Key Elements 4d: Reflection

In reference to NAEYC’s Standard 4 Key elements 4d: “Reflecting on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child”. It is my understanding that reflecting on our own teaching practices is a way to make us aware of how well we are teaching and whether or not we need to modify, improve or change our teaching approaches. Reflecting on our teaching is also a method of self-assessment; in other words how are we to know how effective our teaching is if we do not reflect on it?
“Reflecting” entails us to ask ourselves countless questions. How well am I interacting with the students? Are they understanding the concepts? Am I creating an adequate learning environment? How effective are my teaching techniques? Etc. This newly acquired knowledge on “Reflecting” has helped me growth as a teacher and has

given me great awareness and understanding as the importance of reflecting on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child.

During my experience as an Early Childhood teacher I have learned that by reflecting on my teaching practice I can modify my teaching approaches so that they are more intentional and effective. These

reflections also help me guide my teaching so that is more purposeful I can reach all students regardless of their developmental and cognitive level. Overall, reflecting helps me design a unit or lesson plan that is more age appropriate, also identify what worked and what didn’t and lastly what would I do different or the same if I ever taught the same lesson again.

One of the artifacts that I feel supports my understanding of the Key element 4d of the Standard 4 it is the Practicum 1 Journal Lesson Reflections that I weekly wrote after implementing a Lesson plan.

The goal of the lesson reflections was for me to reflect on my own teaching practice, whether or not I met the lesson plan goal and objectives, what I learned and how I grew as a teacher.
After completing this written assignment I have validated my understanding about the importance of reflecting on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child. Having a written reflection on the lesson plans lets me know what went well during the lesson, what I would do different the next time I teach this lesson. How would I engage the students more in the activity and was the lesson developmentally appropriate for this age

group.
In conclusion, using reflections support our work as educators, it help us be more insightful and aware of what our students know and need to learn. The more we reflect on our teaching practices the more effective we can be. As a teacher when I’m reflecting on a teaching unit I ask myself several questions, are the learning objectives developmental appropriate? What concepts would the students struggle with the most? What teaching strategies should I implement to make the students work easier? Answering all of these questions help me decide what changes or modifications I should make to the lesson. Overall there are many ways as to how I can utilize the information I have learned from reflections. For example, I can identify the areas that need improvement and focus on them. I can determined the cause as to why things did not turn out the way I planned and hence turn things around to create success. And lastly I can build on successes which means incorporating the same aspects on the lesson plans that led students to be successful in meeting the lesson goals and objectives the next time I teach the lesson.