Approaching the end of this term, this course has already impacted my teaching practice beyond my initial expectations of learning new theories. Indeed the breath of literature was enlightening, however, the significant impact has come from the examination of my teaching practice through others perspectives – notably influencing my self-development (See Case Study 3). Instead of breaking down Brookfields theories (Brookfield, 1995), I’ll instead share my reflections, takeaways and future intentions. For clarity here is a breakdown of Brookfields Four Lenses, for anyone unfamiliar:
“The goal of the critically reflective teacher, for Brookfield, is to garner an increased awareness of his or her teaching from as many different vantage points as possible. To this end, Brookfield proposes four lenses that can be engaged by teachers in a process of critical reflection: (1) the autobiographical, (2) the students’ eyes, (3) our colleagues’ experiences, and (4) theoretical literature.”(Miller, 2010, p. 1)
1. The Autobiographical
Self-reflection has been the predominant viewpoint of my practice. Recently graduating and rejoining again as a student, I initially believed I had a grasp on these experiences. However, this process has revealed to me that the student experience is nowhere near universal, although we share the same university title, the needs and abilities don’t just vary from college to college but instead from student to student. With this in mind, I have committed myself to making sure I do not lose sight of my positionality (see blog post 1) and how it leads me to hold the values I do, and therefore the leverage it has on my decisions/teaching.
2. The Students Eyes
Gathering student feedback is challenging, as I have found students often hesitate to critique staff. However, the microteaching exercise revealed to me the value of experiencing workshops from a student perspective – revealing to me how my assumptions of knowledge can vary greatly. Going forward I want to make sure that I not only speak to students about the content, but also try to experience it.
3. Our Colleagues’ Experiences
Receiving peer feedback is terrifying as it has the potential to confirm our deepest insecurities – but understand it is crucial for development. Being able to make corrections early certainly outweighs the potential for an entirely different approach further on. Although I am early in my teaching career, I’ve found immense value in my peers’ feedback, which has prompted me to re-examine my approach to workshops to ensure baseline information is accessible to students, and providing resources that allow different types of learners to thrive. It has also highlighted things I am doing well such as simplifying complex concepts with analogies, a practice I plan to expand on – hopefully making it more engaging and digestible. Lastly, being able to experience and provide feedback on my peers’ teaching has led me to discover strategies and methods that I too can develop into my teaching.
4. Theoretical Literature
Reading a broad range of literature early in this course has been eye opening, especially as I am really not used to reading papers outside of my creative practice. Readings such as Barrow’s on self-development through education (Barrow, 2006), Brookfields critical reflection (Brookfield, 1995) and Kolb’s experiential learning theory (Kolb, 1984) has shaped my understanding of how teaching is more than just the transfer of knowledge. These insights have guided my reflection on small restructuring and the introduction of new resources and formats can enhance my teaching.
To conclude
Through Brookfields reflective practice has revealed to me my preconceived perceptions, successes and areas for improvement. This has shifted my understanding of what high-quality teaching is and can be.
Bibliography
Barrow, M. (2006) ‘Assessment and student transformation: linking character and intellect’, Studies in Higher Education, 31(3), pp. 357–372. doi: 10.1080/03075070600680869.
Brookfield, S. (1995) Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kolb, D. A. (1999) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Available at: https://learningfromexperience.com/downloads/research-library/experiential-learning-theory.pdf (Accessed: 19 March 2024).
Miller, B. (2010) ‘Brookfield’s Four Lenses: Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher’, Faculty of Arts Teaching and Learning Committee. The University of Sydney. Available at: https://valenciacollege.edu/faculty/development/courses-resources/documents/brookfield_summary.pdf (Accessed: 19 March 2024).