Critical reflection in early Critical reflection in early childhood education: a childhood education: a

framework for personal and framework for personal and professional empowermentprofessional empowerment

Diti HillDiti Hill

FROM THEORY TO PRACTICEFROM THEORY TO PRACTICE In theorising practice and practising In theorising practice and practising

theory, are we able to see reflection theory, are we able to see reflection as embedded deeply in our teaching, as embedded deeply in our teaching, rather than something that we do to rather than something that we do to it afterwards?it afterwards?

Can we see teaching itself as an Can we see teaching itself as an ethical and political commitment ethical and political commitment (Dahlberg and Moss 2005); a (Dahlberg and Moss 2005); a commitment mediated by reflection commitment mediated by reflection on technical and taken-for-granted on technical and taken-for-granted day to day events and experiences?day to day events and experiences?

(Theory to practice continuum Diti Hill July 2006)(Theory to practice continuum Diti Hill July 2006)

JOHN SMYTH (1993)JOHN SMYTH (1993)Smyth, J. (1993). A socially critical approach to teacher Smyth, J. (1993). A socially critical approach to teacher

education. In T. Simpson (Ed.). education. In T. Simpson (Ed.). Teacher Educators Handbook Teacher Educators Handbook

1993.1993. Brisbane: QUT. Brisbane: QUT. One of the wonders of the world is One of the wonders of the world is

that as human beings, we have an that as human beings, we have an enormous tolerance for enormous tolerance for incoherence and contradiction. We incoherence and contradiction. We have elevated to the level of an art have elevated to the level of an art form, the capacity to lead our lives form, the capacity to lead our lives in one kind of way, while in one kind of way, while construing them in a completely construing them in a completely different way.different way.

Being socially critical means starting Being socially critical means starting with reality, with seeing injustices with reality, with seeing injustices and contradictions, and beginning to and contradictions, and beginning to overturn reality by reasserting the overturn reality by reasserting the importance of learning.importance of learning.

Only when teachers take an active Only when teachers take an active reflective stance are they able to reflective stance are they able to challenge the dominant ‘factory’ challenge the dominant ‘factory’ metaphor of the way many early metaphor of the way many early childhood centres are conceived, childhood centres are conceived, organised and enacted.organised and enacted.

Untangling taken-for-Untangling taken-for-granted practices requires granted practices requires

breaking into well breaking into well entrenched and constructed entrenched and constructed

mythologies that may not mythologies that may not always be easily dislodged.always be easily dislodged.

Smyth’s framework for Smyth’s framework for reflectionreflection

DESCRIBEDESCRIBE INFORMINFORM CONFRONTCONFRONT RECONSTRUCTRECONSTRUCT

CONFRONTING: being able to subject the theories about one’s own practice to interrogation and questioning, in a way that establishes their legitimacy.

DescribeDescribe It was a nice sunny day and we were outside It was a nice sunny day and we were outside

in the playground. ‘M’ crawled towards the in the playground. ‘M’ crawled towards the basket ball hoop and started exploring it. He basket ball hoop and started exploring it. He was hanging on to the basket and touching was hanging on to the basket and touching the net. Soon ‘I’ came to join ‘M’. They both the net. Soon ‘I’ came to join ‘M’. They both started playing together with the basket. I started playing together with the basket. I brought a basket full of balls and kept it brought a basket full of balls and kept it besides the basket ball hoop. I put a few balls besides the basket ball hoop. I put a few balls into the basket and then stepped back to into the basket and then stepped back to observe. Both of them started playing with observe. Both of them started playing with the balls.the balls.

What is your ‘teaching’ role here? You must What is your ‘teaching’ role here? You must identify, focus on and describe YOUR teaching identify, focus on and describe YOUR teaching more clearly here, in order to reflect on it. more clearly here, in order to reflect on it.

InformInform This spontaneous play was exciting for me as it This spontaneous play was exciting for me as it

was the first time I saw two babies playing was the first time I saw two babies playing together and enjoying each other’s company. I together and enjoying each other’s company. I think that they both are very social and like to think that they both are very social and like to play in groups. This also tells me that both ‘M’ play in groups. This also tells me that both ‘M’ and ‘I’ have the ability to concentrate if they are and ‘I’ have the ability to concentrate if they are interested and enjoying the play. interested and enjoying the play. This experience This experience is important to me because it made me realize is important to me because it made me realize that I was not thinking appropriately for their age. that I was not thinking appropriately for their age.

   HERE is the focus of your reflection! Did you HERE is the focus of your reflection! Did you

have a perception that these children could not have a perception that these children could not play with the balls like this? What do you mean play with the balls like this? What do you mean by ‘appropriately’? THIS could be the starting by ‘appropriately’? THIS could be the starting point of your reflection. This is about you and point of your reflection. This is about you and your role in the learning-teaching process.your role in the learning-teaching process.

ConfrontConfront I believe in socio-cultural theory, therefore encourage children to I believe in socio-cultural theory, therefore encourage children to

play in a group and think that both spontaneous and planned play in a group and think that both spontaneous and planned possibilities can give great learning experiences to children. I am possibilities can give great learning experiences to children. I am impressed by Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal impressed by Vygotsky’s concept of Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD. I believe children learn a lot from the people Development or ZPD. I believe children learn a lot from the people who surround them- peers, teacher, family and whanau, who surround them- peers, teacher, family and whanau, community. I keep my approaches flexible and change according community. I keep my approaches flexible and change according to the child’s interest and learning environment. I believe children to the child’s interest and learning environment. I believe children learn more in groups but with babies it is very challenging learn more in groups but with babies it is very challenging because of their interests and routines. I took the children’s lead because of their interests and routines. I took the children’s lead in my practice- at first they were exploring the basket hoop, then in my practice- at first they were exploring the basket hoop, then they started playing with the balls and enjoyed throwing the balls. they started playing with the balls and enjoyed throwing the balls. I would link this reflection to Te Whariki Strand 5- Exploration, I would link this reflection to Te Whariki Strand 5- Exploration, Goal 1—Children experience an environment where their play is Goal 1—Children experience an environment where their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognised.play is recognised.

• Does your confronting address the fact that you Does your confronting address the fact that you underestimated what these babies could do? What is so underestimated what these babies could do? What is so challenging about babies’ interests and routines? What does the challenging about babies’ interests and routines? What does the quote from Te Whariki say about your own teaching here? Is quote from Te Whariki say about your own teaching here? Is socio-cultural theory only about learning in groups? What does socio-cultural theory only about learning in groups? What does Vygotsky’s theory of the ZPD mean for your practice in this Vygotsky’s theory of the ZPD mean for your practice in this scenario? So was this interaction ‘planned’ or ‘spontaneous’?scenario? So was this interaction ‘planned’ or ‘spontaneous’?

ReconstructReconstruct This was a valuable experience for me as I This was a valuable experience for me as I

saw the interests moving from the hoop to saw the interests moving from the hoop to the balls. I could see their great interest in the balls. I could see their great interest in balls and will have these resources in balls and will have these resources in different varieties like paper, clay, big, small different varieties like paper, clay, big, small etc.etc.

  Here you evaluate the activity and suggest Here you evaluate the activity and suggest new materials rather than focus on new materials rather than focus on reconstructing your own teaching and the reconstructing your own teaching and the learning-teaching process evident in the learning-teaching process evident in the reflection. Has your perception of what reflection. Has your perception of what babies can do changed? What is your babies can do changed? What is your teaching commitment to these two children?teaching commitment to these two children?

Theory, pedagogy and Theory, pedagogy and reflectionreflection

Curtis, D. and Carter, M. (2008). Curtis, D. and Carter, M. (2008). Learning together with young Learning together with young children: A curriculum framework for reflective teachers.children: A curriculum framework for reflective teachers. St St

Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

To enter into a style of teaching To enter into a style of teaching which is based on questioning what which is based on questioning what we’re doing and why, on listening to we’re doing and why, on listening to children, on thinking about how children, on thinking about how theory is translated into practice and theory is translated into practice and how practice informs theory, is to how practice informs theory, is to enter into a way of working where enter into a way of working where professional development takes professional development takes place day after day. place day after day.

(Sonya Shoptaugh, page 9)(Sonya Shoptaugh, page 9)