Sept 14 Entrance Slip On Becoming a Reflective Teacher

This article addresses many issues that I have been thinking about even before entering into this program. I think about how a teacher can improve is not based solely upon their own knowledge and past experiences, but also what goes on in the classroom over time. Although written over three decades ago, there is nothing new under the sun. How teachers and students interact and mutually learn from each other remains the same so long as the roles are not changed. A teacher is a student themselves, learning from in front of the class through teaching a group of “official” students. It is an exercise of adaptation, being flexible with different teaching/learning styles. The authors argue that for teaching to be effective, simply following prescribed methods or curriculum guidelines isn’t sufficient. Teachers should also engage in continuous self-evaluation/reflection, and introspection. I want to be open minded on how I as a teacher can be better, not just in knowledge, but also being interactive and sociable. When mistakes do occur, accept it, do whatever needs to be done to take care of it, and move forward. Doing these things should be my task anytime during my career. It displays professionalism, responsibility, and humility. I should behave outside of the classroom with care too, so that certain unwanted habits won’t enter into the classroom and negatively affect learners. The teaching role is indeed a social relations role. This is why the University of Alberta introduced that the CASPER exam (an open-response, situational judgment test that evaluates aspects of one’s social intelligence and professionalism such as ethics, empathy, problem-solving and collaboration) is necessary for their BEd applications. It got me thinking how critical it is for teachers to discuss methods of instruction and other classroom management with their colleagues, as well as being open for discussion and providing help for students who require it. Engaging in dialogue bridges gaps that were initially present. This article helped me see why teacher inquiry is important and that it should be implemented in teaching programs. It can help educators identify personal biases, misconceptions, and other areas of improvement throughout their career. There may be potential challenges to resisting introspection because of a lack of time, resources, or institutional support. However with careful planning, being proactive, and not procrastinating will help one finish their instructional task efficiently.