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Teach, Reflect, Learn: Building Your Capacity for Success in the Classroom
"It's not the doing that matters; it's the thinking about the doing." John Dewey
As a teacher, you work hard to make a positive difference in the lives of your students. But this kind of progress doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen accidentally. It s the result of intentionality, planning, effort . . . and thought.
The difference between learning a skill and being able to implement it effectively resides in your capacity to engage in deep, continuous thought about that skill. In other words, recognizing why you do something is often more important than knowing how to do it.
To help you deepen your thinking and reflect on your capacity as an educator, Pete Hall and Alisa Simeral return to the Continuum of Self-Reflection, which they introduced to coaches and administrators in their best-selling Building Teachers Capacity for Success, and redesign its implementation so you can take charge of your own professional growth.
In these pages, you'll find tools specifically made to enhance self-reflection on professional practice, including the Continuum of Self-Reflection and the Reflective Cycle. You'll be able to assess your current self-reflective tendencies, identify opportunities to reflect on your instruction, and begin to forge a path toward continuous growth and educational excellence.
As a teacher, you work hard to make a positive difference in the lives of your students. But this kind of progress doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen accidentally. It s the result of intentionality, planning, effort . . . and thought.
The difference between learning a skill and being able to implement it effectively resides in your capacity to engage in deep, continuous thought about that skill. In other words, recognizing why you do something is often more important than knowing how to do it.
To help you deepen your thinking and reflect on your capacity as an educator, Pete Hall and Alisa Simeral return to the Continuum of Self-Reflection, which they introduced to coaches and administrators in their best-selling Building Teachers Capacity for Success, and redesign its implementation so you can take charge of your own professional growth.
In these pages, you'll find tools specifically made to enhance self-reflection on professional practice, including the Continuum of Self-Reflection and the Reflective Cycle. You'll be able to assess your current self-reflective tendencies, identify opportunities to reflect on your instruction, and begin to forge a path toward continuous growth and educational excellence.
177 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2015
12 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 13, 2024
Reflecting is essential to great teaching- but I found this book to be a bit meh. The class I read it for was very good- but the actual text itself was only so-so. Weight loss connections to reflective teaching felt kind of icky- but if you are just beginning to reflect there is some good material within.
March 23, 2016
Great book to help teachers improve their craft. This book is set up to help teachers who fall into one of four levels of teaching. Useful, guide for all teachers!
March 18, 2021
Somehow this book manages to be tone deaf and condescending all at the same time. The beginning of chapter 4 takes 3 pages to compare improving teaching skills to weight loss. This self proclaimed metaphor is not only infective but uncalled for. If it takes you 3 pages to explain your metaphor, it’s not working. I would also like to say that with half the page filled with chapter title graphs and enlarged fonts it seems more like filler fodder than actual necessary information. The “metaphor” is also extremely triggering for those with body dysmorphia. After reading that chapter I had a panic attack about my own body. I was then ineffective in teaching the rest of the day, so I would say the book is counter productive. I will not be finishing the book, and don’t encourage any to buy it.
January 25, 2016
In Teach Reflect Learn, Peter Hall and Alisa Simeral provide teachers with the opportunity to assess their current self-reflective tendencies and offer strategies for moving them through the stages of the authors’ self-reflection continuum.
Chapter 1 provides teachers with some feel-good images of teachers as heroes and “centers of the solar system” of their students. It also includes evidence of the enormous impact that teachers have, including a reference to John Hattie’s meta-analysis of educational research which determined that “… 9 of the top 13 influences on student achievement were teacher-or teaching-related.” (4)
In Chapter 2, self-reflection, as it pertains to the teaching profession, is defined, and the doing-thinking gap is discussed. For teachers, self-reflection involves the following 5 behaviours related to the reflective cycle:
• Growing awareness of the instructional core (knowledge of every student’s individual learning
style and needs, the content, & pedagogy);
• Deliberate planning and intentional action (precision in the selection of learning goals,
instructional strategies, and student groupings);
• Assessing of the impact of pedagogical moves;
• Making adjustments based on feedback from assessments; and,
• Engaging in iterative reflective cycles.
A doing-thinking gap occurs when teaching strategies are used in classroom situations without sufficient thought regarding the particular context. Hall and Simeral indicate that this gap can be eliminated “… by identifying and pursuing a specific purpose”. (19)
The authors’ reflective self-assessment tool for teachers is outlined and explained in chapters 3 and 4. It consists of 10 scenarios – each with four possible responses. Each response is assigned a score. (from 1 to 4) The higher the score a teacher receives on the self-assessment, the further along the Continuum of Self-Reflection he/she is placed. The continuum consists of 4 stages: Unaware Stage, Conscious Stage, Action Stage, and Refinement Stage. Teachers will reach the Refinement Stage when they demonstrate, to a high degree, the 5 aforementioned behaviours of the Reflective Cycle.
In Chapter 5, Hall and Simeral discuss the characteristics of and strategies for teachers in the Unaware Stage of the self-reflection continuum. Such teachers, “… have not yet learned about certain teaching strategies, [and] aren’t yet attuned to the finer details of their class and students.” (46) Unaware Stage teachers are comfortable and set in the way they teach, rely often on textbooks and teacher’s guides, put the onus on students to alter their work habits and behavior, and rarely engage in reflection on their teaching practices. Strategies suggested by the authors to enable teachers in this stage to grow along the self-reflection continuum include the use of:
• The WOW!/YIKES! strategy whereby, at the end of the day, the teacher writes down one success
and one challenge or surprise;
• Give One, Get One by which teachers exchange favourite strategies related to a specific topic;
and,
• An instructional coach teaching a lesson in the teacher’s classroom.
Characteristics of and strategies for teachers in the Conscious Stage are offered in Chapter 6. Teachers in this stage are stuck in the knowing-doing gap – They are aware that they must create meaningful and differentiated learning experiences for each of their students; however, they fail too often in their planning and practice to provide these experiences. In order to grow as reflective practitioners, teachers in this stage need to become more intentional in their planning and practice. Some suggested strategies for teachers in this stage include:
• Setting short-term achievable goals (The authors provide, as an appendix, their Quick-Win
Goal-Setting Form for this purpose.); and,
• Participating in capacity-building activities such as book studies and article reviews that focus
on an important instructional strategy, and then trying out specific elements of that strategy
in their classrooms.
Chapter 7 deals with the Action Stage. Teachers at this stage have plenty of technical competence “in the science of teaching but need to connect it with the art of making necessary alterations.” (97) In other words, they know and can apply many effective instructional practices but lack the observational capacity and analytical skills to know when exactly to apply these practices. Effective strategies for Action Stage teachers include:
• Having one-to-one conversations with struggling students during which the students are
asked to explain their thinking;
• Analyzing video of their teaching and focusing on specific moves the teacher made that led to
student learning and on actions that blocked learning; and,
• Observing other teachers’ classrooms to note how they respond to specific learning needs of
students.
In Chapter 8, the authors describe teachers in the Refinement Stage. They are teachers who:
• “…think critically throughout their day, continuously reflect on their practice, and dial in to
the learning.” (123)
• “…make immediate, fluid adjustments to a lesson, responding directly to student questions,
struggles, thinking, and actions.” (130)
Advice for Refinement Stage teachers includes finding opportunities to take leadership roles in their school and offering “… to open up [their] classroom to a colleague’s visit.” (143)
Chapter 1 provides teachers with some feel-good images of teachers as heroes and “centers of the solar system” of their students. It also includes evidence of the enormous impact that teachers have, including a reference to John Hattie’s meta-analysis of educational research which determined that “… 9 of the top 13 influences on student achievement were teacher-or teaching-related.” (4)
In Chapter 2, self-reflection, as it pertains to the teaching profession, is defined, and the doing-thinking gap is discussed. For teachers, self-reflection involves the following 5 behaviours related to the reflective cycle:
• Growing awareness of the instructional core (knowledge of every student’s individual learning
style and needs, the content, & pedagogy);
• Deliberate planning and intentional action (precision in the selection of learning goals,
instructional strategies, and student groupings);
• Assessing of the impact of pedagogical moves;
• Making adjustments based on feedback from assessments; and,
• Engaging in iterative reflective cycles.
A doing-thinking gap occurs when teaching strategies are used in classroom situations without sufficient thought regarding the particular context. Hall and Simeral indicate that this gap can be eliminated “… by identifying and pursuing a specific purpose”. (19)
The authors’ reflective self-assessment tool for teachers is outlined and explained in chapters 3 and 4. It consists of 10 scenarios – each with four possible responses. Each response is assigned a score. (from 1 to 4) The higher the score a teacher receives on the self-assessment, the further along the Continuum of Self-Reflection he/she is placed. The continuum consists of 4 stages: Unaware Stage, Conscious Stage, Action Stage, and Refinement Stage. Teachers will reach the Refinement Stage when they demonstrate, to a high degree, the 5 aforementioned behaviours of the Reflective Cycle.
In Chapter 5, Hall and Simeral discuss the characteristics of and strategies for teachers in the Unaware Stage of the self-reflection continuum. Such teachers, “… have not yet learned about certain teaching strategies, [and] aren’t yet attuned to the finer details of their class and students.” (46) Unaware Stage teachers are comfortable and set in the way they teach, rely often on textbooks and teacher’s guides, put the onus on students to alter their work habits and behavior, and rarely engage in reflection on their teaching practices. Strategies suggested by the authors to enable teachers in this stage to grow along the self-reflection continuum include the use of:
• The WOW!/YIKES! strategy whereby, at the end of the day, the teacher writes down one success
and one challenge or surprise;
• Give One, Get One by which teachers exchange favourite strategies related to a specific topic;
and,
• An instructional coach teaching a lesson in the teacher’s classroom.
Characteristics of and strategies for teachers in the Conscious Stage are offered in Chapter 6. Teachers in this stage are stuck in the knowing-doing gap – They are aware that they must create meaningful and differentiated learning experiences for each of their students; however, they fail too often in their planning and practice to provide these experiences. In order to grow as reflective practitioners, teachers in this stage need to become more intentional in their planning and practice. Some suggested strategies for teachers in this stage include:
• Setting short-term achievable goals (The authors provide, as an appendix, their Quick-Win
Goal-Setting Form for this purpose.); and,
• Participating in capacity-building activities such as book studies and article reviews that focus
on an important instructional strategy, and then trying out specific elements of that strategy
in their classrooms.
Chapter 7 deals with the Action Stage. Teachers at this stage have plenty of technical competence “in the science of teaching but need to connect it with the art of making necessary alterations.” (97) In other words, they know and can apply many effective instructional practices but lack the observational capacity and analytical skills to know when exactly to apply these practices. Effective strategies for Action Stage teachers include:
• Having one-to-one conversations with struggling students during which the students are
asked to explain their thinking;
• Analyzing video of their teaching and focusing on specific moves the teacher made that led to
student learning and on actions that blocked learning; and,
• Observing other teachers’ classrooms to note how they respond to specific learning needs of
students.
In Chapter 8, the authors describe teachers in the Refinement Stage. They are teachers who:
• “…think critically throughout their day, continuously reflect on their practice, and dial in to
the learning.” (123)
• “…make immediate, fluid adjustments to a lesson, responding directly to student questions,
struggles, thinking, and actions.” (130)
Advice for Refinement Stage teachers includes finding opportunities to take leadership roles in their school and offering “… to open up [their] classroom to a colleague’s visit.” (143)
September 13, 2017
This book made many useful suggestions on how to reflect in the various facets of teaching. However, it did not resonate with me because I do not think I am "there" yet. I am only in my second year of teaching and am still trying to organize many things. I will need to revisit this book again when I am more settled in.
November 16, 2017
I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a place to start in trying to improve oneself professionally. I thought the book had a lot of good tools to self-assess -- and some "plans" about how to improve for each level of practice. Not 4 stars because there was a little fluff. Worth reading.
June 4, 2021
I read this book week-by-week for a M.Ed. course. I found it encouraging and practical. I am not sure what more an educator would want in a book than these two qualities. I expect that I will return to this text’s scores of reflective strategies and structures in the future.
August 18, 2017
The book provides practical tips to enhance your reflection on your teaching, and what action steps you take as result of that reflection, no matter your starting point.
January 26, 2019
An uplifting and inspiring book that introduces teachers to specific strategies to help increase teacher reflection (and therefore student learning) in the classroom.
November 22, 2019
Read for a grad class. The info was basic but I liked that each author added their personal perspective in short essays with each topic.
Read
April 15, 2020Considering my book completions lately. I really need to focus on my non-work related books!
June 18, 2021
I led a book study on this!
April 9, 2019
Reflecting teaching is a powerful characteristic shared by effective educators. This is a straightforward text focused on improving reflective practices, from novice to more experienced teachers. It provides practical guidance with prompts and suggestions for collaboration. I appreciated the positive, proactive approach and will be using ideas for PD that I deliver. #growthmindset
January 18, 2016
Ok. This book sets out to do much more than it does. The self-assessment tool would be lovely if it were a validated survey tool. But then again this is the field of anecdotal research on practice which I think makes much bigger claims than it can substantiate. I had to read this for an educational retreat and while a fine work for a general or novice audience as a seasoned educator and educational researcher this lacked fine grained detail. I also think it would have been nice to have list of behaviors associated with each stage (if each stage is actually a thing) and to not claim that there are judgments associated with each stage when you are meant to "progress through them." Sounds like every critique of developmental psychology ever. Overall a fairly typical publication from ASCD: aimed at helping but ultimately unscientific.
September 19, 2015
This is a great book for every principal or supervisor to have in their library, and every teacher for that matter. It has some great tips for becoming a more reflective teacher, coupled with printables that could be used during faculty meetings or professional development. Good, quick read!
July 21, 2016
A rather meaty PD pick, especially given its slim size. I read it slowly, and often found my brain swimming in the questions it provoked.
But, since it's all about reflective practice, I think that was their intention from the get-go.
But, since it's all about reflective practice, I think that was their intention from the get-go.
Read
May 1, 2015371.102 H1785 2015
April 18, 2016
I like a lot of the reflective exercises, but I don't think the self-assessment is very good.
October 10, 2015
book study for work
April 10, 2016
Provides useful tips on how to carry out self-directed professional development.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews