What is component 4a? Component 4a is reflecting on teaching. This component focuses on the teacher’s thinking that follows any instructional lesson/activity. The teacher should reflect back on the decisions made in planning and implementation of a lesson. By doing this, teachers can determine where to focus their efforts in making changes and what parts of the instruction will be used in the future. Teachers can reflect on their practice through:
Collegial conversations
Journal writing
Examine student work
Informal observation
Conservations with students
Think about their teaching
Teachers should reflect with accuracy, specificity, and ability to use what has been learned in future teaching is a learned skill. Mentors, coaches, and supervisors can help teachers acquire and develop this skill through supportive and deep questioning. Over time, this way of thinking and analyzing instruction becomes a habit, leading to improvement in teaching and learning. Why is it needed? Reflecting on teaching is needed in the instructional period of lesson because it allows teachers to reflect back on their work and become a better teacher. When implementing a lesson, teachers need to be aware of the changes that might take place. Some students might not understand a lesson as well as other classmates and the teacher needs to be ready for this. At the end of the lesson, teachers need to ask themselves questions such as: “How do I think this lesson went?”, “What were some strength and weaknesses of this lesson?”, “What could I change to make it better?”, etc.
What are the elements of component 4a? Accuracy. Teacher’s reflections become more accurate with more experience. Not only are the reflections accurate, but teachers can provide specific examples from the lesson to support their judgments. Use in future teaching. In order for reflection to improve teaching, teachers must use their reflections to make adjustments in their practice. As teachers gain more experience, they acquire multiple strategies to inform these plans.
How can it be implemented in the classroom? Teachers reflect on their lessons and ask themselves questions. Teachers create a list of strategies to use when reflecting on a lesson. Teachers use the Reflecting Teaching Cycle to make changes to their plans to further student understanding. Teachers ask questions to co-workers on advice. Teachers can ask co-workers to sit in on a lesson and have them help reflect back on their lesson. The observer should ask questions on how the teacher thinks the lesson went and what ways could make the lesson better. Teachers can reflect on student assessments and see what questions are commonly missed and use this assessment to know what the students still do not understand and figure out a way to apply the information in a new lesson.
Check out this great source that ties into 4a! Chalk.com
Sources: Dewey Quote. (2017). I.pinimg.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/65/aa/db/65aadbff4ac6d95750061211ef4feff3.jpg The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument. (2017). Static.pdesas.org. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_77.pdf Reflecting. (2017). Teaching.monster.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from http://teaching.monster.com/nfs/teaching/attachment_images/0009/3996/think_crop380w.jpg?1277225504 Reflective Teaching. (2017). Throwingbacktokens.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://throwingbacktokens.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/reflective-teaching.jpg Reflective Journal. (2017). Ecdn.teacherspayteachers.com. Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://ecdn.teacherspayteachers.com/thumbitem/Diary-of-a-TeacherStudent-Teacher-Reflection-Observation-Journal-1459875112/original-1873094-1.jpg