Examining and Facilitating Reflection to Improve Professional Practice

By (author) Ann Shelby Harris, Benita Bruster, Barbara Peterson, Tammy Shutt

Publication date:

16 September 2010

Length of book:

140 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Dimensions:

242x162mm
6x10"

ISBN-13: 9781442204430

Examining and Facilitating Reflection to Improve Professional Practice is specifically designed and organized to be used throughout a teacher-education program from an introductory foundations course, continuing through content-specific methods classes to graduate-level theory seminars, and, ultimately onto professional development workshops. Harris and her co-authors provide a method for directly instructing students on the practice of reflection and the understanding and identification of the developmental phases of reflection, supported by theory drawn from research. By moving students beyond their commonly held belief that reflection is simply keeping a journal or summarizing the days' activities, Examining and Facilitating Reflection to Improve Professional Practice enables them to use increasingly sophisticated reflection practices that help them grow in their reflective process, ultimately improving their instructional practice.
Closely aligned with the reflections standards set by INTASC, NCATE, and NBPST, this book is essential as universities and colleges seek to have reflection as a standard skill set for classroom teachers and educational administrators. Using this text as an easily accessible resource, a discussion and activities guide, and a support for professional development, Education Departments' reflection goals and objectives are met and students enter the classroom confidant in their ability to think in diverse ways, meet the challenges of the classroom, and respond to changing educational environments.
This book is timely, extremely powerful, and perfectly complements standards-based teacher education programs. Undergraduate education students are frequently asked to reflect on their reading, learning, and planning but they do not fully know how to do so. Examining and Facilitating Reflection to Improve Professional Practice will help these students to more fully understand and experience the transformative power of reflection in their education, careers, and lives.