1. Reflective Teaching
thinking and writing about our work in the
classroom
Shaun Longstreet, Ph.D.
Friday, February 8, 2008 1

2. Agenda for today
• Introductions
• Reflective practices and benefits.
• Sources for more reflective practices.
• Documenting our teaching for administrators
and hiring committees
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3. What is ‘reflective
teaching’?
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4. Being a Reflective
Practitioner
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5. Practices of reflection
What do you do?
Why should we be reflective teachers?
Why should we write about our teaching?
How do we write about our teaching?
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6. Benefits of being a reflective practitioner
Why should we be reflective teachers?
Become aware of our assumptions
Prevents surprises
Helps us strategize
Continual improvement
Job satisfaction!
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7. Benefits of being a reflective practitioner
Why should we write about our teaching?
Memory fades with each new quarter
Helps make the theoretical more concrete
Eases long-term documentation for hiring & promotions
Start early and update often makes the process more
manageable
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8. Questions?
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9. Exercise
Sample reflective
questions. Take a
couple of minutes to
think about one of
the questions. Then
pair up and share
your experiences.
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10. HOW TO START?
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11. Sources and evidence
Where can we look for feedback?
Classroom performance
Student evaluations
Peer / Faculty review
Theory / Teaching, Learning and Technology
Center
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12. Teaching Autobiography
Writing about our own teaching
A way to reify our practices and assumptions
A starting point for strategizing and improving
our teaching
A way to communicate how we teach to
others.
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13. Questions?
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14. Exercise
Let’s take a few
minutes to do the
‘critical moments’
exercise...
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15. DOCUMENTING OUR
TEACHING
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16. Teaching Philosophy
&
Teaching Narrative
What is a teaching philosophy?
What is a teaching narrative?
How are they used/useful?
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17. Teaching Philosophy
1-2 page document.
Concise, cogent and concrete explanation of your
beliefs, attitudes, and values regarding teaching &
learning.
Addresses:
goals for student learning,
teaching methods,
measuring student learning,
inclusive classroom
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18. Teaching Narrative
Longer document 4-8 pages.
More detailed, autobiographical.
‘Cover letter’ for a teaching portfolio.
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19. Teaching Autobiography
What is your teaching experience?
What led to your teaching to this point?
What are some of your approaches to the
classroom time?
What plans do you have for your teaching in the
future?
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20. Teaching Portfolio
Coherent presentation of teaching excellence
Teaching portfolio often includes:
Teaching narrative
Summative statement of student evaluations
Syllabi
Student letters
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21. Effective Teaching
Philosophy and Portfolio
Must be clear, simple, concrete.
Is uniquely you - template portfolios are far less
effective.
The portfolio evidence must be supported by and be
consistent with philosophy and narrative.
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22. Best practices:
Think before you teach:
Spend as much time as you can afford on course
construction
Be prepared to be somewhat flexible; think of
possible contingencies
After each class session take a few minutes to jot a
note or two about the class
Put in side notes on your syllabus, note changes you
would make for future courses.
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23. Questions?
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24. Exercise
A good prompt for
the beginnings of a
teaching philosophy is
the ‘teaching cube’.
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25. Packet Contents
“Preparing a Teaching Portfolio” F. Mues and M. Sorcinelli
“Evaluating and Documenting Teaching Effectiveness” L.
Nilson
“Becoming Critically Reflective” S. Brookfield
“Vitality and Growth Throughout Your Teaching Career”
W. McKeachie
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26. Reflective Teaching
thinking and writing about our work in the
classroom
Shaun Longstreet, Ph.D.
Friday, February 8, 2008 26