Reflective Practices of Teachers

Essai , 2022 , 9 Pages

Pédagogie - Le Professeur / Pédagogue

The essay highlights the importance of teachers reflecting on their current teaching practices within an inquiry-based learning environment. The importance of separating the idea of curriculum and methodology, as part of the IB methodology students are expected to learn through the lens of inquiry-based activities, where students are encouraged to become effective communicators, risk-takers, being open-minded to new opportunities and learn through being knowledgeable of a particular topic.

As educators the most important process of planning involves reflecting on your own practices and looking for areas for concern and improvement, knowing that the students you teach and making remarkable progress and being innovative focussing on their 21st- century skills emphasising the importance of collaboration, cooperation and inquiry-based learning. These reflections are vital when you are teaching the PYP, MYP, GCSE, and DP programmes in international schools.

Abstract

The following essay will highlight the importance of teachers reflecting on their current teaching practices within an inquiry-based learning environment. The importance of separating the idea of curriculum and methodology, as part of the IB methodology students are expected to learn through the lens of inquiry-based activities, where students are encouraged to become effective communicators, risk-takers, being open-minded to new opportunities and learn through being knowledgeable of a particular topic. As educators the most important process of planning involves reflecting on your own practices and looking for areas for concern and improvement, knowing that the students you teach and making remarkable progress and being innovative focussing on their 21st- century skills emphasising the importance of collaboration, cooperation and inquiry-based learning. These reflections are vital when you are teaching the PYP, MYP, GCSE, and DP programmes in international schools.

Keywords: Assessments, Inquiry-Based learning, Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, DP Programme.

Introduction

Reflections are important when teachers evaluate which strategies and practices worked in the classroom. As part of curriculum development faculties and subjects, and disciplines are encouraged to collaborate, share ideas, and opinions and work together with the main objective of guiding and supporting students to become independent lifelong learners. In the IB methodology as part of the curriculum students explore, which could be British, American etc, students need to be guided and supported through inquiry-based learning to learn a new skill that will be beneficial for their learning. Part of the IB methodology allows students to focus on the learner profiles, where they take risks through becoming “risk-takers”, being “open-minded”, “knowledgeable”, and ''effective''communicators as outlined by IBO (n.d., 2018).

Reflective Practices for teachers to use within classrooms

The ability to reflect as a teacher is part of the process of being able to improve in areas that are key to creating a successful classroom environment. Teachers around the globe create reflective practices to evaluate whether the students have understood the work that has been presented.

The value of reflecting on teaching practices

There are so many values from reflecting on your teaching practices when you plan a lesson when you teach the content when you assess and evaluate and when you recap and conclude the plenary by asking questions: "can you name one keyword of today's lesson, or what do you take away from the lesson today, or can you construct one sentence in what you have learned, and do you think we have achieved the learning outcomes and objectives of today's lesson. Through reflecting, practices students and teachers are given opportunities to elaborate and explain what they have learned. The areas of particular concern are to enable students to improve in their learning, and for teachers to evaluate what needs to be changed, adapted, and modified through the curriculum, content, and lesson plan.

Finlay (2008, as cited in Spalding, 2020) explains that: “Reflective practice is 'learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and practice” (para. 1). In most classrooms teachers only want their students to develop into mature, independent thinkers, focussing on the curriculum objectives, outcomes, and concluding the assessments.

The benefits of having a Professional Learning Community (PLC) at your school

There are many opportunities for teachers to grow educationally through having a Professional Learning Community (PLC) at your school. Owen (2004) explains that:

“Professional learning community (PLC) is a current 'buzz' term in business and educational contexts, seemingly referring to anything from decision-making committees to regular meeting groups or collegial learning teams” (para. 1). Having learning teams focus on the development and well-being of our students can only be beneficial in any school setting. Evaluating teaching practices, what is important for the students to achieve, to promote diversity and in most International Baccalaureate schools, focusing on inquiry-based learning. Students have the opportunity to flourish educationally, creating learning teams responsible for the curriculum, and evaluations, implementing technology, and promoting International Mindedness by creating links, and partnerships with other schools. Stauffer (2020) outlines the key areas for the implementation of 21st-century skills in schools to promote critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, leadership, and productivity.

Having these PLC groups can encourage and motivate teachers to set higher goals and attainable targets for their students. Giving teachers the support they need through constant evaluations, reviews, and feedback with regard to training and development, issues related to school administration, and creating effective communication channels between the school, the students, and their parents. Having these learning teams could ensure that all areas of the school's strategic planning are adhered to from financial committees to recruitment committees, to staffing, and curriculum developments. Miller (2020) iterates that: "a learning team constantly engages in a cycle of learning" (p. 1). Having these learning teams could emphasise the three most important areas in your school by determining common learning, and assessments by focussing on standards, using specific criteria, and unpacking those standards. Making space for innovation by trying out new strategies that will be beneficial for the teachers and the classroom environments they teach. Ensuring that the team works effectively by following protocols and that all voices are heard. (Miller, 2020). The five elements are having reflective dialogues with your colleagues, focusing on student learning, interaction amongst colleagues and other teachers, collaboration, shared norms, and values (Blueprint, n.d.).

Professional Learning Community (PLC) at International School in West Africa

As an institution, we already have a PLC at the school, and one member of the board is solely responsible for the organisation of the several learning teams, we have several areas which is covered including child protection, safety committee, education policy committee, assessment and evaluation committee, teaching practices committee, and several others to ensure students can be given the best education following the correct procedures and practices as outlined to all teachers attending the school. Dufour (n.d.) confirms that "People use this term to describe every imaginable combination of individuals with an interest in education" (para. 1).

The function of all the committees is to improve the quality of teaching, assessments, reporting, and practices in the classroom. We have several faculty leaders who meet regularly with the concerned teams to outline curriculum development and opportunities. areas of concern, and how to become an effective teacher in the classrooms. Teachers have Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training where leaders have workshops focussing on teaching and learning, evaluation and assessments, and discussing the curriculum, to be able to modify, accommodate and support all our students in the school. The role of the PYP, IMYC, GCSE, and IB coordinator is to ensure teachers are up to speed with the new requirements as outlined by these examination bodies, and that teachers have access to material and workshops fostering high levels of critical thinking and inquiry-based learning for students.

Conclusion

In most international schools teachers will reflect constantly to look at ways to improve their teaching strategies, and unit of inquiries and see what areas need improvement to make lessons, stimulating, challenging, interesting and foremost inquiry-based where students take action for their own learning and educators become more facilitators ensuring students are on tasks, meeting the assessment criteria and working towards achieving their goals, outcomes, objectives, and aims. Teachers inspire other teachers through means of collaboration to become better educators.

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• Cours: Masters in Education (Advanced Teaching for Elementary, Middle and Secondary)
• Auteur: Mario Maxwell Müller (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2022
• Pages: 9
• N° de catalogue: V1285157
• ISBN (PDF): 9783346748737
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Assessments, Inquiry-Based learning, Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, DP Programme.