Reflective teaching is inducive to changing the teaching culture from frontal or teacher-centered instructions, to a collaborative and participatory learning environment, in which teachers are social mediators, learning facilitators, and reflective practitioner. Reflective teaching is not a straightforward, intuitive process. It requires a great degree of self-awareness and ability to put one’s own habits of mind in question. It is important to recognize that some of the mental habits, biases, and presuppositions we develop in our practice as teachers tend to close off new ways of perceiving and interpreting our experiences” (Larrivee 2000, 296). Engaging with reflective practice encourages teachers to continuously challenge their underlying beliefs about teaching, with the understanding that teachers’ choices make a great impact on the classroom environment and learning.
This module explains the stages of the teachers’ reflective process and provides resources for current and future teachers on how to become reflective teachers. The resources include:
Larrivee, B. (2000). “Transforming Teaching Practice: Becoming the critically reflective teacher” Reflective Practice, 1:3, 293-307.