Encouraging a Reflective Stance

The practice of reflecting on teaching marks a true professional.  One of the important roles of an instructional coach is to support the reflective process and encourage a consistent reflective stance.  Through reflection, teachers are able to consider the effectiveness of their work, recognizing things that went well and also areas for improvement.  Because there is no such thing as a perfect lesson, reflection always yields opportunities for growth and change.  Teaching is so hard that some aspect of it can always be enhanced. 

The first pause for thought centers around student learning.  Was the instructional goal met?  Did most students “get it?”  If not, why not?  Remember the piles activity described in last week’s blog?  A similar process can help you and the teacher think together about student learning as you reflect on a lesson.

Student engagement is another important consideration.  Engagement is not only student participation, but the degree to which students were really bending their brains around the topic.  Was there stimulating conversation?  Did they think so hard their brains hurt?  Was the brain-hurting followed by a light bulb moment?  Or is that light bulb moment yet to come? 

"Teachers make literally hundreds of decisions daily.  Some decisions are small and trivial; most are not" (Danielson, 2007; p. 88).   Reflecting on these decisions can yield some impoortant insights.  In what ways was the lesson different than planned?  Why did the teacher make the decision to take the lesson in that directioin?  What was the result of the change?  Asking questions like these during a debrief session can enhance reflective practice.

And, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander!  Take a moment to reflect on your coaching.  What things are going well?  Celebrate them!  What things aren’t going so well?  Brainstorm ways to change them, then chose a course of action.  As with teaching, the practice of reflecting on coaching marks a true professional.

Resources to Explore:

Food for thought about reading in the disciplines:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/articles-detail-view.php?id=1091

If you are helping teachers beef up their nonfiction libraries, the Nonfiction Detectives blog is a good resource:

http://nonfictiondetectives.blogspot.com/

 

If you are looking for ways to collaborate more with middle and high school teachers, you might find some helpful ideas on this podcast with Penny Kittle:

http://www.choiceliteracy.com/articles-detail-view.php?id=1419

That’s it for this week. 

Happy coaching!

Danielson, C. (2007).  Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.