Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher
As you develop your teaching experience and build your teaching skills, it is a good idea to reflect on how you are doing, and what else you want to learn about your teaching. Critical reflection is (to quote Stephen Brookfield) "the sustained and intentional process of identifying and checking the accuracy and validity of our teaching assumptions." Using strategies to check on how you are doing as a teacher can help keep you on a path of continuous learning and growth. In this guide
An Overview of Critically Reflective Teaching
Critically reflective teachers continuously gain insights on their teaching from a variety of vantage points. Stephen Brookfield proposes four lenses that can be engaged by teachers in this process:
Self. Here instructors might look for insight and growth by reflecting on what they can learn from …
their own self-awareness and reflection (e.g. What have you noticed? What do you need to know about your teaching?);
their own reflection journals and notes; and/or
video of their teaching.
Students. Here instructors might look for insight and growth by reflecting on what they can learn from …
their students’ real-time feedback;
structured student feedback and input on particular assignments and/or teaching and learning activities; and/or
implementing classroom assessment techniques (i.e. short, low-stakes ways to see how students are doing).
Colleagues. Here instructors might look for insight and growth by reflecting on what they can learn from …
joining (or starting) a peer-learning group; and/or
participating in a teaching square or peer mentoring process.
Theory. Here instructors might look for insight and growth by reflecting on what they can learn from …
the literature/research on teaching and learning;
participating/presenting at conferences;
engaging in their own teaching and learning research; and/or
applying research to their teaching and learning practice.
Questions for instructors:
What assumptions do you make about teaching and learning?
What questions do you have about your teaching or student learning in your course?
Who will you ask/ consult?
What type of feedback would you like to receive?
How will you assess and interpret the feedback?
How will you act on the feedback? What are the next steps?
The Self Lens
Questions
What did you experience in a class you have taught recently that you are curious about, whether it was positive or negative? What do you want to know more about? Jot down the details and be as specific as possible.
How did this experience impact your teaching, and how do you think it impacted your students’ learning?
What will you do next? Is there something you will try or change in your teaching?
What else do you want to learn about? How will you accomplish this? What are your goals for development?
Strategies
Keep a teaching journal, where you write notes after each class, take note of hard moments, and include questions you have. Those questions may prompt you to ask for specific feedback from your students or peers, or even to consult any research on the topic. Your own questions are the starting point for any exploration into your teaching.
Consider videotaping your class. Putting yourself in your students’ shoes is one of the most powerful ways to realize what you are doing as a teacher, and to see how the students are behaving and what they are doing. What do you notice from the video? What questions do you have? Again, this may prompt you to follow up with students, peers, or other sources of knowledge about teaching..
The Student Lens
Questions
What can you learn from doing midterm feedback or using other classroom assessment techniques?
What have you learned from student feedback?
What do you want to learn about students’ experiences in your classes, and how might you achieve this?
Strategies
Learn more about low-stakes ways to see how students are doing in your class. Many active learning strategies allow you to see how students are doing, and give you more feedback.
One of the simplest methods to see how students are doing is to ask them to complete a minute paper at the end of each class, asking three questions: what have I learned? What am I confused about? What do I want to know more about? You review the comments, use it to see where students may need more time and what questions are coming up, and use it to help you plan your next class.
For more ideas on classroom assessment techniques, review this resource from the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning at Yale, or consult with me!
The Colleague Lens
Questions
What conversations do you have with your peers about teaching? Is talking about teaching a regular part of your department’s culture?
What have you learned from observing your peers or having your own class observed?
Strategies
Have regular conversations with colleagues about what is going on in your classes, or suggest it be part of departmental events. Normalize talking about teaching and raising teaching questions with your peer group.
Ask a colleague if you can observe their class, and/ or if they would be interested in observing your class. Peer observation provides instructors with an opportunity to discuss and receive feedback on their teaching. Peer observation not only draws upon the disciplinary expertise of colleagues, but also contributes to a collegial academic culture and sense of community around teaching. Use this peer observation worksheet to get started.
The Theory Lens
Questions
What can you learn from the literature on teaching and learning?
What topics or issues of interest do you want to learn more about?
Strategies
Consult with others in your field about how they use the scholarship of teaching and learning from your discipline.
Consider a topic or issue you want to learn more about, and think about how the literature on teaching and learning offers both (1) resources and (2) suggested actions to address it.
