1. The role of reflective teaching in teacher education

Reflective Learning
Reflection is an important tool for learning. It facilitates ‘deep’ learning. As it is, each one of us — child, adolescent, young or old — reflects on one’s experience(s). Reflection helps in learning from experiences. For instance, if a student fails in Mathematics in Class VIII examination, this is open to introspection and reflection — ‘why did it happen’ Reflection provides insight into what might have gone wrong and how one should avoid.Take another example. A football team stands defeated in a series of matches that compels the team members to reflect on why did they lose the matches? This will create an insight into what led to their defeat, and to look for strategies, which might help them avoid the mistake(s), committed earlier. The process of reflection maybe personal in nature, both individually as well as collectively. We reflect on events in different ways, depending upon the context, previous experiences, and a host of other considerations. Reflection thus, does not follow a set pattern. Like students, teachers, too, learn from reflection. There may be situations, when teachers find themselves under team teaching are unsuccessful in promoting understanding of a concept, among learners through their teaching. It compels them to reflect on— why did it happen and how should teaching-learning process be modified, to facilitate a better understanding of the concepts and principles among the learners. Hence, they need to develop the skill of reflection among prospective, as well as practising teachers. Reflection on their own teaching, will serve as a new learning experience, about their strengths and limitations, to enable them, in turn, to become reflective beings, enriched by a deep understanding of the reflective process and how to use it as a tool, to hone reflective skills of analysis, evaluation, and creativity, not only among themselves but also amongst students under their charge to make room for reflective learning.

Conclusion
Reflection is a deliberate and purposeful action, in which professionals engage with a view to improve upon their professional practice. Reflection involves linking theory and practice; that helps individual professionals to identify their strengths and limitations in their professional practice. Reflection on a continuing basis, aims at helping professionals to become effective performers at the workplace, irrespective of the models suggested and practised. It is important to develop reflective thinking among prospective and practicing teachers, as well as teacher educators as a top priority, to help teachers as well as students, become effective reflectors over a period of time
Reflective practice helps teachers avoid burnout and routine approaches to their teaching and life in general because reflection is a way of being or a state of mind. There are many different ways teachers can reflect on their work and all of these methods have advantages and disadvantages. It is up to each individual (or group) teacher to decide which method would be most beneficial depending on the purposes of their reflections. Most of all, reflective practice enables teachers to make more informed decisions about their teaching and, as a result, their students receive the best possible opportunities for reaching success in their learning. Finally, reflection and reflective practice is more than a method, it is a way of life we evolve as teachers throughout our careers as we construct and reconstruct our practice. Reflective teaching helps teachers to develop their professional competence and improve the teaching-learning process. Reflective teachers develop in themselves, certain characteristics, both personal and professional, like open-mindedness, accountability, sympathy, aptitude for research, and so forth. These help one, become an effective teacher. To become a reflective teacher, it is not sufficient to look for factors outside oneself — knowing oneself as an individual and as a member of a group helps in becoming reflective, which will enhance the learning of students. Certain techniques such as SWOT and Jo-Hari, can be utilised to understand one’s strengths and weaknesses, and other aspects of one’s personality. Similarly the feedback from peers, students and other members of the group that helps in improving teaching strategies. The importance of understanding children and their context, is also very crucially reiterated. Differences and diversity among the learners need to be reflected upon regularly, by the teachers to furnish themselves with necessary leads, to improve the conditions of learning. Knowledge of content, pedagogy, methodology, helps teachers to make their teaching-learning process meaningful as well as progressive. In short, this effort, more or less, explores answers to the posed questions raised in the beginning of the chapter to help teachers become reflective practitioners within the classroom and beyond. To become a reflective teacher, one needs to know well the school environment and school ethos. Teaching-learning is dependent on the school environment to a large extent. Classroom composition, modes of transaction, and overall classroom environment become some of the deciding factors on which the learning-teaching depends. Reflection on these aspects helps a teacher manage classroom effectively. A class may have a diverse group of learners. Reflection helps a teacher to plan and design effective teaching strategies; gather resources well in advance to be used in the classroom; to help better relations between teacher and the learners to facilitate learning. There are several aspects of teaching-learning and assessment process which play a key role in enhancing the quality of learning in the classroom. For instance, knowledge of the content to be transacted and pedagogy in the classroom helps to reach out to students from diverse backgrounds and address their different learning styles. There are many classroom management strategies that can be employed in the classroom to ensure the smooth functioning of the class. These include flexibility in holding the number of periods, physical restructuring, working in smaller groups, mixed ability groups, and so on. Teacher also needs to understand the learner-learner relationship in the class as it is a critical element in the classroom. Besides, her own relationship with the learners is a crucial factor that affects the students’ learning. A teacher has to constantly reflect on all these concerns to improve the teaching practice and develop professionally. Knowing and understanding children and their context is extremely important for effective learning in the classroom. Equally important is reflection upon the children’s thinking and the ways in which they learn. This makes the teachers sensitive to their needs. Likewise, knowing their socio-cultural background provides teachers insights into improving teaching-learning. School as an institutional space has a deep impact on the process of learning. The goals, curriculum, learning materials, methods, and school climate impact learners as well as teachers. Teachers must continuously reflect on these aspects of school to refine their classroom interactions. Keeping track of educational policy and other related policies teachers need to draw linkages between the children’s lives and macro-structures of society. When teachers engage in a dialogue on all these issues, they get further insights into enhancing the professional practices. Pedagogy plays a significant role in the classroom; hence, teachers must keep reflecting on it, remaining updated with teaching-learning approaches, strategies, techniques, skills, learning aids, including those of information and communication technology and comprehensive and continuous assessment. These impact learning outcomes also. Hence, a teacher must reflect on all these areas that impact teaching and learning. These areas are only suggestive; there are other numerous issues and concerns that teachers have to constantly engage in and reflect upon in order to become reflective practitioners.