Teacher Talk Column by Ms. Sarah Tham ______________________________________________________________________________
Self-reflection? Have You Seen My Schedule? Reframing Self-reflection for the Busy Teacher Teachers understand that self-reflection is an important skill to learn and practice. Selfreflection at its basic form has been described as “the inspection and evaluation of one’s thoughts, feelings and behavior” (Grant, Franklin, & Langford, 2002, p. 821). Generally, selfreflection involves a framework which guides teachers to think about certain aspects of their learning, instruction and professional development. By fostering reflection, teachers are better equipped to know which best practices to carry out but also why to do it. However, as student teachers progress into full-fledged teachers, many face challenges in keeping up with selfreflection as more and more demands are put on their time. How can teachers incorporate this important activity in their professional day? Korthagen’s (1985) ALACT model of self-reflection is systematic and structured. It helps teachers to reach insights into self and practice, and supports the implementation of positive changes in their instructional practice. The ALACT model is built on the assumption that by nature teachers reflect on their experiences, but that systematic reflection may lead to more effective instructional practices. Self-reflection using the ALACT model is continuous and may span over time depending on you and what you hope to achieve. So your self-reflection can happen over a period of time and you won’t feel rushed trying to get every phase covered as soon as possible. Phase 1: Action –What do you wish to reflect on? Was there a situation that stood out in your day? Was I directly involved in the situation? What did I do? What was the result of my action? Phase 2: Looking back- What exactly happened? What are the details? Did I see anything? Did I do anything? What was I thinking? How did I feel? Phase 3: Awareness of the essential aspects- What is the significance of the issue? What does my actions mean to me? What aspects in myself are preventing me from positive action? 52
