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Promoting Reflective Thinking in Teachers
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Promoting Reflective Thinking in Teachers
50 Action Strategies

Second Edition


May 2005 | 272 pages | Corwin
`This book is very thorough in presenting the purpose and accompanying strategies for instilling reflective practices in educators. I believe the reflective thoughts and questions posed throughout are beneficial for teachers' - Karen Harvey, Santa Clarita Valley Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA)

This Second Edition integrates the latest research and technology with tried-and-true methods for boosting practitioners' reflective thinking skills. The tasks and tools provided have been specifically designed for facilitators of pre-service and inservice teacher education, training, and development-giving them a timesaving blueprint on how to shape their adult learners into analytical and critical thinkers.

Attuned to the challenges surrounding teacher training, this easy-to-use guide outlines straightforward activities and concrete assessments that serve as constructive benchmarks for facilitators and teachers alike. It delivers 50 practical strategies for helping educators move through the levels of reflective thinking - from teacher roles, styles, attributes, and observations through such far-reaching concerns as the moral and ethical considerations of teaching.

 
About the Authors
 
Chapter 1: Becoming a Reflective Teacher
Modes of Reflective Thinking

 
The Process Approach

 
Techniques for Facilitating Reflective Activities

 
Brainstorming

 
Consensus Building

 
Buzz Groups

 
Role-Playing

 
Questioning

 
Activities for Introducing Reflective Thinking to Practitioners

 
Task 1: Finding a Definition

 
Task 2: The Reflective Thinking Process

 
Task 3: Gardening Puzzle

 
Task 4: Roll On

 
Task 5: Designing a Classroom

 
Task 6: Logic Lure

 
Preparing a Plan of Action for Enhancing Reflective Thinking

 
 
Chapter 2: Assessing Reflective Thinking
Task 7: Atribute Clarification

 
Task 8: Card Sort: Reflective Thinking Attributes

 
 
Chapter 3: Practicing Observational Learning
The Observation Process

 
Reflective Activities

 
Task 9: Categorization of Observations

 
Task 10: Compliance With Classroom Rules

 
Task 11: Observing Effective Questioning

 
Task 12: Observing Classroom Management Styles

 
Task 13: Belief Systems: Their Role in Observational Learning

 
Task 14: Interpreting Change

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
Journaling Reflective Growth

 
 
Chapter 4: Writing Reflective Journals
The Use of Reflective Journals

 
Reflective Activities

 
Task 15: Task Formatting a Journal Entry

 
Task 16: Journaling the Reflective Thinking Process

 
Task 17: A Comparison of the Use of Journaling to an Observational Checklist

 
Task 18: A Comparison of Observations With the Use of a Journaling Format to Observations Without the Use of a Journaling Format

 
Task 19: Open-Ended Journaling

 
Task 20: Rights and Responsibilities

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
Journaling Reflective Growth

 
 
Chapter 5: Using Practicum Strategies
The Microteaching Process

 
Reflective Teaching

 
Reflective Activities

 
Task 21: The Anxiety Task

 
Task 22: Lines of Symmetry Task

 
Task 23: Effective Teaching Rubric

 
Task 24: Effective Teaching to Peers

 
Task 25: Inclusion: Teaching Effectiveness

 
Task 26: Effective Teaching of Peers

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
Journaling Reflective Growth

 
 
Chapter 6: Narrative Reflection
 
Autobiographical Sketches
Case Studies

 
Study Circles

 
Reflective Activities

 
Task 27: Using Case Study for Problem Resolution

 
Task 28: Using Autobiographical Sketches to Evaluate Beliefs Regarding Teacher Roles

 
Task 29: Writing a Case Study for Problem Resolution

 
Task 30: The Three Pigs, the Wolf, and Effective Teaching

 
Task 31: Chew and Chat

 
Task 32: Using Autobiographical Sketches to Evaluate Beliefs Regarding Classroom Management Styles

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
Journaling Reflective Growth

 
 
Chapter 7: Creating Mental Models
The Process of Using Metaphors for Reflective Thinking

 
The Process of Using Repertory Grids

 
Reflective Activities

 
Task 33: Using Metaphors to Explore Teacher Roles

 
Task 34: Using Repertory Grids to Explore Instructional Practices

 
Task 35: Using Metaphors to Explore Classroom Management Styles

 
Task 36: Using Repertory Grids to Explore Practitioner Traits

 
Task 37: Using Metaphors to Explore Perceptions of School Climate

 
Task 38: Using REpertory Grids to Explore Classroom Climate

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
 
Journaling Reflective Growth
 
Chapter 8: Promoting Reflective Thinking Through Action Research
Reflective Activities

 
Task 39: Preparing for Action Research: Selecting a Question

 
Task 40: Research for Self-Improvement

 
Task 41: Collaborative Action Research

 
Task 42: Textbook Analysis

 
Task 43: Action Research: Ethical, Moral, or Sociopolitical Issues

 
Task 44: Action Research: Parent and Community Involvement

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
Journaling Reflective Growth

 
References

 
 
Chapter 9: Technology as a Tool for Building Learning Communitites
Study Groups

 
Portfolio Development

 
Reflective Activities

 
Task 45: Video as an Observational Tool

 
Task 46: Reflecting on the Value of Internet Resources

 
Task 47: Learning Communities to Promote Reflection

 
Task 48: Linking Electronic Portfolios to Reflective Writing

 
Task 49: Onlne Peer Mentoring

 
Task 50: Technology to Support the Learning Community

 
Reflective Questions

 
Action Assignments

 
Suggestions for Success

 
Journaling Reflective Growth

 
 
Preface

“This book is very thorough in presenting the purpose and accompanying strategies for instilling reflective practices in educators. I believe the reflective thoughts and questions posed throughout are beneficial for teachers."

Karen Harvey, Induction Program Coordinator
Santa Clarita Valley Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA)

Germaine L. Taggart

Germaine L. Taggart is Associate Professor in the College of Education at Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. She has taught students from kinder­garten through Grade 12 in public schools in Kansas. She received her BS and MS degrees in Elementary Education from Pittsburg State University, her EdS in Educational Administration from Fort Hays State University, and her EdD in Educational Administration from Kansas State University. She teaches mathematics and science methods courses, has helped develop and continues to work with TEAM: Links for Learning (a field-based preservice program), and provides staff development on a consultant... More About Author

Alfred P. Wilson

Alfred P. Wilson is Professor Emeritus of Educational Administration at Kansas State University. He has served as a public school teacher and administrator and as a university faculty member and administrator in the states of Nevada, Utah, Montana, New Mexico, Idaho, and Kansas. He received his doctorate from Utah State University in 1969. He is the author or coauthor of more than 25 books and monographs and 100 articles and research papers. He has been consultant to more than 200 school districts in 42 states, 20 state departments and regional service centers for education, 15 community colleges and universities, and a broad variety of... More About Author

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