When working with children, one of the most fundamental skills you have is observation.Used as an evaluation tool, it provides visual, auditory and experiential information, helping you to evaluate your provision and practice when offering the best learning and development opportunities for children. By reflecting on the evidence gathered from this observation, you can review what you planned to set out to do with the children, what actually happened, and how you may want to modify or reinforce future approaches.
Reflective practice is a key element in good leadership. Confidence to realistically and objectively analyse your own practice enables you to be more objective and positive. Whatever level of initial qualifications you have completed, it is the process of independently putting your knowledge and skill acquisition into practice that truly develops you as a competent practitioner.
To develop a high level of competence in practice, evaluating your progress is essential and will help you achieve a higher level of performance.
Skills of reflective practice
- Observation - unbiased watching and listening
- Consideration of actions, review of strengths
- Planning and thorough preparation
- Visualising performance before you do it
- Using your 'gut feeling' or intuition
- Objectively analysing events, actions, responses and behaviour
- Researching and implementing other methods
- Thinking about the learning gained
- Building the learning back into your planning.
After action review
A simple way to start learning how to reflect on your practice is to have an 'after action review'. of any planned activity or project. Take time individually, and with your team, to appraise what actually happened. This will help you identify problems and successes and alleviate risk or enhance practice as necessary. Ask yourself and your team:
- What did I/we want to achieve?
- What actually happened?
- What went well?
- What didn't go well?
- What would I/we do differently next time?
This type of review gives everybody a chance to consider their part and those of others and take steps to work together in improving.
CAREER TIPS
Reflective practice enables you to:
- Develop your intuition
- Increase effectiveness of observation skills
- Learn to identify strengths and weaknesses
- Avoid repeating mistakes
- Avoid blame and encourage respect for others' developing practice.
- Tina Jefferies provides leadership coaching programmes for people development company Red Space. See www.redspacecompany.com.
