Niki Christodoulou: C.A.R.E Based Reflective Development not Just a Case Study

C.A.R.E. based Reflective Development –
Not just a case study
Dr Niki Christodoulou
Department of Languages and Literature
University of Nicosia, Cyprus
christodoulou.n@unic.ac.cy
©Eaquals Eaquals International Conference | Madrid | 11-13 April 2019 #eaquals19madrid

The facts
265 million
(Shapiro, 2016)
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The facts
68.8 million
(Shapiro, 2016)
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Reality
A shortage of
quality teachers
(Shapiro, 2016)
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The UN 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development
Goal #4 – Quality Education
The need to increase
the supply of
qualified teachers
by 2030
through teacher training
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Quality education
Requires quality teachers
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A juxtaposition
The need for
more qualified teachers
vs.
A shortage of
quality teachers
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Buzzwords
Teacher training
Teacher development
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Are they in opposition?
Training vs development
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Training -
A part of
development
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My take
Training is more specific.
Focuses on specific knowledge or skills
to improve performance in current roles.
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My take
Development is more expansive.
Focuses on employee growth rather than
on an immediate job role.
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Unpacking the terms
Development
Reflective development
C.A.R.E. based reflective development
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What is development?
A multifaceted term
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Todaro’s development
Creating conditions conducive to the
growth of peoples’ self-esteem
through institutions which promote
human dignity and respect
(Todaro & Smith, 2015)
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In teaching
Development is
an unclear concept!
(Evans, 2011)
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Teacher development (TD)
• specific developments through in-service
or staff seminars
OR
• advances in teachers’ sense of purpose,
instructional skills and abilities to work
with colleagues
(Evans, 2011)
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Since the 1990s 
‘How little systematic attention has been
devoted to understanding
teacher development’
‘teacher development must be
conceptualized much more than it has been.’
(Fullan and Hargreaves, 1992:1)
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?
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Reflection
Reflective Practice (RP)
A multifaceted concept
Little consensus
(Beauchamp, 2015)
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Niki’s book
Reflective
Development
through
the CARE Model
Empowering
Teachers of
English as a
Foreign Language

My stance on TD
• all about self-esteem
• all about a sense of purpose
• needs to be more than it has been
My local context
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EFL Teachers
• perceived as subject specialists with
little or no received pedagogical
knowledge
• not highly regarded as researchers even
within the TEFL field itself
• treated as ‘second-class citizens’
(Pennington, 1992)
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My local context
• Practices of marginalization
• The ‘critical’ as ‘judgmental’
• Disempowerment
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Negative emotions
Anger
Depression
Anxiety
Fear
Loss of voice
Teacher Silence
(Fook, 2003)
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The wider context
• A culture of teacher silence
in most institutions
• Teachers not talking about
their practice
in a sustained or serious way
(Brookfield, 1995)
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The motivation behind
the study
An emotion
Using reflection as a tool
to investigate
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A multi-method
Action inquiry
Qualitative investigation
Zeroing in on the research

A) Implementing RP
1) reshaped relationships with ‘self’
2) positive connections with peers
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B) The C.A.R.E. Model
1) The elements that make it unique
2) The elements as solutions for
meaningful change
a) individual level
b) collective level
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• Reflective Journals
• Reflective Inquiry Group Meetings
• Dialogue Sessions (based on video-
recordings)
• Online Chats
• Semi-structured interviews
• Surveys
The Methods

Collaborative
Appreciative
Reflective/Reflexive
Enquiry
The C.A.R.E. Model

How?
Daily/weekly reflective interactions
• Verbal
• Written
• Online
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How?
• Dyads
• Groups
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Why?
To unearth teachers’
• beliefs
• emotions
• values
• prior experiences
• present experiences
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In the study
Spotlight was turned on the ‘self’ 
(Not narcissistically )
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Teacher personality
A missing variable
in almost all reflective discussions
in teacher education.
(Akbari, 2007)
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Results
• Increased confidence in themselves
• Positivity
• Empowerment to lead others
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Results
• A renewed belief in TEFL profession
• New visions for EFL practice
• Reframed beliefs and strategies in
EFL teaching
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Some data from the teachers
Personal level
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On personality
I think RP has to do with someone’s
personality. The way we teach or the way
we do things has to do with our beliefs, our
values, the way we perceive things. My
personality has kept me focused in the
research.
(Isabel)
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On awareness of ‘self’
What we have been doing for the last few
weeks has made me realize that I am in
this research because I want to get to
know me (to become a critically reflective
teacher).
(Anna)
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On being confident
The RP research helped me overcome the
difficulties. It was my development and
obviously when you develop you move to
another stage of development. So at the
end of this research I am a little bit more
confident and competent.
(Nora)
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Some date from the teachers
Collective level
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Positive connections
with peers
Participation in this research has been an
enjoyable process through which we have
come to realize things about us both as
educators and as people. And it gives us the
opportunity to read and talk about concerns
and everyday life as lecturers with
our colleagues.
(Claudia)
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On embracing what is good
You empowered us to see what we do
right by talking about it with colleagues
and ‘borrowing’ colleagues’ opinions and
ideas on practice for even better results.
This is a result of our meetings, of the
recorded sessions and the interviews as
well as of the journals.
(Anna)
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Reframed strategies in
EFL teaching
Participating in the study has helped me
develop and work on strategies of teaching,
be more creative... motivate students
constantly and share things with my
colleagues in the group. It is an ongoing
life-long journey of knowledge.
(Erica)
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B) The C.A.R.E. elements
1. Absence of judgment – the ‘acritical
discourse’ (Brockbank and McGill, 2006)
2. Acceptance of ‘self’ and others
3. Radical listening (Kincheloe, 2008)
4. Dialogue
5. Reframing
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C.A.R.E. emotional elements
1. Safety
2. Trust
3. Freedom
4. A radically loving and hopeful dynamic
(Kincheloe, 2008)
5. Appreciation
6. Empowerment
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Teacher empowerment
The practice whereby administrators
allocate power and
encourage or assist teachers
to use it in ways that
benefits themselves and
their professions.
(Hoy & Miskel, 2012)
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How to implement C.A.R.E.
Role of an understanding mentor or peer
The personal connection
The group connection
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In the C.A.R.E. process
The intention is to understand!
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In the C.A.R.E. process
Understanding does not mean
accepting everything!
Understanding means
learning how to respond to others, to
events and situations
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Focus on teachers’ core strengths
Reflecting on
teachers’ core strengths
is key to professional
growth and development.

EFL Teachers’ core strengths
• respectful
• humble
• generous
• ethical
• persistent
• willing
• cooperative
• appreciative
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Teacher Development
More than training opportunities
Should involve C.A.R.E-ing about
employees’ (teachers’)
emotional well-being!
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The C.A.R.E. elements
Can be replicated by staff and
organizations who aim to create
• mindful
• co-educational
• dialogical
• appreciative
interactions and relationships with others.
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An ongoing co-educational journey which
takes place in an appreciative context of
‘connected knowing’ where dialogical and
collaborative interactions with others
can flourish.
This reflective journey always
starts with the ‘self’.
(Christodoulou, 2016)
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Thank you!
christodoulou.n@unic.ac.cy
dr.niki.christodoulou@gmail.com
©Eaquals Eaquals International Conference | Madrid | 11-13 April 2019 #eaquals19madrid

Niki Christodoulou: C.A.R.E Based Reflective Development not Just a Case Study

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