Reflecting on Reflecting!

Kia Ora,

Here we are, week seventeen, or week one of online study!

This weeks challenge, to reflect of our reflective practice.

I have chosen to use Jay and Johnsons (2002) reflective model to reflect on my reflective practice, by describing, comparing and critically reflecting.

This quote from Finlay (2009) rings true for my reflective practice, that for “busy professionals short on time reflective practice is to easily applied in a bland, mechanical and unthinking way”. I’ve been teaching for 5 years now, and my written reflections have always been few are far between, and not very meaty! At the moment, my reflective practice takes place subconsciously throughout teaching and learning. Its automatic. What went well, what didn’t and what would I do differently next time. I tend to focus on the failures rather than the wins.

As a part of this Mind Lab journey, I discovered blogging as a way to begin sharing my teaching practice but I am yet to use it as a place of critical reflection. I felt (and still feel) uncomfortable sharing online the scary, unknown moments in my teaching practice, and in has felt safer to fight these battles alone (or with a few trusted colleagues). I’ve learnt that reflective practice stems from this uncomfortable place, and that instinctive ningle that something could be done better.

Better together.

Looking into the future, I’d like my reflective practice to be a shared, collaborative process.  I’ve learnt through the conversations I’ve had on this at The Mind Lab (online and offline) that the knowledge and perspectives of others can shed new light on my teaching practice, in ways I’d never achieve alone. Yang (2009) shares that a blog can be a place of honesty, a place to voice doubts, discomforts, the raw moments and the successes with others who have shared in other similar scenarios. I’m beginning to experience, the wealth of knowledge, that Twitter (@becca_kirby_nz) is able to harness, with a few hashtags and a short sharp tweet! I can now see the value in bringing down the walls of my teaching practice, being transparent, online and offline, casting my net wide, leaving myself open to the opportunity of much greater learning and connections with others.

A step beyond blogging, a step only taken by the brave, is to video lessons to use as a self-reflective tool, and to share online with a wider audience.

Check out Manaiakalani Google Class on Air!

Would you be brave enough to video yourself teaching?

Am I brave enough?

It was my mantra when beginning this Mind Lab journey, to practise what I preach, to be show my kids than I am a learner, just like them, taking risks and letting my curiosity run wild. And that is how I intend to keep marching on into this second half my Mind Lab journey!

Kia Kaha!