for granted. Such assumptions embedded in
approaches to schooling and schooling systems must be honestly reflected on in the light of
a range of mirrors, particularly the mirror of Scripture.
The role of revelation and intuition
Augustine held the concept of divine revelation as central to his epistemology. In fact ‘he
saw that revelation is the necessary condition for all knowledge’ (Sproull, 2000, p.
59).
Sproull (2000) continues on the same page:
The metaphor of light is instructive. In our present earthly state we are equipped with
the faculty of sight. We have eyes, optic nerves, and so forth – all the equipment
needed for seeing. But a man with the keenest eyesight can see nothing if he is
locked in a totally dark room. So just as external source of light is needed for seeing,
so an external revelation from God is needed for knowing.
When Augustine speaks of revelation, he is not speaking of biblical revelation alone. He is
also concerned with “general” or “natural” revelation. Not only are truths found in
Scripture dependent on God’s revelation, but all truth, including scientific truth, is
dependent on divine revelation. This is why Augustine encouraged students to learn
as much as possible about as many things as possible. For him, all truth is God’s
truth, and when one encounters truth, one encounters the God whose truth it is. (ibid,
p. 59)
This means that no matter the immediate source of knowledge: Bible, Creation, Experience
- the ultimate source of truth is God’s revelation. To me this is God’s grace – both the
desire to know, to research and consider AND the revelation of truth are gifts.
Reflection and Being Professional
Literature relating to the idea of reflection and the reflective practitioner is often found in the
area of Professional Development – whether that development be in the area of education,
nursing or architecture. The desire to grow and develop, to become more effective, is
encapsulated in the Biblical concept of being wise. When we study the characteristics of the
wise as found in Proverbs, we are faced with a recognition that the wise is not a person who
is all knowing, but rather one who fears the Lord (the One who is truly all knowing), loves to
learn and seeks advice.
Arlin (1999) in her article, The wise teacher: A developmental model of teaching, describes
one criteria of the wise teacher as follows:
“They have the humility and courage to live with uncertainty and
take the risk of questioning whether they can do better and become active
participants with their students in the learning process” (p. 16).
This humility and courage are key characteristics of a reflective person given that humility is
the mark of a seeker, a learner, one who seeks to continually develop. Courage is needed
to sustain us in times of doubt, vulnerability and uncertainty that can occur when we seek
new understanding and practice.
Reflection: a necessary item in the professional’s toolbox
Many authors view regular reflection as a necessary and integral characteristic of the
effective professional (e.g., Bell & Gillett, 1996; Boreen, Johnson, Niday & Potts, 2000;
Boud & Walker, 1998; Bullough & Gitlin, 1995; Furlong, 2000; Grainger, 2000; Grealush &
Thomas, 1999; Harris, 1998; Hatton & Smith, 1995; Henderson, 2001; Huang, 2001;
Humphreys & Hyland, 2002; Jay, 2003; McDrury, 1996; Mills & Satterthwaite, 2000; Ovens,
1999; Schön, 1983; Spilkova, 2001; van Manen, 1995).
“The ‘good teacher’, it is said, is a reflective teacher, one who inquires into his or her thinking
and practice with an eye toward making improvements” (Bullough & Gitlin, 1995, p. 15).
This self-regulatory capability tends to be the key for teachers' growth as a professional (Li,
2002); “a critical function of successful teaching and learning, whatever an individual’s
experience of level of education” (Boreen, Johnson, Niday & Potts, 2000, pp. 68-69).
“A necessary condition of effectiveness as a teacher is regular
reflection upon the three elements that make up teaching practice: the
emotional and intellectual selves of the teacher and students; the
conditions that affect classrooms, schools and students’ learning and
achievements; the experience of teaching and learning” (Day, 1999, p.
216)
Interestingly, Clark (2011) in his overview about reflection drawa on te work of
Gustafson and Bennett (1999) who identified eleven variables that affected
reflective behaviour. They group these into three main characteristics:
Attributes related to the learner
Characteristics of the environment
The nature of the reflective task.
But what is reflection?
i.e.
- person,
- context,
and
- pedagogy
About Reflection – defining the concept
In the introduction to this study you considered the kaleidoscope and through investigating
how it works, accessed some of your prior knowledge and have begun to develop or clarify
some ideas about the concept of reflection. Now it is time to see what others say about this
concept.
As already mentioned, the literature reports that John Dewey
introduced the idea of reflective thinking in 1904 as a way of
countering the technicist approach to
teaching. Dewey proposed that
reflective thought is “the active, careful
and persistent examination of any
belief, or purported form of knowledge,
in the light of the grounds that support it and the further
conclusions toward which it tends” (cited in Stenhouse, 1975, p.
89). What does this mean? Think about it and then see what I
have written in my PhD literature review in the DEWEY on
reflection, section in Other Resources - at BTI Online.
Question: Dewey, maps, swamps and reflection.
In the light of the above thoughts and considerations answer the question about Why
have I included a picture of a map and a swampy landscape at this point?
For Dewey the focus for reflective thought was the beliefs or knowledge which
underpinned a teacher’s thinking. The mirror he suggests to use for the examination
process of the thinking which supports or shapes practice, is “grounds that support it and
conclusions toward which it tends”. What would be the result of this process? In 2002, my
own definition for reflection read:
Reflection is a process for improving practice by becoming professionally self
aware through identifying assumptions in decisions and responses within the
learning/teaching relationship, and judging those assumptions for their
appropriateness1 in the light of a developing and critiqued educational vision.
(Norsworthy, 2002, p. 11)
By the end of my PhD journey, it changed this to read as follows:
An iterative process for improving practice by becoming professionally self
aware through identifying assumptions in decisions and responses within the
learning/teaching relationship, and judging those assumptions for their
appropriateness in the light of a developing and critiqued personally owned
educational vision. (Norsworthy, 2008, pp. 231, 232 )
Can you pick the difference? What is the significance of the changes?
Kenneth Wolf presents reflection in a way that fits with Solomon’s approach in Proverbs 24
verse 32; the process which allows us to learn from experiences. However he also includes
a secondary component related to our ideals or educational vision.
1
I originally was going to use the word adequacy followed by (both for suitability and sufficiency) as an attempt to avoid being
caught in what Brookfield refers to as “a self fulfilling interpretive framework that remains closed to any alternative interpretation
(1995, p.5). By sufficiency I use the word in the sense of ‘expansive or embracing’ enough – not narrow minded.
“Reflection is what allows us to learn from our experiences
– it is an assessment of where we have been and where
we want to go next” (cited in Ward & Kirk, (n.d.)
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/pbl/pblreflect.html).
For Wolf (n.d.), the focus for the reflective process is our experiences and the mirrors – past
experiences and vision. Andrew Pollard (1996, 1997) views reflection as the process
through which competence is developed and maintained. Stephen Brookfield (1995)
continues the light and lens idea by suggesting that there are different lenses which can help
us understand ourselves. He suggests – our own journaling or autobiographies as learners
and teachers; our teaching viewed from our students or colleagues perspectives and also
the theoretical literature may all be helpful in the reflective process.
“Viewing what we do through these different lenses alerts us to
distorted or incomplete aspects of our assumptions that need
further investigation” (Brookfield, 1995, p. 29).
According to Jay (2003), reflection entails a “process of contemplation with an openness to
being changed, a willingness to learn, and a sense of responsibility for doing one’s best” (p.
1). This view focuses on the disposition of the reflective practitioner.
Forum Two: REFLECTION – THE PROCESS
After considering the different definitions of reflection, either choose one that
fits with your beliefs about teaching and learning, or write your own. Explain
why you have chosen the particular definition. Write a paragraph (150 - 200 words) and post
it to the threaded discussion entitled REFLECTION – THE PROCESS. Read what other
students have written and respond to at least one other students’ postings in a way that will
support and/or stimulate further thought and learning for them.
In 2004, Nancy Kung and Huhana Forsyth presented a paper, Developing the reflective
teaching self through Āta to the He Tirohanga Kārearea conference in the Hawke’s Bay.
The abstract for their presentation is as follows:
One of the key ideas in their paper is the need for respect – for others but also for one’s self.
From respect flows trust. The authors refer to the work of Pohatu (2002) to identify
constituents of Āta as those which:
Focus on building respectful relationships
Require quality space and time
Demand effort and energy
and, accord the notions of:
Respectfulness
Reciprocity
Reflection
Planning
Kung and Forsyth (2004) note that “To teach under the principles of Āta requires the
development of the skills of reflective practice” (Power Point slide 6, Conference handout).
What I found very interesting about this paper is that it rests heavily on the notion of “a well
guarded heart”.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” (Proverbs 4:23)
In the Message paraphrase we read:
Dear friend, listen well to my words,
Tune your ears to my voice
Keep my message in plain view at all times
Concentrate, Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live: body and soul,
they’re bursting with health.
The words to which the writer refers, are the words of Wisdom – The reflective practitioner
seeks to be wise. To do this requires us to turn our reflective gaze inwards to the very
thoughts and assumptions which shape and control our actions.
Finding or identifying assumptions is likened to peeling back the layers of our
daily work, looking under the surface of our teaching or leading, making a
conscious attempt to see our teaching selves as students or staff see us, or from
the privileged perspective of an observer on our practice. What is flowing in our
wellspring?
SELF CHECK:
How would you describe yourself in relation to these components identified by
Joelle Jay in her book, Quality teaching: Reflection as the heart of practice?
How do you manage being contemplative?
o When you stop to think – are you faced with a void? OR, a loud
raging list of ‘things to be done’?
o How do you know if you are open to being changed?
o Are you teachable? Willing to learn? OR is your first response to
complete a task, or defend your position?
o How do you approach the job you have? Typically Christian
teachers are committed to doing their best for the Lord, and so this
characteristic may be well established in your practice and thinking.
Being responsive is an outcome of being involved in this critical process. A person who
engages in a connected, critical and considerate manner with the multiple sets of beliefs,
values assumptions and structures which influence the teaching and learning moment,
without acquiescence to the status quo, is in a position to be transformative.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…
The literature related to reflection, speaks a lot about how we think.
What is the relationship then to how we act?
By way of interest, and to help the processing . . .
Mark Cooper in his very short article Reflection: Getting Learning Out of
Serving, available from: http://www.fiu.edu/~time4chg/Library/reflect.html.
uses the analogy of a mirror, a microscope and binoculars three different foci
for reflection are identified. The author uses a heading Three levels of
reflection. He also develops a series of questions to support the process of reflection. What
do you think? Are the sections different in nature? Perhaps they are similar in nature but
different in levels of thought required. Later we will consider if they are levels of reflection,
but at this stage I have included them for the use of the analogy and as a help to understand
the process of reflection.
The Mirror ( a clear reflection of the self )
Who am I? What are my values? What have I learned about myself through this
experience? Do I have more/less understanding or empathy than I did before
volunteering? In what ways, if any, has your sense of self, your values, your sense of
"community," your willingness to serve others, and your self-confidence/self-esteem
been impacted or altered through this experience? Have your motivations for
volunteering changed? In what ways? How has this experience challenged stereotypes
or prejudices you have/had? Any realizations, insights, or especially strong lessons
learned or half-glimpsed? Will these experiences change the way you act or think in the
future? Have you given enough, opened up enough, cared enough? How have you
challenged yourself, your ideals, your philosophies, your concept of life or of the way you
live?
The Microscope (Makes the small experience large)
What happened? Describe your experience. What would you change about this situation
if you were in charge? What have you learned about this agency, these people, or the
community? Was there a moment of failure, success, indecision, doubt, humor,
frustration, happiness, sadness? Do you feel your actions had any impact? What more
needs to be done? Does this experience compliment or contrast with what you're
learning in class? How? Has learning through experience taught you more, less, or the
same as the class? In what ways?
The Binoculars (Makes what appears distant, appear closer)
From your service experience, are you able to identify any underlying or overarching
issues which influence the problem? What could be done to change the situation? How
will this alter your future behaviours/attitudes/and career? How is the issue/agency you're
serving impacted by what is going on in the larger political/social sphere? What does the
future hold? What can be done?
WARNING – REFLECTION CAN BE UNSETTLING
Reflection is not seen to be easy or necessarily painless. In fact it can be very unsettling as
Pollard (1997, p. 22) notes: “…reflection on one’s practice can be unsettling and perhaps
even painful at times”. Facing new information which challenges our assumptions can
indeed be disorienting (Mezirow, 1991, 1995). However, it is this process which causes us
to better understand what we believe and why and what we don’t believe and why, and
therefore be able to ground our practice in substantiated and critiqued vision.
It takes courage to be reflective. Some may prefer to have one year’s experience twenty
times rather than growing and developing through twenty years of service and ministry. It
could be that we are at ‘our most vulnerable when studying closely our own persona as a
teacher’ (Day, 1999, p. 23).
The effect on students who are encouraged to engage in critical reflection is
another issue that emerges in the literature. The phrase ‘tales from the dark
side’ (Brookfield, 1994, p. 1) is used to describe the experiences of a group of
adult education graduate students who engaged in activities designed to foster
critical reflection. They found that critical reflection led to self-doubt, feelings of
isolation and uncertainty. (Imel, 1998, p. 1)
Why might this be so?
In undertaking the related readings for this section there are some key questions to ask
yourself for each reading and approach to reflection. Such questions include:
What is the reason for reflection?
What is the start for reflection – experience? practice? thinking? theory? vision?
Tradition? Scripture?
What is the focus for reflection and why is this the case?
What, if any, are used as mirrors for the reflective process?
What is it about reflection which might lead to a sense of unsettledness.
Learning
activity
Consider the following in preparation to journal your thoughts about the quote
on the following page.
A growing body of literature indicates that who teachers are, how they act, and what they
believe are as, if not more important, than what they teach (Cronin, 1993; Gibbs, 2003;
Hamacheck, 1999; Hansen, 1998; Luke 6 verse 40, McGee & Fraser, 2001; Palmer, 1998;
Stanford & Parkay, 2004). It is believed that ‘good teaching cannot be reduced to technique;
good teaching comes from the identity2 and integrity3 of the teacher’ (Palmer, 1998, p. 10).
With increasing attention being given to the importance of the inner life of the teacher and
the role this has in the teaching dynamic (Palmer, 1998), reflection can play a key role in
developing the teacher’s or educator’s awareness of their capabilities, talents, strengths,
weaknesses and ways of thinking. Gibbs (2003) suggests that ‘what student teachers know
and can do, and how they come to teach during student teaching, is largely mediated by
what they think and believe’ (p. 7).
Palmer describes gaining this level of “insight into what is happening inside us” as “the most
practical thing we can achieve in any kind of work” we do (1998, p. 2). He posits that “the
more familiar we are with our inner terrain, the more surefooted our teaching – and our living
– becomes” (ibid, 1998, p. 5).
A starting point for this process of developing an increased self awareness is to
acknowledge that our observations and descriptions are themselves ‘interpretive’ (van
Manen, 1999). These assumptions sit under what Fish (1998) and Malderez and Bodócsky
(1999) refer to as below the surface in the metaphorical iceberg they to help understand the
nature of professional practice. For this reason, it would appear that reflection is not an
activity to be undertaken in an unsupportive manner. In fact, Cranton suggests that ‘it is
probably not possible to articulate assumptions without the help of others’ (1996, p. 83).
This seems a task that needs the advantage of the ‘privileged outsider’ (Bakhtin, 1986)
making reflection a collaborative rather than individual task. Teachers need help and
support in ‘unpacking’ the way different types of knowledge held by a professional make a
whole (Pearson & Selinger, 1999). To support each other as we examine the interpretive
filters through which our own experience is viewed, it is critical that we utilise a range of
lenses, or philosophical positions from which we can reflect something of who they are and
what it is they do. Without such help and support the reflective experience can be likened to
an attempt to “view the back of one’s head while looking in the bathroom mirror” (Brookfield,
1995, p. 28).
Before you make your journal entry, take the time to read:
2 Identity is used to reflect the ‘moving intersection of the inner and outer forces that make me who I am, converging in the irreducible
mystery of being human’ (Palmer, 1998, p.13).
3 Integrity is that which is integral to one’s person – being able to discern that which fits and that which does not and then choosing lifegiving ways (as compared with ways which fragment) of relating to the forces that converge within, becoming more whole, more real, as
one acknowledges the whole of ‘who I am’. See p. 13
Attard, K. (2008). Uncertainty for the reflective practitioner: a blessing in disguise.
Reflective Practice, 9(3), 307-317.
Journal Entry: Reflection and self understanding
Journal a response to the material above about uncertainty and the process of
reflection. Make reference to your engagement with the following quote in your
journal entry.
If our reflectivity is to get at the root of ourselves as teachers, it must
first get at the root of ourselves as ourselves – as contingent beings
who are attempting to use our awesome and sometimes terrible
freedom to enter into authentic relationship with others and, by some
accounts, even with God. (Mayes, 2001, p. 478)
From: Mayes, C. (2001). A transpersonal model for teacher reflectivity. Journal of
Curriculum Studies, 33(4), 477-493.
A key to effective reflection is our willingness to be open to the Holy Spirit and his
searching of our thoughts, assumptions, beliefs and expectations. John Dewey,
who is accredited with initiating the resurgent interest in reflection, identifies three
characteristic attitudes which he said were necessary for the process of
reflection. These are open-mindedness, whole-heartedness and responsibility.
For what he meant by these – visit the Dewey Resource in BTI Online.
READINGS:
On BTI online there are some further readings under the heading Optional
Readings. These contribute to an understanding of the nature of the reflective
process. Choose one of these to read/skim, and post a summary of that
reading or some interesting aspect of it to the REFLECTIVE READINGS WIKI.
This way, if each participant does this for ONE reading, the whole group will get an overview
of ALL the readings and can better choose which other ONE reading to read in detail. If two
people study the same reading, they can work together to create the wiki entry – polishing
and interacting together.
One way to process what you are reading is to make an acrostic or draw a picture or a mind
map. Why don’t you do that now. Here is an example from an anagram developed by a
previous class member in this course.
Reflection requires community, and
Education on how to, a
Framework or structure is needed
Limitations
Enough character, commitment and courage to see it through
Change should result,
Time is needed
Illumines ideas and practices
Opens up possibilities, outcomes
Need to see bigger picture.
Why do you think the word limitation is there?
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