I'm thinking of things to do for my imovie project later in the semester, and being that this weekend was the big Fourth, I think I might do something with Revolutionary America. Cliche, I know, but still cool. I have some ideas for music as well...but we will save that for later.
I hope everyone was safe over the break.
I have also been thinking about reflections...and I hate it. I don't dislike the practice of reflecting, as it seems natural to do in one's head, but to be required to publish reflections and to be critiqued is a tad ridiculous. Who can really say whether or not the reflections are of a certain quality?
I would think the only thing that really matters is what we do with our thoughts. If we realize that we did something poorly, then we should rectify the problem and learn from our mistake, or try something different next time. It's pretty simple and straightforward. I firmly believe that some of this "reflective practitioner" stuff is fluff. So...let the backfiring begin.
Are you checking to see if I'm paying attention?
ReplyDeleteOf course, I firmly disagree that being a reflective practioner is "fluff"! Perhaps the added layer of transparency (writing, publising, sharing, engaging with your instructor and colleagues) strikes you as unnatural. At the very least, it is time consuming. Indeed, the sort of deliberate and conscious reflection mandated in 486 (and throughout the teacher preparation cycle) is hard to come by in the workaday classroom.
You are right: good teachers do the "in one's head" stuff all the time, during and right after instruction, when the events are still "fresh." Problem is, due to the rigor and momentum of day-to-day teaching (some call it "survival mode" others call it the "foxhole mentality" -- you might like that metaphor), we risk losing or wasting reflection unless we write it down or engage in some sort of informal peer-to-peer exchange or collaboration. These practices afford built-in accountability and some assurance that thought/theory will translate to future practice when "next time" comes, whenever that may be. Consider this: what if you teach a section of history once each year on the block schedule? You will not teach that section again for another seven months. A record of your thoughts (what went well, what didn't go well) will be extremely helpful as you consider and reconsider your tack from year to year.
I used to keep a folder -- carried it with me to and from school every day -- in which I dropped notes to myself about everything (lesson plans, classroom organization, new stuff I wanted to try). It was literally my "Next Year" folder, and I opened it every summer to get a hold on what I wanted to do in the coming school year.
Favorite quote by William Blake: The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.
This practice of cementing and documenting our thoughts requires time and discipline but ultimately provides a record for the novice teacher upon which he/she can build upon and improve future practice.
End of soapbox.