Since the time of Plato the practice of reflection upon one's teaching and learning has been understood to increase knowledge. The old adage is "learn from your mistakes." Teacher reflection is necessary to recognize what are the best practices. The elements of good teaching include safety, objectives, teaching, engagement and learning.

Safety

The first element of teaching is safety. Students need to feel physically and psychologically safe. By reflecting on the physical environment and classroom management, a teacher can make sure students are in a clean and safe place, and do not feel threatened by others.

Objectives

Reflecting up the lesson's objectives should reveal a clear, relevant message that is linked to both prior and future learning. This stage commonly reflects Bloom's Taxonomy, in education which includes knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Teaching

The teaching element is the more personal portion of reflection. A teacher can quickly evaluate his skills by circling the classroom with a checklist. This checklist might include observations of active learning, questioning techniques, variation of instructional strategies, learning styles and motivational techniques. By simply jotting down which items were or were not effective, the teacher can make a new plan for the following lesson.

Engagement

Another section of observation in the reflection process is the engagement level of the students. A simple rubric from 0 to 5 can give a quick snapshot of attention to task and level of involvement during a lesson. Are the students participating in the learning process or being passive in their learning?

Learning

The final step of reflection is learning. The teacher must ask if there is evidence of learning. By collecting data and doing a final assessment, the teacher will be able to compile the information and make future decisions in teaching.

Source:

"Methods for Effective Teaching"; Paul R. Burden and David M. Byrd; 1999