Name of Student: Cathal Derivan, G00312870

Article/Reading: Stephen D. Brookfield Becoming a Critically Reflective

Teacher (Chapters 1&2) (Brookfield, 1995)
1. CONCISE SUMMARY OF READING

The opening statement of chapter 1, We teach to change the world

(Brookfield, 1995, p. 1) acts as a strong indicator of what is to come
throughout the first two chapters on the continuous cycle of teaching and
reflection. Brookfield sees reflection playing an important role in teaching
as the sincerity of (teachers) intentions does not guarantee the purity of
their practice (p. 1). He believes critical reflection helps to promote this
purity. Two elements which make reflection critical are highlighted, firstly
we must recognise how power undergirds, frames and distorts
educational processes and interactions (p. 8). Secondly, question
assumptions and practices that seem to make our teaching lives easier
but actually work against our own best long-term interests (p. 8). He
identifies critical reflection as an illumination of power which allows
teachers to realise that forces present in the wider society always intrude
into the classroom (p. 9) and a recognition of hegemonic assumptions,
they are assumptions that we think are in our own best interests but that
have actually been designed by more powerful others to work against us
in the long term (p. 14). Chapter 1 closes with Brookfield making explicit
the importance of critical reflection in teaching. He discusses six benefits
which it offers: it helps us take informed actions, develop a rationale for
practice, avoid self-laceration, it grounds us emotionally, it enlivens our
classroom and increases democratic trust (pp. 22-26).
Chapter 2 focuses on the process of how to become a critically reflective
teacher. We learn that the Brookfield model of reflection involves four
critically reflective lenses (p. 29). They include: 1. Our Autobiographies
as learners and teachers, 2. Our students eyes, 3. Our colleagues
experiences and 4. Theoretical literature. Viewing what we do through
these lenses alerts us to distorted or incomplete aspects of our
assumptions that need further investigation (p. 29). Their aim is to offer
the teacher, a wide and balanced view of the reflective process. Brookfield
goes onto debate the strengths and limitations of each lense in depth
throughout the remainder of the chapter.
The first lense, our autobiographies as teachers and learners, is seen as

the starting point on the journey of critical reflection. He identifies the

experiences which we may have encountered as learners as having a
deep effect on our teaching. Brookfield notes that when looking at
yourself it can be difficult to avoid the risks of denial and distortion (p.
33) and hence why the other three stages are necessary in order to
engage in a balanced form of reflection.
The second lense, our student eyes, is limited by students reluctance to
be honest with the teacher and how student anonymity must be
guaranteed in the early stages of the teacher-student relationship (p. 34).
Without an appreciation of how students are experiencing learning, any
methodological choices the teacher makes are at a risk of being uninformed or inappropriate as they have not taken the students point of
view into account.
The third lense, our colleagues experiences, are important as they act as
critical mirrors (p. 35). Checking our readings of problems, responses,
assumptions and justifications against the readings offered by colleagues
is crucial if we are to formulate a path of critical reflection, as the
individual teacher may not recognise such when theyre by themselves.
The fourth and final lense, theoretical literature, helps teachers to avoid
mistakenly blaming their personal inadequacies for situations that are
politically created (p. 37). He says that the study of literature becomes a
psychological and survival necessity within the profession of teaching,
which underlines its importance within the model.
The chapter closes with a realisation of what critical reflection means to
our teaching. It enables us to realise the ideological basis to teaching, we
learn to minimise risk, we see ourselves as being in continual formation,
our teaching becomes a connective activity, we try to create more
democratic classroom and finally it enables us to develop our own
distinctive voice as a teacher (pp. 39-48). Critical reflection is a process of
continually improving and developing our teaching.
2. CRITICAL REFLECTION
I found this piece of reading material difficult to comprehend at times and
in particular I encountered elements of the language used that were hard
to understand and follow. However, the author must be commended for
providing the reader with such depths of information on reflection as a
whole. Considering the elements discussed by Stephen D. Brookfield has
allowed me to realise a wide range of benefits and possible limitations of
the process of critical reflection in both initial teacher education and
continual professional development. Discussion points which I am going to
consider throughout this piece include how external factors to the
classroom effect teaching and learning, the limitations of requesting

feedback from our students with reference to my own experience on my

first teaching practice and finally how reflection can enable you to become
a life-long learner.
In Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher (Brookfield, 1995), the author
attempts to provide a basis for critical reflection which will allow those
who engage in this form of reflective practice a wide and balanced view of
a situation. This is achieved by reflecting through four lenses, Firstly our
autobiographies as teachers and learners, our students eyes, our
colleagues experiences and finally theoretical literature. I believe a
strength of this form of reflective practice is the need to highlight critical
reflection as an illumination of power which allows teachers to realise
that forces present in the wider society always intrude into the classroom
(p. 9). Viewing what we do through these lenses alerts us to distorted or
incomplete aspects of our assumptions that need further investigation (p.
29). Ken Zeichner of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in his journal
article on reflection as a goal for teacher education expresses that a
general limitation of most models of reflective practice in the promotion of
genuine teacher development is the clear emphasis on focusing
teachers' reflections inwardly at their own teaching and students, to the
neglect of consideration of the social conditions of schooling that influence
the teacher's work within the classroom (Zeichner, 2008). Brookfields
model attempts to consider the wider social forces which are at play and
evaluate how they can affect the teaching and learning taking place
within the classroom. This is an important element in an attempt to
survive in the profession of teaching as Brookfield notes critically
reflective teachers who systematically investigate how their students are
experiencing learning know that much student resistance is socially and
politically sculpted (p. 24). Teachers will have to come to realise this over
a period of time and change their methods where appropriate and it is
critical reflection which can aid this process.
Brookfield believes that each time we reflect through our students eyes
we learn something (p. 33). Speaking from my own experience on my
first teaching practice, I found this not to be the case. Throughout my first
teaching practice I used exit cards as a method of both formative
assessment, to see how students were coping with the new material
covered in class and to see if there was anything which I could do to
improve the learning experience for all. Looking back, the exit cards did
not work as I had first envisioned. I received mainly one word answers
which I did not find to be constructive. I think this may be down to a
number of reasons, most notably the short relationship which I had with
the class. Brookfield notes the importance of a strong student-teacher

relationship as an important element of receiving good feedback through

the lense of our students, he notes that the teacher has to make
students feel safe (p. 34) and it is only through this which students will
begin to speak out about elements of your teaching. Secondly, I could
have created an environment which provided the students with a
particular framework to ensure deep constructive reflection. Upon
research, I have realised that it is important to set a tone for reflection
within the classroom. Arthur L. Costa in his book section, learning through
reflection notes, reflective teachers help students understand that they
will now look back rather than move forward. They will take a break from
what they have been doing, step away from their work, and ask
themselves, "What have I (or we) learned from doing this activity?"
(Costa, 2008). There are numerous benefits of student reflection both
from a teachers and students point of view, time spent in reflection
supports the students in developing executive control over their learning
and helps them become more independent, literate thinkers (Dahl, 1994)
and provides teachers with information about how the students are
learning, information that might otherwise be inaccessible (Feniak,
1998). Reflection is an important element of everyday life and it is
important to support the development of a reflective mind in school
children from an early an age as possible, Brookfields model takes on
board what it is that the student is saying and attempts to apply it to the
continual development of teaching and learning.
Finally, it must be recognised how reflection can aid in the process of
lifelong learning and this is particularly important in the career of
teaching. Brookfield notes the role which critical reflection plays in
teaching with one of the most notable being that of helping the teacher
develop a rationale, why you are teaching in the manner that you are. He
reiterates that a critically reflective teacher works from an area of
informed commitment (p. 23). A rationale is a psychological,
professional and political necessity. Without it, we are tossed about by
whatever political or pedagogical winds are blowing at the time and
serves as a methodological and ethical touchstone (p. 23). This allowed
me to think about how reflection can underline the principles by which we
teach. New teaching and assessment strategies may come to the fore
throughout our careers and as both student and newly-qualified teachers
we should be willing to experiment with such methods. This does not
necessarily mean that they will suit our teaching or subject areas but it is
here which the process of reflection combined with praxis comes to
fruition. Implementing the strategy, reflecting on it (through each of the
four lenses in this model) and making necessary changes before applying
it again. This could be referred to as reflection on practice and can be

conceptualised as lifelong learning: a form of learning and thinking, a

meaningful self-evaluation about ones action or practice and how that
action or practice might be improved. It is about continuous review of
practice experience with a view to improving practice or achieving a
positive change (Romstein, 2009, p. 131). Although our foundational
rationale may not change, the process of reflection allows us to
continually improve and develop our teaching and learning methods
throughout our professional careers as teachers.
To conclude, I believe that critical reflection is going to be a vital element
of my teaching career and in particular on teaching practice this coming
academic year. Brookfields model of reflection offers a balanced and wide
view on the matter at hand as it is viewed through several lenses, taking
what each have to contribute on board to come up with a valuable and
beneficial solution which initiates the start of the continuous cycle of
reflection.

3. LIST OF REFERENCES

References
Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher . San Francisco :
Jossey-Bass .
Costa, B. K. (2008). Learning through reflection. In B. K. Costa, Learning and
Leading with Habits of Mind. Ohio : ASCD.
Dahl, P. O. (1994). Toward a social constructivist reconceptualisation of intrinsic
motivation for literacy learning . Journal for reading behaviour , 139-158.
Feniak, F. B. (1998). Student Diversity . Onitario: Pembroke Publishers .
Romstein, T. B. (2009). Reflection on practice as a lifelong learning process: a
survey of the views of Crotian preschool student teachers. Ocassional
Papers in Education & Lifelong Learning: An International Journal, 3(1),
131-139.
Zeichner, K. (2008). A critical analysis of reflection as a goal for teacher
education. Education & Society, 29(123).