- Reflective teaching involves teachers thinking critically about their teaching practices, analyzing how lessons were taught and how they could be improved for better student outcomes. - John Dewey introduced the concept of "reflective thought" in 1910 to encourage teachers to self-evaluate their methods. - Reflective teaching helps teachers develop professionally by gaining a deeper understanding of their own styles and roles through self-observation and assessment of what works best for students. - Common reflective teaching strategies include keeping a reflective diary, conducting peer observations, recording lessons, and gathering student feedback.

1. Reflective Teaching: Meaning,
Concept, Strategies
Dr.M.Deivam
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
The Gandhigram Rural Institute (Deemed to be University)
Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu – 624 302

2. Introduction
• Teaching at reflective level
represents the highest level of
the teaching act that can be
carried out at the most
thoughtful modes of operation
providing the desirable quality
of teaching – learning situation
and experiences to the learner
for utilizing and enhancing their
cognitive abilities to the
maximum.

3. Origin
• The concept "reflective thought" was
introduced by John Dewey in 1910 in his book
entitle on "How We Think", a work designed
for teachers.
• As time went on, terminology concerning
"critical thinking," "problem solving," and "
higher level thought."

4. What is Reflection ?
• Reflection is a meta-cognitive strategy that
helps teachers to think critically upon their
experiences, actions and decisions during
their teaching practices.

5. Why do teachers need to reflect?
• Reflective practice helps teachers to have a
deeper understanding of their own teaching
styles.
• As we reflect, we will better understand our
role as teachers!

6. Meaning: Reflective Teaching
• The word reflection stands for the act of
reflection (turning back).
• Process of self evaluation and self
observation.
• Reflective teaching is a process where
teachers think over their teaching practices,
analyzing how something was taught and how
the practice might be improved or changed for
better learning outcomes.

7. Definitions
• Reflective Teaching is a means of ‘’looking at
what you do in the classroom, thinking about
why you do it, and thinking about if it works - a
process of self-observation and self-evaluation’’
(Tice, 2011).
• Reflective Teaching - ‘encouraging growth and
improving pedagogical knowledge and
professional development for pre-service
teachers’ (Rodman, 2010).

8. Teacher’s Reflection
• Teacher should evaluate each lesson
• Did things go as planned ?
• What went well ?
• What could be improved ?
• Was preparation adequate ?
• Were objectives fulfilled ?
• Was the lesson relevant to the objective ?
• Did the lesson develop logically ?
• Were students motivated and interested ?

9. Purpose of Reflective Teaching
• Reflective teaching is a personal tool that
teachers can use to observe and evaluate the
way they behave in their classroom.
• Helps teachers in their professional
development
• Self-awareness is a powerful strategy for a
teacher, especially when so much of what and
how they teach.

10. Reflective cyclic
• Teach
• Self-assess the effect
your teaching has
had on learning
• Consider new ways
of teaching which
can improve the
quality of learning
• Try these ideas in
practice
• Repeat the process

11. Methods
• Analytic method, discovery method, problem
solving method, assignment method and
project method prove quite useful at the
reflective level of teaching.

12. Testing devices used
• Preferably essay type or open end type, which
can test their problem solving ability and
creativity in relation to their study.

13. Strategies
Strategies
Reflective
Diary
Peer
Observation
Recording a
lesson
Student’s
Feedback

14. Teacher’ Reflective Diary
• This is the easiest way to begin a process of
reflection since it is purely personal.
• After each lesson you write in a notebook
about what happened.
• You may also describe your own reactions and
feelings and those you observed on the part of
the students. You are likely to begin to pose
questions about what you have observed.
• Diary writing does require teacher to be
disciplined.

15. Peer Observation
• Invite a colleague to come into your class to collect
information about your lesson.
• This may be with a simple observation task or through
note taking.
• This will help to identify the areas which required to be
reflected upon. For example, you might ask your
colleague to focus on which students contribute most
in the lesson, what different patterns of interaction
occur or how you deal with errors.
• They also suggest how to overcome mistakes
committed during teaching

16. Recording a lesson
• Video or audio recordings of lessons can provide
very useful information for reflection.
• You may do things in class you are not aware of
or there may be things happening in the class
that as the teacher you do not normally see.
• It is useful in showing the aspects of teachers
behaviour in class.
• Physical aspects such as, where does the teacher
stands, who does she speaks to, how does the
teacher come across while dealing with the
students.

17. Students Feedback
• You can also ask your students what they think
about what goes on in the classroom. Their
opinions and perceptions can add a different
and valuable perspective.
• This can be done with simple questionnaires

18. Advantages of Reflective Teaching
• Reflective teaching develops the quality of
teaching through continuous improvements.
• It gives educators new opportunities to reflect
on and assess their teaching.
• It enables teachers to explore and test new
ideas, methods, approaches, and materials.
• It provides opportunity to assess how effective
the new approaches were.

19. Cont.,
• Teachers share feedback with fellow team
members.
• They make decisions about which new
approaches to include in the school’s
curriculum, instruction, and assessment plans.

20. Limitations
• Not all teachers may understand the reflective
process.
• May feel uncomfortable challenging and
evaluating own practices.
• Could be time consuming.
• May have confusion as to which
situation/experience to reflect.

21. Thank you