Reflective Practice and Teacher Education - Azim Premji University

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the previous section, this view of reflective practice offers an emancipatory role to praxis and suggests an interpretive role of knowledge that must inform the formation of this praxis. This knowledge is more of a Socratic nature, provisional and uncertain. The complex processes involved in teaching/learning preclude universality or finality of knowledge. This does not mean a capitulation to relativism. Nor does it mean that theories have no role to play in teacher professional development- after all how will a teacher be able to identify the peculiarity of a particular case if she is not aware of what is general? General theories are definitely required, though not as a legitimisation for practice but as an aid/prop to reflect on the nature and implications of practice. The thinness of general theories needs to be augmented with thickly descriptive studies. These would utilise a variety of narrative modes and be reflective in character (Greene,1994; Bruner, 1996). As mentioned earlier, the role of theory is for interpretation and not explanation. Reflective practice provides the much needed tool for such interpretations and helps evolve situational knowledge and robust personal theories. Processes and Approaches The absence of finality of knowledge in teacher education implies that a teacher has to formulate her own theories which are thought through and internalised. She has to bring them out into open to be questioned and challenged both by others, and general canonical theories. Dialogues therefore become a crucial approach towards reflective practice in teacher professional development programmes (Kegan, 2000). There is a long history of dialogues in our country. A majority of the Upanishads are in the form of dialogues. The preferred method of teaching in the Vedic period was through a gradation of questions and answers (Mookerji, 1989, p.192). Dialogues help develop one’s understanding by means of engaging with others’ multiple perspectives as well as bringing to light one’s “presumptions from previous experience”. This promotes the “integrity of education as a critical and constructive practice” in lieu of “theoretical and coercive undertakings” (Hogan & Smith, 2003; p.173-174). 8
Stories and parables have been a powerful pedagogic tool across cultures. They are meant to widen perspectives and help make sense of profound knowledge, by relating it to the familiar. Then again, the appeal of stories lies in the fact that there is no one singular truth, but opens up multiple interpretations, depending on one’s experiences. The common form of education of the laity in India has long been through stories (Mookerji, 1989). Dialogues and stories/narratives, in consonance with reflection, not only informs but also transforms knowledge and helps formulation of praxis, as seen in the previous section. Praxis in this sense is informed, committed action and not simply action based on reflection. According to Gadamer (1979), there is continual interplay between ends and means, thought and action, and developing praxis involves interpretation, understanding and application in one “unified process”. Needless to say, the reflective practitioner’s repertoire is constantly refined in the work setting. Deliberate promotion of this kind of nuanced and layered reflective practice in teacher professional development programme is a challenge. While there has been a rhetoric of reflective practice “as an interpretive dialogue that enriches the self and enhances professional practice” (McLaughlin & Hanifin, 1995), actual examples in practice are sparse 8 , even though a number of teacher professional development programmes in the US, UK and Australia purport to promote reflective practice 9 . In India, the NCFTE (2009) envisages a humanistic and liberal teacher education programme, with reflective practice as the central aim. Its goal is to prepare humane teachers who are thinking professionals. In the light of our own past experiences (Khader, 2008) and those of other countries (Zeichner & Liston, 1996), should there be a rethink in our conceptualisation of teacher education if the goals of NCFTE (2009) are to be met? This is considered in the following section. 9
Page 1 and 2: Reflective Practice and Teacher Edu
Page 3 and 4: Conceptual Framework of Reflective
Page 5 and 6: Among others, Solomon (1987) critiq
Page 7: Epistemological underpinning and kn
Page 11 and 12: eflective practice instead of only
Page 13 and 14: � Dunne, J & Pendlebury, S. 2003.
Page 15: � Smith, M K. 2011. Donald Schön

Reflective Practice and Teacher Education - Azim Premji University

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