Responses to Finlay's (2008) article [Activity 3]

Reflection 'in' and 'on' practice.

During my first year as a beginning teacher I did a 'reflection on reflections'.  Upon reading this article, I have realised that my earlier reflection was a 'surface reflection'.  There was an absence of critical evaluation, and self-awareness.

It was interesting to read about Schon, 1983 and his two types of reflections (as cited in Finlay, 2008). Up until I read this article, I have always reflected-on-action. I would wait until something happened and then use it as an opportunity to reflect on. It has been great to read that reflection also happens during and event. I know that I do this, but have never had the theory or basis in writing that underpins this notion.

Just as I thought I was ready to carry out critical evaluations of my practice, Finlay mentioned Zeichner and Liston's model, 1996 which demonstrate five different levels of reflection that can occur during teaching (as cited in Finlay, 2008).  These are;

1. Rapid reflection
2. Repair
3. Review
4. Research 
5. Retheorizing and reformulating

I find this model is clearer than Schon's model as it breaks it into five deliberate acts.  Although they can be aligned with Schon's model as rapid reflection and repair relate to reflecting-in-practice and review, research, and retheorizing and reformulating relate to reflecting-on-practice.

Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) was clear and I found that it aligns closely with the Teaching as Inquiry model found in our New Zealand Curriculum (2007).   However, I prefer Zeichner and Liston's model (1996).  It seems more succinct and provides an explicitly clear model to develop deeply critical reflections on practice. I fell it encompasses Schon (1983), Grushka, Hinde-McLeod and Reynolds (2005), and Gibbs (1988) reflective cycles.


References

Finlay, L. (2008) Reflecting on ‘Reflective practice’, Practice-based Professional Learning Centre, paper 52. A discussion paper prepared for PBPL CETL,www.open.ac.uk/pbpl.

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Retrieved May 18, 2015, from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum