1. WORKSHOP Reflective Teaching and its Application Andrew Pollard
ELTDP Symposium, Kuching,
21st February, 2013

2. The essence of professionalism is the exercise of skills, knowledge and judgement for the public good.

3. Challenges in classroom life
The practical demands of classroom teaching and the complicated nature of educational issues ensure that a teacher's work is never finished.

4. The Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025

5. Aspirations for Malaysian education by 2020
Access – 100% enrolment across all levels
Quality – top third in PISA, TIMMS, etc
Equity – 50% reduction in achievement gaps
Unity – shared values, embracing diversity
Efficiency – maximising outcomes within budget
(Malaysia Education Blueprint, , preliminary report)

6. 11 Shifts
Shift 1: Provide equal access to quality education of an international standard
Shift 2: Ensure every child is proficient in Bahasa Malaysia and English language
Shift 3: Develop values-driven Malaysians
Shift 4: Transform teaching into the profession of choice
Shift 5: Ensure high-performing school leaders in every school

7. 11 Shifts
Shift 6: Empower JPNs, PPDs, and schools to customise solutions based on need
Shift 7: Leverage ICT to scale up quality learning across Malaysia
Shift 8: Transform Ministry delivery capabilities and capacity
Shift 9: Partner with parents, community, and private sector at scale
Shift 10: Maximise student outcomes for every ringgit
Shift 11: Increase transparency for direct public accountability

8. Transformation impacts for students
Expectations
Students will learn in an environment where the fundamental belief is that all students can learn and all students can succeed. Teachers will have high expectations of students regardless of their background or prior achievement, and will provide them with the necessary support to meet those expectations;
Engagement
Students will have greater say in shaping their learning experience. Teachers will work with them and their parents to set their own learning targets. Teachers will also encourage them to be advocates for themselves so that teachers understand what learning styles work best for each of them. In return, students will be asked to try their best at all times and to work collaboratively with their teachers to reduce disruptive classroom behaviour. All students will have the collective responsibility to help make their school safe and conducive to learning.

9. Transformation impacts for students
 Curriculum
Students will have a richer school experience, both academic and non-academic. There will be more community-based projects and cross-school activities to foster interaction with individuals from all walks of life. There will be more opportunities for students to pursue their interests in academic, vocational or technical streams.
Pedagogy
Students will have a richer school experience, both academic and non-academic. There will be more project and group-based work to develop students’ higher-order thinking skills and ability to work both independently and collaboratively in groups. There will be more opportunities for students to learn at their own pace.
Assessment
Student progress will be recorded using continuous school-based assessment as part of routine classroom practice and in relation to six bands of achievement for each KSSR learning outcome. Each child should have their own portfolio of evidence, with an additional portfolio recording the best work from the class as a whole. (JW)

10. Meta-cognition and thinking skills
Children have the capacity to reflect on their own thinking processes and to develop their learning strategies.
Self-awareness
Playfulness
Self-regulation

11. Tharp and Gallimore, 1988

12. Learning in domains
Understanding about learning in particular subjects is rapidly growing.
Effective sequencing
Particular difficulties
Threshold concepts
Conceptual frameworks

13. Knowledge
Pupils find it hard to apply school knowledge in everyday life, because it does not easily transfer into alternative frames of reference.
Teachers find it hard to draw on the funds of knowledge which children develop and use outside school.

14. Pros and cons of direct instruction
Direct instruction refers to a teaching strategy in which the teacher works with the whole-class in direct, active and purposive ways. It is very well established. Direct instruction does have its limitations. It is not effective with all pupils and is more suited to teaching basic skills than to teaching higher order thinking skills. (Muijs and Reynolds, 2010)

15. Visible learning Synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses shows:
Almost all teachings strategies can be effective, but some are more effective than others.
Active and guided instruction is much more effective that unguided, facilitative methods.
‘The methods that work best lead to a very active, direct involvement and high sense of agency in the learning and teaching process’
(Hattie, 2010, p244)

16. Visible learning – focus on:
establishing clear learning intentions and success criteria
students’ cognitive engagement with the content of what is being taught
monitoring student proficiency and understanding (with evidence)
providing timely and appropriate feedback to students
trying to see learning though the eyes of the students

17. Visible learning
There is no recipe, no new teaching method. It is a way of thinking: my role, as teacher is to evaluate the effect I have on my students. This requires that teachers gather dependable evidence from many sources, and hold collaborative discussions with colleagues and students about this evidence, thus making the effect of their teaching visible to themselves and to others. (Hattie, 2012, p19)

18. Innovating and taking risks
Imagining Experimenting Evaluating pupil learning Learning ourselves Creating again expanding our repertoire of teaching strategies

19. Discussion in a science lesson: UK

20. Discussion in a science lesson: Jamaica

21. Routine action
Routine action is guided by factors such as tradition, habit and authority and taken-for-granted assumptions.
It is relatively static and unresponsive to changing priorities and circumstances.

22. Reflective action
Reflective action involves a willingness to engage in constant self‑appraisal and development.
It implies flexibility, use of evidence, rigorous analysis and social awareness.

23. Problem
Issue
Dilemmas
Judgement
Evidence

24. Possible topics for classroom enquiry
Teaching
Proportions of teacher/pupil talk (make a recording, …)
Clarity of explanation (record, consult children, …)
Open/closed questions (record, use observer, …)
Use of teacher time (keep diary, video, use observer)
Use of praise (analyse marking feedback, use observer, ask children for examples, quantify, …)
Learning
Pupil engagement/time on task (focus on specific pupil)
Pupil understanding (test, analyse errors by class, …)
Learning disposition (questionnaire, record discussion, ..)

25. Possible topics for classroom enquiry
Curriculum
Continuity and progression (analyse documentation, track pupil experience, …)
Variety and pace (analyse actual provision, consult children, …)
Class management
Management of transitions (compare incidents, …)
With-it-ness (monitor awareness, user observer, …)
Catch-’em-being-good? (record action, analyse control)
Relationships (diary, analyse incidents, consult children)
Opportunities and social consequences
Inclusion/exclusion (search for patterns in rewards, status, achievement, etc, by gender, ethnicity, social class, etc)

26. Activity 1: Sharing and discussing an example of successful practice
Work in pairs. In turn or otherwise, identify one specific illustration of successful teaching and learning in which you have been involved.
What made this successful?
What judgements did you make, and why?
What evidence informed your judgement?
What additional evidence might have helped?

27. Seven elements of reflective practice
Consideration of aims and consequences
A cyclical enquiry process
Enquiry skills
Attitudes
Judgement
Learning with colleagues
Creative mediation

28. 1. Aims and consequences
Reflective teaching implies an active concern with aims and consequences as well as means and practical competence.

29. 2. A cyclical enquiry process
Reflective teaching is applied in a cyclical or spiralling process in which teachers monitor, evaluate and revise their own practice.

30. Problem Issue Dilemmas Evidence Judgement Reflect Collect evidence
Analyse & evaluate 30

31. 3. Enquiry skills
Reflective teaching requires competence in methods of evidence-based classroom enquiry.
Which facet of classroom life should be investigated and why?
What evidence to collect and how?
How can findings be analysed, interpreted and applied?

32. Questions for any enquiry
Is design of your enquiry appropriate and coherent? (sample)
Does the evidence you have collected really indicate the nature of what is being investigated? (validity)
Would the same sort of evidence be found again, or by someone else? (reliability)
Are the conclusions you have drawn really justified? (analysis)

33. 4. Attitudes Reflective teaching requires particular attitudes:
Openmindedness
Responsibility
Wholeheartedness

34. 5. Judgement
Reflective teaching is based on teacher judgement, informed by evidence-based enquiry and insights from other research.

35. How are findings to be interpreted?
Problem
Issue
Reflect
Dilemmas
Evidence
Collect evidence
Understanding of enduring educational principles
Judgement
Analyse & evaluate 35

36. Evidence-informed principles to support professional judgement?

37. 6. Learning with colleagues
Reflective teaching, professional learning and personal fulfilment are enhanced through collaboration and dialogue with colleagues.

38. How are findings to be interpreted?
Problem
Issue
Reflect
Dilemmas
Evidence
Collect evidence
Understanding through a conceptual framework and language for discussion
Judgement
Analyse & evaluate 38

39. Concepts representing professional expertise?
CURRIC-ULUM
PEDAG-OGY
ASSESS-MENT
Aims
Contexts
Processes
Outcomes
Concepts representing professional expertise?

40. Curricular
concepts
Pedagogic
Assessment
1. Society’s educational goals
Breadth
Principle
Alignment
2. Elements of learning
Balance
Repertoire
Validity
3. Community context
Connection
Warrant
Dependability
4. Institutional context
Coherence
Culture
Expectation
5. Processes for learners’
social needs
Personalisation
Relationships
Inclusion
6. Process for learners’
emotional needs
Relevance
Engagement
Authenticity
7. Processes for learners’
cognitive needs
Differentiation
Dialogue
Feed-back
8. Outcomes for continuous improvement in learning
Progression
Reflection
Development
9. Outcomes for certification
and the lifecourse
Effectiveness
Empowerment
Consequence

41. 7. Creative mediation
Reflective teaching enables teachers to creatively mediate externally developed frameworks for teaching and learning.

42. An example
Reflecting on displays of children’s work in school – to celebrate their work, to set high expectations and encourage engagement
With thanks to:
Howe Park First School, Milton Keynes

43. Problem – Our display boards should reflect our culture and expectations … but do they engage the children?
Issue – the school environment conveys messages about what is valued
Dilemmas – How to affirm children’s work and emphasise teaching points? How to keep displays fresh and not spend too much time on them.
Judgement - What to do next?
Evidence

44. Welcome and induction to school

45. Creative and physical development

46. Creative and physical development

47. Lowry in Milton Keynes

48. Lowry in Milton Keynes

49. Harvest

50. Harvest

51. Seasides

52. Seasides

53. Problem – Our display boards should reflect our culture and expectations … but do they engage the children?
Issue – the school environment conveys messages about what is valued
Dilemmas – How to affirm children’s work and emphasise teaching points? How to keep displays fresh and not spend too much time on them.
Judgement - What to do next?
Evidence

54. Questions for any enquiry
Is design of your enquiry appropriate and coherent? (sample)
Does the evidence you have collected really indicate the nature of what is being investigated? (validity)
Would the same sort of evidence be found again, or by someone else? (reliability)
Are the conclusions you have drawn really justified? (analysis)

55. Problem Issue Dilemmas Evidence Judgement Reflect Collect evidence
Analyse & evaluate 55

56. Activity 1: Sharing and discussing an example of a problem in classroom practice
Work in pairs. In turn or otherwise, identify one specific illustration of a problem in teaching and learning in which you have been involved.
What is the problem?
What issues may underlie the problem?
What actions are possible, and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
What evidence might help to inform your judgement?

57. Reflective practice can:
Develop professional judgement;
Enhance children’s learning and attainment;
Contribute to school improvement;
Be enjoyable and personally fulfilling;
Strengthen teachers’ contribution to policy evaluation and development.

58. The spiral of professional development

59. Reflective action
‘Active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief and supposed form of knowledge in the light of grounds that support it and the further consequences to which it leads.’
(Dewey, 1933, p 9)

60. Useful websites www.tlrp.org www.reflectiveteaching.co.uk