Insights into students, practice and self through engaging as learners in our own classrooms

Abstract

We conducted this collaborative self-study to explore the consequences of completing course assignments which were required of our respective students. Students had communicated that these particular assignments were daunting or anxiety-inducing. We placed ourselves in the position of learners with the intended purpose of coming to more fully appreciate and understand our students’ experiences. Data sources included our shared researcher journals and correspondence as well as student responses collected through discussion and anonymous written reflections. By using ourselves as primary examples, we endeavored to demonstrate the process of critical reflection, lessen student anxiety about experiences they view as uncomfortable, promote the co-construction of knowledge, model the teacher-researcher perspective, and improve our collective professional practice. This study has significance for other teacher educators, many of whom might require students to engage in tasks they have not done themselves or which they have not done in some time. Engaging in those tasks transparently and modeling critical reflection with students were beneficial to students’ professional development and transformed the way we approach our roles as teacher educators.

Keywords:

• reflective practice
• reflective learning
• critical reflection
• collaboration
• teacher education