Ben Miller, writing about Stephen Brookfield, said that for Brookfield, "the purpose of the critically reflective professor is to garner an increased awareness of his or her teaching from as much different vantage things as you can" ((Miller 2010). I have chosen Brookfield as a model for self evaluation, as I really believe, like Brookfield, in the worthiness of the "a variety of vantage points". That's not to devalue other models which encourage self applied reflection, and specifically where self representation brings about action, but I believe using Brookfield's four lenses, the autobiographical or self lens, the student zoom lens, the peer lens, and the theoretical lens, can provide teachers with a far more healthy view of themselves and their role.
This is visible in the DTLLS course that we am following (University of Warwick 2009). I could see Brookfield in the way where tutors are encouraged to use different lenses through which to view their teaching, reflect and action on reflection. When this is a continuous process, it provides a good model for continuing professional development.
For example, being alert for cause incidents, and reflecting on how these affect coaching uses the autobiographical zoom lens, as does reflection on observed periods, before and after responses; engaging with college student feedback to gain insight to their point of view uses the learner lens; undertaking and reflecting on peer observations and conversations with a mentor relates to the peer lens; and reference throughout to underpinning ideas offers a theoretical zoom lens.
Brookfield also claims (Brookfield 1995), that we become critically reflective by "hunting assumptions". "Assumptions will be the overlooked beliefs about the earth, and our place within it". Reflecting on lead to incidents can often provide a starting place for "hunting assumptions" (Brookfield 1995). Among my trigger incidents led me to question my assumption that all ESOL learners desire to speaking English like native sound system. After hanging out assisting a learner with some writing, I started to understand that for some learners, it was important to learn how native audio system use the terms, but then to have the ability to make an informed choice, that will be a desire to keep a sense of cultural personal information or individuality through use of accent, words or phrases which can not be what we'd expect from a native English loudspeaker.
Brookfield distinguishes between three categories of assumptions - paradigmatic, prescriptive, and causal. Paradigmatic are the structuring assumptions, the "conceptual construction one uses to order the entire world into important categories The facts as we realize these to be true". He continues on to state that paradigmatic assumptions are analyzed critically "only after a great deal of resistance to repeating this. " (Brookfield 1995) Prescriptive assumptions are in what we think must happen in certain situations, how teachers should act, and what good coaching practice is. Causal assumptions include our knowledge of causal relationships.
An example of a paradigmatic assumption distributed by Brookfield is to expect that "all adults are self-directed learners" but as Brookfield says, "students can only just make informed choices about what they have to know, how they may know it, and how they can know that they know it, on the basis of as full as is possible an understanding of the learning terrain they are really being asked to explore" (Brookfield 1995). In an ESOL school room where learners might not exactly have the words to express what they need, or
even the concept of what they want, or as you learner put it "everybody has different ideas", that are difficult to accommodate within a group teaching procedure, one might want to question this assumption, as Brookfield performed. Following this coach of thought, current practice places much focus on negotiated learning strategies and measurable learning goals, which means the same assumption. But how do it be assumed that this is the right strategy for any learners in every situations unless, using an institutional zoom lens, it sometimes appears in the light of providing organizations with an instrument with which to assess achievement, which may be offered to funders and stakeholders. Representation upon this was one reason I chose to look further into significant person learning goals for my Action Research project.
The completely different assumption that learning should be learner centred I find more challenging to question. For example, many students are in the problem of experiencing limited funding and for that reason limited time to study ESOL as a result of need to find work, and therefore learning strategies for learning which can help them to keep to learn once they have gone the category might make a difference for them, but they might not be able to point out that need. Get together such a need would be learner centred, but wouldn't normally expect that learners were self aimed, and achievements of such a need would be difficult to measure.
Again using Brookfield's example, a prescriptive assumption might be that good educators are those who encourage self aimed learning, and a causal assumption that if learners have negotiated individual learning ideas and learning goals they will become more self applied directed. This might, in light of the aforementioned, lead one to think about what Brookfield identifies as "hegemonic assumptions" or erroneous assumptions - the assumptions that "seem to make our teaching lives easier, but are counterproductive in the long run" (Brookfield 1995).
From my very own experience in the class, I've made erroneous assumptions about the capabilities of pre literate learners in areas apart from literacy, such as numeracy, that have sent me searching for information as to how being pre literate influences all areas of life, and to use the peer zoom lens by observing a tutor who's very experienced in coaching pre accessibility, pre literate learners, in addition to the theoretical lens.
To make an effort to step in to the shoes of pre literate learners I find extremely difficulty, and full of surprises. I witnessed one learner who is not literate in her first terms in an informal "knit and natter" group, where learners of most levels meet, knit and speak together. This learner wished to knit a baby's coat, and learned to do so by "shadowing" someone else while she knitted. On conclusion of the coat, she immediately pulled it out and started again although it was fresh in her head so that she would remember how to do it. After some consideration, this is how I learned to bake as a kid, and just how many people arrive in this country, skilled in investments but without skills to complement their skills, or desire of attaining these for a while, as certification demand a high level of literacy.
I have also noticed this same pupil, trying to comprehend what someone is saying to her in British. She unconsciously repeats key term out loud, which seems to help her understanding, shadowing with words as she does with knitting. If "shadowing" is a learning strategy used by pre literate learners, I will be thinking about how to nurture it in the ESOL class. It could perhaps provide a rationale for using methods such as 'terminology experience' as well as phonetics for teaching basic literacy. I find this an interesting area, and within my action plan, would like to take a look at research upon this subject, to learn more and also whether and exactly how my observations participate in the research.
Once hunting assumptions becomes part of reflective practice, the questioning of these will lead teachers to start to see the need to provide themselves with a rationale for all areas of their coaching, from setting up goals, to learning targets to decisions about methods and activities. Again this pertains to our DTLLS course, which asks for a rationale to be provided for noticed periods. As this thinking becomes part of any teacher's day to day practice, it forces the questioning of assumptions.
"To enable professors to give a rationale behind their practice" and "to improve the probability that teachers will take enlightened action" are among Brookfield's reasons for critical representation, as is "To enliven the school room by so that it is challenging, interesting and stimulating for students"(King and Hibbison 2000)
The latter seems to imply that professors must be reactive. Brookfield also uses the phrase 'democratic learning environment' (Ruler and Hibbison 2000) to refer to a classroom in which all learners have a voice. If responsiveness and democracy are looked at in the light of Donald Schon's notion of "reflection doing his thing" or thinking on your ft (Smith 2001, kept up to date 2009), Schon and Brookfield are not unrelated.
I gave an example in another of my trigger situations of a session in a pre entry category where two learners had been very annoyed about circumstances beyond your school room, and their problems have been attained with interest and empathy from the rest of the class, which led to a session on language to express feelings e. g. bothered/worried about etc. This is reflection in action, relating to what was important for those learners at that time, but also looking through Brookfield's pupil lens and supporting them expressing what they wanted to say. Further, it had taken bill of the alternative nature of coaching, and I managed afterwards to relate my respond to conclusions of NRDC research into effective coaching and learning (Baynham et al 2007) which cites types of where learners have helped bring the outside directly into learning which has been used effectively. Thus using Brookfield's theoretical lens to aid my actions, but also relating back to Schon's notion of reflection doing his thing.
However, I've also experienced a less successful example of bringing the exterior in when I felt that a lesson was becoming unfocused because the topic that came up, planning for a trip, needed more thought plus some resources. I decided to reject the "outside in" and bring the learners back again to the original lesson plan. My representation on action involved a recognition which i had not been able, at the time, to make a clear way frontward, and that in such a situation, a probably interesting topic might be better postponed for another procedure to allow to get more detailed careful thought and planning in order to optimise learning opportunities.
Donald Schon refers to reflection in action as what happens when faced with an uncertain or unique situation, and representation on action as what goes on after, reflecting on why we does what we performed. Reflection in action depends upon building up encounters and ideas that may be drawn upon. In the case of the two occurrences mentioned above, in which one worked well as a spontaneous change of course, and one didn't, this business lead to reflection on action which added to my repertoire of experience and will hopefully permit me to respond more appropriately next time. "The new becomes familiar and can act as a precedent when reflection doing his thing is associated with representation on action" (Smith 2001, kept up to date 2009).
Schon's reflection on action would allow for the addition of different vantage details, for example, discussions with supervisors or peers, but will not explicitly state this, as I think Brookfield is helpful in doing. Also, Brookfield's notion of questioning assumptions, which forces teachers not only to give a rationale for his or her coaching, but also question the rationale behind institutional procedures and decision making, will not enter into Schon's model.
While acknowledging the worthiness of Schon's style of reflective practice, I found I preferred that of Stephen Brookfield, and I thought we would carry out my self analysis with reference to Brookfield's four critical lenses, using this to develop my action plan (appendix 1).
Using Brookfield's autobiographical, or do it yourself, lens to think about the two incidents defined above which relate with my own coaching, I have devote my action plan to be delicate to opportunities for having the exterior in, but also to discover when this is way better postponed to permit for much more careful thought and planning
Being delicate to opportunities for having the outside into the classroom also will involve the student lens and will permit a more holistic approach, joining learners' lives with the learning, and providing significant contexts, as well as a supportive learning atmosphere.
My observation reviews enabled me to work with the self lens to reflect on some strengths, and also on areas for improvement. I had formed regarded a need to embed numeracy into ESOL, especially for pre literate, pre numerate learners, but my inexperience in this area possessed led me to pitch the numeracy component too high. Representation on what pre numeracy really meant for pre literate learners allowed me to take a step back and appearance at activities relating to language, which could also help numeracy skills. This might go into my action plan as presenting activities which involve skills that happen to be transferable between dialect and numeracy such as sequencing, controlling money, calculating, singular and plural etc. and a seek out literature around the effects of no first language literacy no earlier formal education on every area of life and learning.
My observation responses also picked up on having less a plenary by the end of my noticed session, which led to reflection how this could also be used as a means of growing organizational skills in students and highlighting arranging learning as a learning strategy. My action plan includes stimulating learners to keep a journal of what they have learnt, to complete at the end of each treatment and to observe the influence on learners of organization as a learning strategy. This journal will also form part of my Action Research as it will be linked to learning goals.
Using Brookfield's student lens, I've incorporated in to the plenary diary a space for learners' comments. Portion of my action plan is to reflect on, if necessary, act upon this feedback.
Peer observations and conversations with peers earned Brookfield's peer lens. I completed three peer observations where I focussed on activities for pre literate learners, family learning numeracy - fun with figures, and, carrying out a dialogue with a tutor who I know to be very planned, organizational skills and the result of these on learners. Following my observation and reflection I have contained in my action plan a need to build up a loan provider of good quality resources for pre accessibility learners that can be used in various ways and in several treatment, for example, the teacher I observed possessed credit cards with pictures of symptoms and credit cards with matching words. She used these to play a team game of pelmanism using blu tack and the whiteboard. These same cards could be used as flashcards to introduce vocabulary, in games such as pelmanism to assist memory and expression recognition, to apply alphabetical order, to activate role play, as a credit card game to practice 'I've acquired. . ' and 'Have you received' etc.
From the family learning numeracy time I took away ideas to use with pre entry learners to help them both in category by creating activities, and external school using these activities to try out with the children. Extending this idea of taking the inside out, I have also organized another reading group time in the central library in cooperation with the librarian who, every three weeks, provides space, tea and caffeine. This is for any levels, but also for pre entry, stimulates them to use the library, and look at picture literature, which they may take home and read with their children.
Also in my own action plan will be to continue with peer observation after the course has done as a good way of continuing my own professional development both by learning from others and by getting feedback on my teaching.
Finally, using Brookfield's theoretical lens. I refer earlier in this task to NRDC "Effective Teaching and Learning ESOL" which studies on the results of researchers working with ESOL tutors. These conclusions are very much about the potency of using significant contexts for teaching, and also about a project concerning learners bringing the outside into the class, which the teacher used as a context for further classes. I find this little bit of research has changed the way I teach in that I now appreciate using what learners bring in to the classroom when it is of interest to others in the category. Sometimes this may change the path of a complete session, as mentioned earlier, sometimes it could be just a few minutes of someone revealing a story yet others requesting questions, sometimes it offers material for another treatment. Discussing this research has given me assurance to move far from a planned period if it seems appropriate and interesting.
Another written piece I've found useful is Scott Thornbury's e book "Uncovering Sentence structure" (Thornbury 2005), especially dealing with interlanguage, and referring to the theory that vocabulary is not learned in a upright line, which has caused me again to question the value of setting measurable goals for ESOL learners.
The activities in Scott Thornbury's book for "noticing" grammar and making learners "aware" of the gaps between where they are and where they need, or need, to be, easily fit into well with the NRDC research findings on the potency of providing a important context (Baynham et al 2007). Using learners' experience as a context is a good starting point for this awareness bringing up.
I wish to continue steadily to look for interesting ideas to try out in my teaching, and theories, which can support what I am doing, as I believe this gives me increased self confidence in the class room. In my action plan I have written that I'll subscribe to a journal, that i find has useful articles and book reviews. I would also prefer to make an online search to look for articles on pre literate ESOL learners, and what result this has on the areas such as numeracy, ram, interpreting pictures, learning strategies etc. to get a better understanding which can only help me in my own teaching at this level.
Before concluding this project, I would like to mention one more "critical incident" that i witnessed recently. The incident took place in a combined class when a muslim female, allowed her shawl to slide off her mind as she was consumed in her work. A young man from Afghanistan who acquired very recently arrived in the UK shouted at the girl in a vocabulary they both grasped, and she reacted by tensing the shawl round her check out cover her locks. This made me think back again to Brookfield's idea of a "democratic environment" and to reflect on the difficulty of keeping this whenever there are such culturally strong power relationships. I figured to Brookfield's lens, I would need to add a cultural lens to be able to start to see the event both through the eye of the young man, and the ladies, and in order to think about my own a reaction to the occurrence, and my very own assumptions about gender romantic relationships. I later acquired an interesting discussion with an increased level group who are generally muslim upon this incident. Culture comes into the ESOL class in many different ways, and used sensitively, can be a valuable tool.
For this assignment I thought we would use Stephen Brookfield as a style of reflective practice and do it yourself evaluated using his four critically reflective lens. However I also referred to Donald Schon and his idea of reflection in action and representation on action. I came across that, although there are variations between your two models, such as Brookfield's use of four lenses which play an almost similarly important role, while Schon uses the self first and foremost; and also Brookfield's questioning of assumptions which do not come into Schon's model, I found it useful to be aware of both. While Stephen Brookfield's model of reflective practice is my preferred one, I can see that we now have times when I'll use Donald Schon's model. Schon also contains the thought of a spiral of representation, where reflection doing his thing and representation on action lead to improve, and representation on that change.
As with coaching where the professor won't use just one single method, but pick and choose from many, so with reflective practice, there will be occasions when one model appeals more than another, or improves another. As educators are involved in ongoing professional development, there will be opportunities to be eclectic.
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