Abstract:

The importance of reflective teaching as a professional development practice has generated much interest in recent times. Reflective teaching is a systematic, deliberate and critical consideration, analysis and evaluation of teachers’ attitude, assumptions and beliefs about teaching process. The ability of teachers to carry out reflection creates new knowledge about the teaching process, thereby becoming a useful information source to reshape teachers’ classroom practices. Studies have shown that areas where reflection could be carried out include teachers’ beliefs, assumptions, attitudes and awareness about the teaching process. The present study examines how exposing a group of in-service Biology teachers to systematic reflection helped to reshape their classroom practices. Specifically, it analyzed the effect of teachers’ reflection on their classroom practices with respect to communication style, questioning style, response/ acknowledgement style and time management. The study used a pretest, posttest control group quasi- experimental design. Reflection was carried out by teachers using peer observation strategy. Findings revealed a gradual improvement in the quality and type of teachers’ classroom practices during the treatment and this improvement continued after exposure to treatment with respect to teachers’ communication style, questioning style, response/ acknowledgement style and time management. The practice of reflection among Biology teachers gives them an awareness of their teaching process thereby reshaping their classroom practices which leads to continuous professional development.

Keywords:

Reflective Teaching, Reflection, Classroom practice.