Reflecting others and own practice: an analysis of novice teachers’ reflection skills

Abstract

The first year of work is critical in novice teachers’ development and learning. This study examined differences in novice teachers’ reflections about cases of classroom challenges between the beginning and the end of their first year of teaching. In addition, we analyzed their reflections at the end of their first year about one of their own classroom challenges. The results of this study illustrate several findings. First, their reflections on other teachers’ challenges changed from the beginning to the end of the school year in that they became more authoritarian in attributions of causes of challenges. In addition, in classroom challenges they experienced themselves, they demonstrated very little in terms of reflection beyond simply describing the events. The use of questions as tools of scaffolding teachers’ reflections about others’ challenges increased the depth of novice teachers’ reflection and helped them to be aware about teachers’ roles and responsibilities. However, when asked to reflect on their own experiences, their reflections were primarily descriptive and did not reach the level of their reflections on others’ practice. We suggest that increased engagement of peers and mentors in guiding and modeling reflection can be effective in increasing the depth of novice teachers’ reflections about their own practice.

Keywords:

• novice teachers
• teaching cases
• levels of reflection
• reflection skills
• reflective practice.