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Reflection and Reflective Practice

Categories: Critical Reflection

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Published: Mar 28, 2019

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How to Write a Reflective Essay: Easy Guide with Pro Tips

Defining What is a Reflective Essay: Purpose + Importance

Being present is a cornerstone of mindfulness and meditation. You must have often heard that staying in the moment helps you appreciate your surroundings, connects you with people and nature, and allows you to feel whatever emotions you must feel without anxiety. While this is helpful advice as you become more focused and avoid getting lost in thought, how can you truly appreciate the present without reflecting on your past experiences that have led you to the current moment?

We don't say that you should dwell on the past and get carried away with a constant thought process, but hey, hear us out - practice reflective thinking! Think back on your previous life events, paint a true picture of history, and make connections to your present self. This requires you to get a bit analytical and creative. So you might as well document your critical reflection on a piece of paper and give direction to your personal observations. That's when the need for reflective essays steps in!

In a reflective essay, you open up about your thoughts and emotions to uncover your mindset, personality, traits of character, and background. Your reflective essay should include a description of the experience/literature piece as well as explanations of your thoughts, feelings, and reactions. In this article, our essay writer service will share our ultimate guide on how to write a reflective essay with a clear format and reflective essay examples that will inspire you.

How to Write a Reflective Essay with a Proper Reflective Essay Outline

To give you a clear idea of structuring a reflective essay template, we broke down the essential steps below. Primarily, the organization of a reflective essay is very similar to other types of papers. However, our custom writers got more specific with the reflective essay outline to ease your writing process.

Reflective Essay Introduction

When wondering how to start a reflective essay, it is no surprise that you should begin writing your paper with an introductory paragraph. So, what's new and different with the reflection essay introduction? Let's dissect:

Open your intro with an attention-seizing hook that engages your audience into reflective thinking with you. It can be something like: 'As I was sitting on my bed with my notebook placed on my shaky lap waiting for the letter of acceptance, I could not help but reflect, was enrolling in college the path I wanted to take in the future?'
Provide context with a quick overview of the reflective essay topic. Don't reveal too much information at the start to prevent your audience from becoming discouraged to continue reading.
Make a claim with a strong reflective essay thesis statement. It should be a simple explanation of the essay's main point, in this example, a specific event that had a big impact on you.

Reflective Essay Body Paragraphs

The next step is to develop the body of your essay. This section of the paper may be the most challenging because it's simple to ramble and replicate yourself both in the outline and the actual writing. Planning the body properly requires a lot of time and work, and the following advice can assist you in doing this effectively:

Consider using a sequential strategy. This entails reviewing everything you wish to discuss in the order it occurred. This method ensures that your work is structured and cohesive.
Make sure the body paragraph is well-rounded and employs the right amount of analysis. The body should go into the effects of the event on your life and the insights you've gained as a consequence.
Prioritize reflecting rather than summarizing your points. In addition to giving readers insight into your personal experience, a reflective stance will also show off your personality and demonstrate your ability to handle certain challenges.

Reflective Essay Conclusion

The goal of your reflective essay conclusion should be to tie everything together by summarizing the key ideas raised throughout, as well as the lessons you were able to take away from experience.

Don't forget to include the reasons for and the methods used to improve your beliefs and actions. Think about how your personality and skills have changed as well.
What conclusions can you draw about your behavior in particular circumstances? What could you do differently if the conditions were the same in the future?

Remember that your instructor will be searching for clear signs of reflection.

Understanding a Reflection Paper Format

The format of reflective essay greatly differs from an argumentative or research paper. A reflective essay is more of a well-structured story or a diary entry rife with insight and reflection. You might be required to arrange your essay using the APA style or the MLA format.

And the typical reflection paper length varies between 300 and 700 words, but ask your instructor about the word length if it was assigned to you. Even though this essay is about you, try to avoid too much informal language.

If your instructor asks you to use an APA or MLA style format for reflective essay, here are a few shortcuts:

Reflective Essay in MLA Format

Times New Roman 12pt font double spaced;
1" margins;
The top right includes the last name and page number on every page;
Titles are centered;
The header should include your name, your professor's name, course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy);
The last page includes a Works Cited.

Reflective Essay in APA Style

Include a page header on the top of every page;
Insert page number on the right;
Your reflective essay should be divided into four parts: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.

Reflective Essay Writing Tips

You may think we've armed you with enough tips and pointers for reflective writing, but it doesn't stop here. Below we gathered some expert-approved tips for constructing uncontested reflection papers.

Be as detailed as possible while writing. To make your reflective essay writing come to life, you should employ several tactics such as symbolism, sentence patterns, etc.
Keep your audience in mind. The reader will become frustrated if you continue writing in the first person without taking a moment to convey something more important, even though you will likely speak about something from your own perspective.
Put forth the effort to allow the reader to feel the situation or emotion you are attempting to explain.
Don't preach; demonstrate. Instead of just reporting what happened, use description appropriately to paint a clear picture of the event or sensation.
Plan the wording and structure of your reflective essay around a central emotion or subject, such as joy, pleasure, fear, or grief.
Avoid adding dull elements that can lessen the effect of your work. Why include it if it won't enhance the emotion or understanding you wish to convey?
There must be a constant sense of progression. Consider whether the event has transformed you or others around you.
Remember to double-check your grammar, syntax, and spelling.

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Reflective Essay Topic Ideas

As a reflective essay should be about your own views and experiences, you generally can't use someone else's ideas. But to help you get started, here are some suggestions for writing topics:

An experience you will never forget.
The moment you overcame a fear.
The most difficult choice you had to make.
A time your beliefs were challenged.
A time something changed your life.
The happiest or most frightening moment of your life so far.
Ways you think you or people can make the world a better place.
A time you felt lost.
An introspective look at your choices or a time you made the wrong choice.
A moment in your life you would like to relive.

You may find it convenient to create a chart or table to keep track of your ideas. Split your chart into three parts:

In the first column, write key experiences or your main points. You can arrange them from most important to least important.
In the second column, list your response to the points you stated in the first column.
In the third column, write what, from your response, you would like to share in the essay.

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Reflective Essay Sample

Referring to reflective essay examples can help you a lot. A reflective essay sample can provide you with useful insight into how your essay should look like. You can also buy an essay online if you need one customized to your specific requirements.

How to Conclude a Reflective Essay

As we come to an end, it's only logical to reflect on the main points discussed above in the article. By now, you should clearly understand what is a reflective essay and that the key to writing a reflective essay is demonstrating what lessons you have taken away from your experiences and why and how these lessons have shaped you. It should also have a clear reflective essay format, with an opening, development of ideas, and resolution.

Now that you have the tools to create a thorough and accurate reflective paper, you might want to hand over other tasks like writing definition essay examples to our experienced writers. In this case, feel free to buy an essay online on our platform and reflect on your past events without worrying about future assignments!

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Study Skills

Reflective practice toolkit, introduction.

What is reflective practice?
Everyday reflection
Models of reflection
Barriers to reflection
Free writing
Reflective writing exercise
Bibliography

Many people worry that they will be unable to write reflectively but chances are that you do it more than you think! It's a common task during both work and study from appraisal and planning documents to recording observations at the end of a module. The following pages will guide you through some simple techniques for reflective writing as well as how to avoid some of the most common pitfalls.

What is reflective writing?

Writing reflectively involves critically analysing an experience, recording how it has impacted you and what you plan to do with your new knowledge. It can help you to reflect on a deeper level as the act of getting something down on paper often helps people to think an experience through.

The key to reflective writing is to be analytical rather than descriptive. Always ask why rather than just describing what happened during an experience.

Remember...

Reflective writing is...

Written in the first person
Free flowing
A tool to challenge assumptions
A time investment

Reflective writing isn't...

Written in the third person
Descriptive
What you think you should write
A tool to ignore assumptions
A waste of time

Adapted from The Reflective Practice Guide: an Interdisciplinary Approach / Barbara Bassot.

You can learn more about reflective writing in this handy video from Hull University:

Created by SkillsTeamHullUni

Hull reflective writing video transcript (Word)
Hull reflective writing video transcript (PDF)

Where might you use reflective writing?

You can use reflective writing in many aspects of your work, study and even everyday life. The activities below all contain some aspect of reflective writing and are common to many people:

1. Job applications

Both preparing for and writing job applications contain elements of reflective writing. You need to think about the experience that makes you suitable for a role and this means reflection on the skills you have developed and how they might relate to the specification. When writing your application you need to expand on what you have done and explain what you have learnt and why this matters - key elements of reflective writing.

2. Appraisals

In a similar way, undertaking an appraisal is a good time to reflect back on a certain period of time in post. You might be asked to record what went well and why as well as identifying areas for improvement.

3. Written feedback

If you have made a purchase recently you are likely to have received a request for feedback. When you leave a review of a product or service online then you need to think about the pros and cons. You may also have gone into detail about why the product was so good or the service was so bad so other people know how to judge it in the future.

4. Blogging

Blogs are a place to offer your own opinion and can be a really good place to do some reflective writing. Blogger often take a view on something and use their site as a way to share it with the world. They will often talk about the reasons why they like/dislike something - classic reflective writing.

5. During the research process

When researchers are working on a project they will often think about they way they are working and how it could be improved as well as considering different approaches to achieve their research goal. They will often record this in some way such as in a lab book and this questioning approach is a form of reflective writing.

6. In academic writing

Many students will be asked to include some form of reflection in an academic assignment, for example when relating a topic to their real life circumstances. They are also often asked to think about their opinion on or reactions to texts and other research and write about this in their own work.

Think about ... When you reflect

Think about all of the activities you do on a daily basis. Do any of these contain elements of reflective writing? Make a list of all the times you have written something reflective over the last month - it will be longer than you think!

Reflective terminology

A common mistake people make when writing reflectively is to focus too much on describing their experience. Think about some of the phrases below and try to use them when writing reflectively to help you avoid this problem:

The most important thing was...
At the time I felt...
This was likely due to...
After thinking about it...
I learned that...
I need to know more about...
Later I realised...
This was because...
This was like...
I wonder what would happen if...
I'm still unsure about...
My next steps are...

Always try and write in the first person when writing reflectively. This will help you to focus on your thoughts/feelings/experiences rather than just a description of the experience.

Using reflective writing in your academic work

Man writing in a notebook at a desk with laptop

Many courses will also expect you to reflect on your own learning as you progress through a particular programme. You may be asked to keep some type of reflective journal or diary. Depending on the needs of your course this may or may not be assessed but if you are using one it's important to write reflectively. This can help you to look back and see how your thinking has evolved over time - something useful for job applications in the future. Students at all levels may also be asked to reflect on the work of others, either as part of a group project or through peer review of their work. This requires a slightly different approach to reflection as you are not focused on your own work but again this is a useful skill to develop for the workplace.

You can see some useful examples of reflective writing in academia from Monash University , UNSW (the University of New South Wales) and Sage . Several of these examples also include feedback from tutors which you can use to inform your own work.

Laptop/computer/broswer/research by StockSnap via Pixabay licenced under CC0.

Now that you have a better idea of what reflective writing is and how it can be used it's time to practice some techniques.

This page has given you an understanding of what reflective writing is and where it can be used in both work and study. Now that you have a better idea of how reflective writing works the next two pages will guide you through some activities you can use to get started.

<< Previous: Barriers to reflection
Next: Free writing >>
Last Updated: Jun 21, 2023 3:24 PM
URL: https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/reflectivepracticetoolkit

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Reflective writing is a process of identifying, questioning, and critically evaluating course-based learning opportunities, integrated with your own observations, experiences, impressions, beliefs, assumptions, or biases, and which describes how this process stimulated new or creative understanding about the content of the course.

A reflective paper describes and explains in an introspective, first person narrative, your reactions and feelings about either a specific element of the class [e.g., a required reading; a film shown in class] or more generally how you experienced learning throughout the course. Reflective writing assignments can be in the form of a single paper, essays, portfolios, journals, diaries, or blogs. In some cases, your professor may include a reflective writing assignment as a way to obtain student feedback that helps improve the course, either in the moment or for when the class is taught again.

How to Write a Reflection Paper . Academic Skills, Trent University; Writing a Reflection Paper . Writing Center, Lewis University; Critical Reflection . Writing and Communication Centre, University of Waterloo; Tsingos-Lucas et al. "Using Reflective Writing as a Predictor of Academic Success in Different Assessment Formats." American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 81 (2017): Article 8.

Benefits of Reflective Writing Assignments

As the term implies, a reflective paper involves looking inward at oneself in contemplating and bringing meaning to the relationship between course content and the acquisition of new knowledge . Educational research [Bolton, 2010; Ryan, 2011; Tsingos-Lucas et al., 2017] demonstrates that assigning reflective writing tasks enhances learning because it challenges students to confront their own assumptions, biases, and belief systems around what is being taught in class and, in so doing, stimulate student’s decisions, actions, attitudes, and understanding about themselves as learners and in relation to having mastery over their learning. Reflection assignments are also an opportunity to write in a first person narrative about elements of the course, such as the required readings, separate from the exegetic and analytical prose of academic research papers.

Reflection writing often serves multiple purposes simultaneously. In no particular order, here are some of reasons why professors assign reflection papers:

Enhances learning from previous knowledge and experience in order to improve future decision-making and reasoning in practice . Reflective writing in the applied social sciences enhances decision-making skills and academic performance in ways that can inform professional practice. The act of reflective writing creates self-awareness and understanding of others. This is particularly important in clinical and service-oriented professional settings.
Allows students to make sense of classroom content and overall learning experiences in relation to oneself, others, and the conditions that shaped the content and classroom experiences . Reflective writing places you within the course content in ways that can deepen your understanding of the material. Because reflective thinking can help reveal hidden biases, it can help you critically interrogate moments when you do not like or agree with discussions, readings, or other aspects of the course.
Increases awareness of one’s cognitive abilities and the evidence for these attributes . Reflective writing can break down personal doubts about yourself as a learner and highlight specific abilities that may have been hidden or suppressed due to prior assumptions about the strength of your academic abilities [e.g., reading comprehension; problem-solving skills]. Reflective writing, therefore, can have a positive affective [i.e., emotional] impact on your sense of self-worth.
Applying theoretical knowledge and frameworks to real experiences . Reflective writing can help build a bridge of relevancy between theoretical knowledge and the real world. In so doing, this form of writing can lead to a better understanding of underlying theories and their analytical properties applied to professional practice.
Reveals shortcomings that the reader will identify . Evidence suggests that reflective writing can uncover your own shortcomings as a learner, thereby, creating opportunities to anticipate the responses of your professor may have about the quality of your coursework. This can be particularly productive if the reflective paper is written before final submission of an assignment.
Helps students identify their tacit [a.k.a., implicit] knowledge and possible gaps in that knowledge . Tacit knowledge refers to ways of knowing rooted in lived experience, insight, and intuition rather than formal, codified, categorical, or explicit knowledge. In so doing, reflective writing can stimulate students to question their beliefs about a research problem or an element of the course content beyond positivist modes of understanding and representation.
Encourages students to actively monitor their learning processes over a period of time . On-going reflective writing in journals or blogs, for example, can help you maintain or adapt learning strategies in other contexts. The regular, purposeful act of reflection can facilitate continuous deep thinking about the course content as it evolves and changes throughout the term. This, in turn, can increase your overall confidence as a learner.
Relates a student’s personal experience to a wider perspective . Reflection papers can help you see the big picture associated with the content of a course by forcing you to think about the connections between scholarly content and your lived experiences outside of school. It can provide a macro-level understanding of one’s own experiences in relation to the specifics of what is being taught.
If reflective writing is shared, students can exchange stories about their learning experiences, thereby, creating an opportunity to reevaluate their original assumptions or perspectives . In most cases, reflective writing is only viewed by your professor in order to ensure candid feedback from students. However, occasionally, reflective writing is shared and openly discussed in class. During these discussions, new or different perspectives and alternative approaches to solving problems can be generated that would otherwise be hidden. Sharing student's reflections can also reveal collective patterns of thought and emotions about a particular element of the course.

Bolton, Gillie. Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional Development . London: Sage, 2010; Chang, Bo. "Reflection in Learning." Online Learning 23 (2019), 95-110; Cavilla, Derek. "The Effects of Student Reflection on Academic Performance and Motivation." Sage Open 7 (July-September 2017): 1–13; Culbert, Patrick. “Better Teaching? You Can Write On It “ Liberal Education (February 2022); McCabe, Gavin and Tobias Thejll-Madsen. The Reflection Toolkit . University of Edinburgh; The Purpose of Reflection . Introductory Composition at Purdue University; Practice-based and Reflective Learning . Study Advice Study Guides, University of Reading; Ryan, Mary. "Improving Reflective Writing in Higher Education: A Social Semiotic Perspective." Teaching in Higher Education 16 (2011): 99-111; Tsingos-Lucas et al. "Using Reflective Writing as a Predictor of Academic Success in Different Assessment Formats." American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 81 (2017): Article 8; What Benefits Might Reflective Writing Have for My Students? Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse; Rykkje, Linda. "The Tacit Care Knowledge in Reflective Writing: A Practical Wisdom." International Practice Development Journal 7 (September 2017): Article 5; Using Reflective Writing to Deepen Student Learning . Center for Writing, University of Minnesota.

How to Approach Writing a Reflection Paper

Thinking About Reflective Thinking

Educational theorists have developed numerous models of reflective thinking that your professor may use to frame a reflective writing assignment. These models can help you systematically interpret your learning experiences, thereby ensuring that you ask the right questions and have a clear understanding of what should be covered. A model can also represent the overall structure of a reflective paper. Each model establishes a different approach to reflection and will require you to think about your writing differently. If you are unclear how to fit your writing within a particular reflective model, seek clarification from your professor. There are generally two types of reflective writing assignments, each approached in slightly different ways.

1. Reflective Thinking about Course Readings

This type of reflective writing focuses on thoughtfully thinking about the course readings that underpin how most students acquire new knowledge and understanding about the subject of a course. Reflecting on course readings is often assigned in freshmen-level, interdisciplinary courses where the required readings examine topics viewed from multiple perspectives and, as such, provide different ways of analyzing a topic, issue, event, or phenomenon. The purpose of reflective thinking about course readings in the social and behavioral sciences is to elicit your opinions, beliefs, and feelings about the research and its significance. This type of writing can provide an opportunity to break down key assumptions you may have and, in so doing, reveal potential biases in how you interpret the scholarship.

If you are assigned to reflect on course readings, consider the following methods of analysis as prompts that can help you get started :

Examine carefully the main introductory elements of the reading, including the purpose of the study, the theoretical framework being used to test assumptions, and the research questions being addressed. Think about what ideas stood out to you. Why did they? Were these ideas new to you or familiar in some way based on your own lived experiences or prior knowledge?
Develop your ideas around the readings by asking yourself, what do I know about this topic? Where does my existing knowledge about this topic come from? What are the observations or experiences in my life that influence my understanding of the topic? Do I agree or disagree with the main arguments, recommended course of actions, or conclusions made by the author(s)? Why do I feel this way and what is the basis of these feelings?
Make connections between the text and your own beliefs, opinions, or feelings by considering questions like, how do the readings reinforce my existing ideas or assumptions? How the readings challenge these ideas or assumptions? How does this text help me to better understand this topic or research in ways that motivate me to learn more about this area of study?

2. Reflective Thinking about Course Experiences

This type of reflective writing asks you to critically reflect on locating yourself at the conceptual intersection of theory and practice. The purpose of experiential reflection is to evaluate theories or disciplinary-based analytical models based on your introspective assessment of the relationship between hypothetical thinking and practical reality; it offers a way to consider how your own knowledge and skills fit within professional practice. This type of writing also provides an opportunity to evaluate your decisions and actions, as well as how you managed your subsequent successes and failures, within a specific theoretical framework. As a result, abstract concepts can crystallize and become more relevant to you when considered within your own experiences. This can help you formulate plans for self-improvement as you learn.

If you are assigned to reflect on your experiences, consider the following questions as prompts to help you get started :

Contextualize your reflection in relation to the overarching purpose of the course by asking yourself, what did you hope to learn from this course? What were the learning objectives for the course and how did I fit within each of them? How did these goals relate to the main themes or concepts of the course?
Analyze how you experienced the course by asking yourself, what did I learn from this experience? What did I learn about myself? About working in this area of research and study? About how the course relates to my place in society? What assumptions about the course were supported or refuted?
Think introspectively about the ways you experienced learning during the course by asking yourself, did your learning experiences align with the goals or concepts of the course? Why or why do you not feel this way? What was successful and why do you believe this? What would you do differently and why is this important? How will you prepare for a future experience in this area of study?

NOTE: If you are assigned to write a journal or other type of on-going reflection exercise, a helpful approach is to reflect on your reflections by re-reading what you have already written. In other words, review your previous entries as a way to contextualize your feelings, opinions, or beliefs regarding your overall learning experiences. Over time, this can also help reveal hidden patterns or themes related to how you processed your learning experiences. Consider concluding your reflective journal with a summary of how you felt about your learning experiences at critical junctures throughout the course, then use these to write about how you grew as a student learner and how the act of reflecting helped you gain new understanding about the subject of the course and its content.

ANOTHER NOTE: Regardless of whether you write a reflection paper or a journal, do not focus your writing on the past. The act of reflection is intended to think introspectively about previous learning experiences. However, reflective thinking should document the ways in which you progressed in obtaining new insights and understandings about your growth as a learner that can be carried forward in subsequent coursework or in future professional practice. Your writing should reflect a furtherance of increasing personal autonomy and confidence gained from understanding more about yourself as a learner.

Structure and Writing Style

There are no strict academic rules for writing a reflective paper. Reflective writing may be assigned in any class taught in the social and behavioral sciences and, therefore, requirements for the assignment can vary depending on disciplinary-based models of inquiry and learning. The organization of content can also depend on what your professor wants you to write about or based on the type of reflective model used to frame the writing assignment. Despite these possible variations, below is a basic approach to organizing and writing a good reflective paper, followed by a list of problems to avoid.

Pre-flection

In most cases, it's helpful to begin by thinking about your learning experiences and outline what you want to focus on before you begin to write the paper. This can help you organize your thoughts around what was most important to you and what experiences [good or bad] had the most impact on your learning. As described by the University of Waterloo Writing and Communication Centre, preparing to write a reflective paper involves a process of self-analysis that can help organize your thoughts around significant moments of in-class knowledge discovery.

Using a thesis statement as a guide, note what experiences or course content stood out to you , then place these within the context of your observations, reactions, feelings, and opinions. This will help you develop a rough outline of key moments during the course that reflect your growth as a learner. To identify these moments, pose these questions to yourself: What happened? What was my reaction? What were my expectations and how were they different from what transpired? What did I learn?
Critically think about your learning experiences and the course content . This will help you develop a deeper, more nuanced understanding about why these moments were significant or relevant to you. Use the ideas you formulated during the first stage of reflecting to help you think through these moments from both an academic and personal perspective. From an academic perspective, contemplate how the experience enhanced your understanding of a concept, theory, or skill. Ask yourself, did the experience confirm my previous understanding or challenge it in some way. As a result, did this highlight strengths or gaps in your current knowledge? From a personal perspective, think introspectively about why these experiences mattered, if previous expectations or assumptions were confirmed or refuted, and if this surprised, confused, or unnerved you in some way.
Analyze how these experiences and your reactions to them will shape your future thinking and behavior . Reflection implies looking back, but the most important act of reflective writing is considering how beliefs, assumptions, opinions, and feelings were transformed in ways that better prepare you as a learner in the future. Note how this reflective analysis can lead to actions you will take as a result of your experiences, what you will do differently, and how you will apply what you learned in other courses or in professional practice.

Basic Structure and Writing Style

Reflective Background and Context

The first part of your reflection paper should briefly provide background and context in relation to the content or experiences that stood out to you. Highlight the settings, summarize the key readings, or narrate the experiences in relation to the course objectives. Provide background that sets the stage for your reflection. You do not need to go into great detail, but you should provide enough information for the reader to understand what sources of learning you are writing about [e.g., course readings, field experience, guest lecture, class discussions] and why they were important. This section should end with an explanatory thesis statement that expresses the central ideas of your paper and what you want the readers to know, believe, or understand after they finish reading your paper.

Reflective Interpretation

Drawing from your reflective analysis, this is where you can be personal, critical, and creative in expressing how you felt about the course content and learning experiences and how they influenced or altered your feelings, beliefs, assumptions, or biases about the subject of the course. This section is also where you explore the meaning of these experiences in the context of the course and how you gained an awareness of the connections between these moments and your own prior knowledge.

Guided by your thesis statement, a helpful approach is to interpret your learning throughout the course with a series of specific examples drawn from the course content and your learning experiences. These examples should be arranged in sequential order that illustrate your growth as a learner. Reflecting on each example can be done by: 1) introducing a theme or moment that was meaningful to you, 2) describing your previous position about the learning moment and what you thought about it, 3) explaining how your perspective was challenged and/or changed and why, and 4) introspectively stating your current or new feelings, opinions, or beliefs about that experience in class.

It is important to include specific examples drawn from the course and placed within the context of your assumptions, thoughts, opinions, and feelings. A reflective narrative without specific examples does not provide an effective way for the reader to understand the relationship between the course content and how you grew as a learner.

Reflective Conclusions

The conclusion of your reflective paper should provide a summary of your thoughts, feelings, or opinions regarding what you learned about yourself as a result of taking the course. Here are several ways you can frame your conclusions based on the examples you interpreted and reflected on what they meant to you. Each example would need to be tied to the basic theme [thesis statement] of your reflective background section.

Your reflective conclusions can be described in relation to any expectations you had before taking the class [e.g., “I expected the readings to not be relevant to my own experiences growing up in a rural community, but the research actually helped me see that the challenges of developing my identity as a child of immigrants was not that unusual...”].
Your reflective conclusions can explain how what you learned about yourself will change your actions in the future [e.g., “During a discussion in class about the challenges of helping homeless people, I realized that many of these people hate living on the street but lack the ability to see a way out. This made me realize that I wanted to take more classes in psychology...”].
Your reflective conclusions can describe major insights you experienced a critical junctures during the course and how these moments enhanced how you see yourself as a student learner [e.g., "The guest speaker from the Head Start program made me realize why I wanted to pursue a career in elementary education..."].
Your reflective conclusions can reconfigure or reframe how you will approach professional practice and your understanding of your future career aspirations [e.g.,, "The course changed my perceptions about seeking a career in business finance because it made me realize I want to be more engaged in customer service..."]
Your reflective conclusions can explore any learning you derived from the act of reflecting itself [e.g., “Reflecting on the course readings that described how minority students perceive campus activities helped me identify my own biases about the benefits of those activities in acclimating to campus life...”].

NOTE: The length of a reflective paper in the social sciences is usually less than a traditional research paper. However, don’t assume that writing a reflective paper is easier than writing a research paper. A well-conceived critical reflection paper often requires as much time and effort as a research paper because you must purposeful engage in thinking about your learning in ways that you may not be comfortable with or used to. This is particular true while preparing to write because reflective papers are not as structured as a traditional research paper and, therefore, you have to think deliberately about how you want to organize the paper and what elements of the course you want to reflect upon.

ANOTHER NOTE: Do not limit yourself to using only text in reflecting on your learning. If you believe it would be helpful, consider using creative modes of thought or expression such as, illustrations, photographs, or material objects that reflects an experience related to the subject of the course that was important to you [e.g., like a ticket stub to a renowned speaker on campus]. Whatever non-textual element you include, be sure to describe the object's relevance to your personal relationship to the course content.

Problems to Avoid

A reflective paper is not a “mind dump” . Reflective papers document your personal and emotional experiences and, therefore, they do not conform to rigid structures, or schema, to organize information. However, the paper should not be a disjointed, stream-of-consciousness narrative. Reflective papers are still academic pieces of writing that require organized thought, that use academic language and tone , and that apply intellectually-driven critical thinking to the course content and your learning experiences and their significance.

A reflective paper is not a research paper . If you are asked to reflect on a course reading, the reflection will obviously include some description of the research. However, the goal of reflective writing is not to present extraneous ideas to the reader or to "educate" them about the course. The goal is to share a story about your relationship with the learning objectives of the course. Therefore, unlike research papers, you are expected to write from a first person point of view which includes an introspective examination of your own opinions, feelings, and personal assumptions.

A reflection paper is not a book review . Descriptions of the course readings using your own words is not a reflective paper. Reflective writing should focus on how you understood the implications of and were challenged by the course in relation to your own lived experiences or personal assumptions, combined with explanations of how you grew as a student learner based on this internal dialogue. Remember that you are the central object of the paper, not the research materials.

A reflective paper is not an all-inclusive meditation. Do not try to cover everything. The scope of your paper should be well-defined and limited to your specific opinions, feelings, and beliefs about what you determine to be the most significant content of the course and in relation to the learning that took place. Reflections should be detailed enough to covey what you think is important, but your thoughts should be expressed concisely and coherently [as is true for any academic writing assignment].

Critical Reflection . Writing and Communication Centre, University of Waterloo; Critical Reflection: Journals, Opinions, & Reactions . University Writing Center, Texas A&M University; Connor-Greene, Patricia A. “Making Connections: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Journal Writing in Enhancing Student Learning.” Teaching of Psychology 27 (2000): 44-46; Good vs. Bad Reflection Papers , Franklin University; Dyment, Janet E. and Timothy S. O’Connell. "The Quality of Reflection in Student Journals: A Review of Limiting and Enabling Factors." Innovative Higher Education 35 (2010): 233-244: How to Write a Reflection Paper . Academic Skills, Trent University; Amelia TaraJane House. Reflection Paper . Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, University of Arkansas; Ramlal, Alana, and Désirée S. Augustin. “Engaging Students in Reflective Writing: An Action Research Project.” Educational Action Research 28 (2020): 518-533; Writing a Reflection Paper . Writing Center, Lewis University; McGuire, Lisa, Kathy Lay, and Jon Peters. “Pedagogy of Reflective Writing in Professional Education.” Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (2009): 93-107; Critical Reflection . Writing and Communication Centre, University of Waterloo; How Do I Write Reflectively? Academic Skills Toolkit, University of New South Wales Sydney; Reflective Writing . Skills@Library. University of Leeds; Walling, Anne, Johanna Shapiro, and Terry Ast. “What Makes a Good Reflective Paper?” Family Medicine 45 (2013): 7-12; Williams, Kate, Mary Woolliams, and Jane Spiro. Reflective Writing . 2nd edition. London: Red Globe Press, 2020; Yeh, Hui-Chin, Shih-hsien Yang, Jo Shan Fu, and Yen-Chen Shih. “Developing College Students’ Critical Thinking through Reflective Writing.” Higher Education Research and Development (2022): 1-16.

Writing Tip

Focus on Reflecting, Not on Describing

Minimal time and effort should be spent describing the course content you are asked to reflect upon. The purpose of a reflection assignment is to introspectively contemplate your reactions to and feeling about an element of the course. D eflecting the focus away from your own feelings by concentrating on describing the course content can happen particularly if "talking about yourself" [i.e., reflecting] makes you uncomfortable or it is intimidating. However, the intent of reflective writing is to overcome these inhibitions so as to maximize the benefits of introspectively assessing your learning experiences. Keep in mind that, if it is relevant, your feelings of discomfort could be a part of how you critically reflect on any challenges you had during the course [e.g., you realize this discomfort inhibited your willingness to ask questions during class, it fed into your propensity to procrastinate, or it made it difficult participating in groups].

Writing a Reflection Paper . Writing Center, Lewis University; Reflection Paper . Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence, University of Arkansas.

Another Writing Tip

Helpful Videos about Reflective Writing

These two short videos succinctly describe how to approach a reflective writing assignment. They are produced by the Academic Skills department at the University of Melbourne and the Skills Team of the University of Hull, respectively.

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Reflective writing: Reflective essays

What is reflection? Why do it?
What does reflection involve?
Reflective questioning
Reflective writing for academic assessment
Types of reflective assignments
Differences between discursive and reflective writing
Sources of evidence for reflective writing assignments
Linking theory to experience
Reflective essays
Portfolios and learning journals, logs and diaries
Examples of reflective writing
Video summary
Bibliography

Writing a reflective essay

When you are asked to write a reflective essay, you should closely examine both the question and the marking criteria. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do. Once you have examined the question you should start to plan and develop your essay by considering the following:

What experience(s) and/or event(s) are you going to reflect on?
How can you present these experience(s) to ensure anonymity (particularly important for anyone in medical professions)?
How can you present the experience(s) with enough context for readers to understand?
What learning can you identify from the experience(s)?
What theories, models, strategies and academic literature can be used in your reflection?
How this experience will inform your future practice

When structuring your reflection, you can present it in chronological order (start to finish) or in reverse order (finish to start). In some cases, it may be more appropriate for you to structure it around a series of flashbacks or themes, relating to relevant parts of the experience.

Example Essay Structure

This is an example structure for a reflective essay focusing on a single experience or event:

When you are writing a reflective assessment, it is important you keep your description to a minimum. This is because the description is not actually reflection and it often counts for only a small number of marks. This is not to suggest the description is not important. You must provide enough description and background for your readers to understand the context.

You need to ensure you discuss your feelings, reflections, responses, reactions, conclusions, and future learning. You should also look at positives and negatives across each aspect of your reflection and ensure you summarise any learning points for the future.

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Effectiviology

Reflective Practice: Thinking About the Way You Do Things

Reflective practice involves actively analyzing your experiences and actions, in order to help yourself improve and develop.

For example, an athlete can engage in reflective practice by thinking about mistakes that they made during a training session, and figuring out ways to avoid making those mistakes in the future.

Reflective practice can be beneficial in various situations, so it’s worthwhile to understand this concept. As such, in the following article you will learn more about reflective practice, and see how you can engage in it yourself, as well as what you can do to encourage others to engage in it.

Examples of reflective practice

An example of reflective practice is an athlete who, after every practice, thinks about what they did well, what they did badly, why they did things the way they did, and what they can do in the future to improve their performance.

In addition, examples of reflective practice appear in a variety of other domains. For instance:

A student can engage in reflective practice by thinking about how they studied for a recent test and how they ended up performing, in order to figure out how they can study more effectively next time.
A medical professional can engage in reflective practice by thinking about a recent procedure that they performed, in order to identify mistakes that they’ve made and figure out how to avoid making those mistakes in the future.
A human-resources representative can engage in reflective practice by thinking about recent interviews that they conducted with potential new hires, in order to determine whether all the steps in the interview are necessary, and whether any other steps are needed.

The benefits of reflective practice

There are many potential benefits to reflective practice. These include , most notably, the following:

Acquisition of new knowledge.
Refinement of existing knowledge, for example by correcting current misconceptions.
An improved understanding of the connections between theory and practice.
An improved understanding of the rationale behind your actions, in terms of factors such as why you do the things that you do, and why you do things a certain way.
Improvement of your goals and of the rules that you use for decision-making (this is also associated with the concept of double-loop learning ).
A better understanding of yourself, in terms of factors such as your strengths and weaknesses.
Development of your metacognitive abilities, for example when it comes to your ability to analyze your thoughts more effectively.
Increased feelings of autonomy, competence, and control.
Increased motivation to act.
Improved performance, for example due to learning how to take action in a more effective way, or due to having more motivation to take action.

These benefits can apply not only to the specific domain in which you engage in reflective practice, but also to other domains. For example, if a musician engages in reflective practice with regard to how they play their instrument, they might improve their understanding of their preferences as a learner, which could help them when it comes to their academic studies.

Finally, note that in some cases, reflective practice is viewed as not only beneficial, but outright crucial to people’s goals. As one scholar notes:

“It is not sufficient simply to have an experience in order to learn. Without reflecting upon this experience it may quickly be forgotten or its learning potential lost. It is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisations or concepts can be generated. And it is generalisations which enable new situations to be tackled effectively. Similarly, if it is intended that behaviour should be changed by learning, it is not sufficient simply to learn new concepts and develop new generalisations. This learning must be tested out in new situations. The learner must make the link between theory and action by planning for that action, carrying it out, and then reflecting upon it, relating what happens back to the theory.” — From “Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods” by Graham Gibbs (1988)

Overall, there are many potential benefits to reflective practice, including a better understanding of the rationale behind your actions, increased feelings of control, and improved performance, and these benefits can extend to additional domains beyond the one in which you engaged in reflective practice.

How to engage in reflective practice

Broadly, reflective practice involves thinking about how you do things, and trying to understand why you do what you do, and what you can do better. As such, there are many ways you can engage in it, and different approaches to reflective practice will work better for different people under different circumstances.

One notable way to engage in reflective practice is to ask guiding questions. For example, when it comes to reflective practice in the context of a recent event, you can ask yourself the following:

How did I feel while the event was happening?
What were my goals?
What were the main things that I did?
What went well?
What went badly?
What should I do the same way next time?
What should I do differently next time?

Similarly, you can engage in reflective practice through reflective writing , which can also take various forms, such as answering guiding questions, creating a detailed narrative of a recent event, or sketching a diagram to analyze your thoughts. This can be beneficial when it comes to improving your ability to reflect, and it also has the added benefit of giving you the option to review your original reflections, especially if you collect your writings in a consistent location, such as a reflection journal.

When deciding how to engage in reflective practice, it’s crucial to find the specific approaches that work best for you in your particular situation. This means, for example, that if you try to engage in reflective writing but consistently find that thinking aloud works better for you, then it’s perfectly acceptable to do that instead. Similarly, while peer feedback can facilitate reflection in some cases, it can also hinder it in others, so you should use it only if you find that it helps you.

Finally, keep in mind that it’s generally more difficult and time-consuming in the short-term to engage in reflective practice than to act without reflection, especially when it comes to reflecting as events are unfolding , and this can make people prone to avoiding reflection. Furthermore, the difficulties of reflective practice sometimes make it impractical, meaning that people must avoid it in certain situations. However, in cases where it’s possible to engage in reflection in a reasonable manner, doing so often ends up being beneficial in the long-term, both when it comes to performance, as well as when it comes to related benefits, such as personal growth.

Overall, you can engage in reflective practice in various ways, such as by asking yourself guiding questions about your actions, or by writing about your experiences. Different approaches to reflective practice will work better for different people under different circumstances, so you should try various approaches until you find the ones that work best for you.

The reflective cycle

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, action plan.

Gibbs’ reflective cycle is a process for guiding reflective practice. It involves the following steps, in order:

Description. Describe what happened, without judgment or analysis. For example, you can ask yourself where you were, who else was present, and what happened.
Feelings. Describe how you felt, what you were thinking, and how you feel now, again without judgment or analysis.
Evaluation. Evaluate everything that happened, for example, by asking yourself what went well and what went badly.
Analysis. Analyze the situation, to try and make sense of everything that happened. For example, you can ask yourself why the things that went well went well, why the things that went badly went badly, and why you acted the way that you did.
Conclusion. Draw conclusions based on the information that you generated so far. Start with general conclusions, and then move on to specific ones that pertain to your particular situation. For example, you can start by forming general conclusions about how people act in certain situations, and then move on to form more specific conclusions about what that means for the type of situation that you’re in.
Action plan. Figure out what you are going to do differently next time, based on everything that you’ve learned. For example, if you realize that things went badly because you’ve made a certain mistake as a result of carelessness, figure out how you’re going to act in the future to avoid making that mistake again.

Note : in addition to Gibbs’ reflective cycle, there are other models that can be used to guide reflective practice, such as Kolb’s experiential learning cycle . These models generally revolve around the concept of experiential learning , which is learning that is based on experience (i.e., “learning by doing”).

Types of reflection

A distinction can be drawn between three types of reflection, based on your temporal relation to the event that you’re reflecting about. Based on this distinction, there are three main types of reflection:

Anticipatory reflection. Anticipatory reflection is reflection that’s performed before an event occurs. For example, this type of reflection can involve asking yourself what might happen, what challenges you’re likely to face, how should you respond, and what you can do to prepare.
Reflection-in-action. Reflection-in-action is reflection that’s performed while an event is occurring. For example, this type of reflection can involve asking yourself what’s currently happening, whether things are going as expected, how you’re feeling, and whether there’s anything you should be doing differently.
Reflection-on-action. Reflection-on-action is reflection that’s performed after an event has occurred. For example, this type of reflection can involve asking yourself what happened, what went well, and what you should have done differently.

These types of reflection are similar conceptually, though there are some minor differences between them. For example, when it comes to anticipatory reflection, you must rely on predictions of future experiences, rather than on those actual experiences or your recollections of them, though you can use your past experiences to inform those predictions. Similarly, when it comes to reflection-in-action, you might need to engage in reflection faster and while under heavier pressure, if you want to be able to use the reflect to inform your actions as the event in question unfolds.

Levels of reflection

You can engage in reflection in different ways and to different degrees . For example, when it comes to reflection, there’s a difference between simply asking yourself “did I do well?” and asking yourself “how well did I do, why did I do what I did, and what can I do better?”.

These different forms of reflection can be viewed as distinct from one another , and as different levels of reflection within a single hierarchy or continuum. A common example of how reflection might be categorized based on this is by differentiating between superficial reflection and deep reflection , where deep reflection involves reflection that is more in-depth in various ways.

From a practical perspective, what matters most is understanding that in different situations you might benefit from different levels of reflection. For example, in some cases, it might be preferable to engage in superficial reflection, and simply identify the fact that you’ve made a mistake, while in other cases, it might be preferable to engage in deep reflection, by figuring out why you’ve made a mistake and what you can do to avoid making it again.

Note : other terms are sometimes used to differentiate between superficial and deep reflection, such as shallow reflection or surface reflection (in place of superficial reflection ), and thorough reflection (in place of deep reflection ).

Using self-distancing to help reflection

In some cases, it can be beneficial to use self-distancing to aid the reflection process. This can help you get better insights into your actions, by reducing issues such as the egocentric bias , which can hinder reflection. To use self-distancing in this manner, you can do things such as the following:

Ask yourself what advice would you give someone else if they were in the same situation as you.
Avoid first-person language when considering your performance (e.g., instead of asking “what could I have done differently?”, ask “what could you have done differently?”).
When considering events you were in, try to visualize them not only from your own perspective, but also from the perspective of other people involved, or from a general external perspective.

Reflective practice as a shared activity

It’s possible to engage in reflective practice as part of a shared activity. This type of reflection can take various forms, such as discussing your experiences with a group of other people, or having someone with expertise ask you guiding questions in order to help you reflect.

Shared reflective practice has both potential advantages and disadvantages. For example, shared reflection as part of a group might help people identify more issues with their actions than they would be able to identify by themself, as a result of being exposed to more perspectives. At the same time, however, this approach might also make the reflection process much more stressful for people who are shy.

Accordingly, it’s important to consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches to reflective practice, when deciding whether to use shared practice in your particular circumstances, and if so then in what wait.

Note : a phenomenon that’s related to shared reflective practice is the protégé effect , which is a psychological phenomenon where teaching, pretending to teach, or preparing to teach information to others helps a person learn that information. Specifically, the protégé effect means that helping others engage in reflective practice can improve your own ability to do so, and can also help you when it comes to learning other things.

How to encourage reflective practice in others

To encourage others to engage in reflective practice, you can start by doing the following:

Explain what reflective practice is.
Explain why reflective practice is beneficial.
Explain how to engage in reflective practice.

This can be guided by the material provided in the earlier sections of this article, on how to engage in reflective practice yourself.

Once you’ve done this, you can create an environment that is conducive to reflective practice, and help people engage in it, while keeping in mind that different people will benefit from different approaches to reflection. For example, some people might benefit from having someone go with them through each stage of the reflection cycle, while others will benefit more from simply being shown how reflection works and then being left to do reflect on their own.

Alternatively, you can also take a more externally driven approach to reflective practice, by guiding people through reflective practice, without fully explaining the concept to them.

Finally, note that you should generally avoid forcing the reflection process, or forcing people to “confess” what they’ve done wrong, since this can lead to ineffective reflection, as well as to various other issues. For example, when people know that they will be graded based on their responses during the reflection process, they might answer in a dishonest and strategic manner , by giving responses that they think the person evaluating them wants them to give. Similarly, this kind of forced reflection can also lead to issues such as increased stress, as well as increased hostility toward the reflection process and the people who guide it.

Accordingly, in cases where it’s possible and beneficial, you should allow people to make their reflections private. In addition, you should also avoid sticking to a strict reflection template in cases where doing so is counterproductive, and instead allow people to engage in reflection in the way that works best for them.

Related concepts

Two concepts that are often discussed in relation to reflective practice are reflexivity and critical reflection :

R eflexivity describes people’s ability and tendency to display general self-awareness, and to consider themselves in relation to their environment.
C ritical reflection describes an extensive and in-depth type of reflection, which involves being aware of how your assumptions affect you, as well as examining your actions and responsibilities from moral, ethical, and social perspectives.

In addition, another closely related concept is reflective learning , which involves actively monitoring your knowledge, abilities, and performance during the learning process, and assessing them in order to find ways to improve.

The terms reflective practice and reflective learning refer to similar concepts, and because their definitions vary and even overlap in certain sources , they are sometimes used interchangeably.

Nevertheless, one notable way to differentiate between them is to say that people engage in reflective learning with regard to events where learning is the main goal, and in reflective practice with regard to events where learning is not the main goal. For example, a nursing student might engage in reflective learning when learning how to perform a certain procedure, whereas an experienced nurse might engage in reflective practice while performing the same procedure as part of their everyday routine.

Alternatively, it’s possible to view reflective learning as a notable type of reflective practice, which revolves around improving one’s learning in particular.

Overall, there is no clear distinction between reflective practice and reflective learning, and these terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, potential distinctions between these terms are generally not important from a practical perspective, since they are unlikely to influence how the underlying concepts are implemented in practice.

Summary and conclusions

There are many potential benefits to reflective practice, including a better understanding of the rationale behind your actions, increased feelings of control, and improved performance, and these benefits can extend to additional domains beyond the one in which you engaged in reflective practice.
You can vary the way you engage in reflective practice based on the circumstances, your preferences, and your goals; for example, in some cases, you might benefit from quick reflection as events are still unfolding, while in others you might benefit from more thorough reflection after an event has concluded.
A notable process that you can use to engage in reflective practice is Gibbs’ reflective cycle , where you (1) describe what happened, (2) consider what you were feeling and thinking during your experience, (3) evaluate what was good or bad about it, (4) analyze what else you can make of the situation, (5) draw generalized and specialized conclusions, and (6) create an action plan for the future.
To encourage others to engage in reflective practice, you can explain what it is, why it’s beneficial, and how they can engage in it, or help them engage in it directly, for example by asking them guiding questions.

Business example

The following example comes from business. Thanks to Dr Colleen Hayes for the three samples.

Students were asked to write a reflective essay on their learning in the course by responding to the following question:

What key thing have you learned about corporate social responsibility in the course?

Example 1: Retelling

This writing is (1) descriptive/listing of content, not reflective and (2) not properly referenced (the definition of stakeholders is directly copied from Freeman in the lecture slides.

Example 2: Relating

This writing involves relating to personal experience and has some integration of course concepts (stakeholders).

Example 3: Reflecting

More reflective (forward-looking), better citation and integration of multiple course concepts, and reflection that links with personal experience.

An anthropology marking rubric

For this assessment, students were required to write a 1500-1800 word essay building on the themes of the course to address the question "We are all pirates". Attached under reference documents is the rubric used to mark the essay (thanks to Dr Caroline Schuster). Notice that it requires both the reflection (reflect, relate and retell) as well as the poor traditional requirements of an essay (Writing and organisation, Supporting claims with scholarly sources).

Reflective writing

Learning journals

Reference Documents

Sample rubric from Anthropology (PDF, 243.24 KB)

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Reflective practice in health care and how to reflect effectively

Kiron koshy.

a Brighton and Sussex University Hospital

Christopher Limb

b Western Sussex University Hospitals, Worthing

Buket Gundogan

c UCL Medical School, University College London, London

Katharine Whitehurst

d Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, UK

Daniyal J. Jafree

Reflective practice is a paper requirement of your career progression in health care. However, if done properly, it can greatly improve your skills as a health care provider. This article provides some structure to reflective practice to allow a health care provider to engage more with reflective practice and get more out of the experience.

Introduction

Reflective practice is something most people first formally encounter at university. This may be reflecting on a patient case, or an elective, or other experience. However, what you may not have considered is that you have been subconsciously reflecting your whole life: thinking about and learning from past experiences to avoid things that did not work and to repeat things that did. For example after tasting a food you do not like, you remember that experience, think about it, and when you next see that same food you know to avoid it. In medicine it is one of the best approaches to convert theoretical knowledge into practice.

As you progress through medical school and into foundation years as a doctor it becomes even more common. It is now expected to provide evidence of your reflections through your training on the ePortfolio and then throughout the rest of your professional life in revalidation. Hence, it is a good idea to get it right from the beginning.

First and foremost the biggest mistake you can make when reflecting is to treat it as a tick box exercise and a waste of time. With a bit of thought reflections can be a very useful tool in learning. Would you remember a generic case from a book? Would hanging all of those facts on a patient you have met make it more memorable? It allows you to recognize your own strengths and weakness, and use this to guide on-going learning. By reflection you will develop your skills in self-directed learning, improve motivation, and improve the quality of care you are able to provide.

What to reflect on

This can be anything.

Most reflections are on things that go wrong. These situations stay in one’s head and force us to begin to think about whether they could have done anything differently. For example:

Postoperative complications
Missed diagnosis
A dissatisfied patient
Failed procedure

However, reflecting on things that went well can often be more rewarding and be just as useful. It can build confidence and help you to repeat it again on another occasion. For example:

A well-managed cardiac arrest
An interesting seminar or conference
A patient thank you letter
A difficult but well performed procedure

Stages of reflecting

There are numerous models for reflections, but it is important to understand why you are asking each question and how that will help you to reflect 1 . This an integration of many concepts but the broad process is similar in all models: what happened, why does this matter and what are the next steps? 2

What, where, and who—the situation

Think about the situation in detail: What happened exactly and in what order, where were you at the time and who else was involved? What part did you have to play? What was the final outcome?

How did it make you feel—your emotional state

What was running through your head and how did you feel about it? Be honest with yourself: were you afraid, confused, angry or scared? If you can understand how you were feeling at the time it will help you put together why things happened as they did, and help you to recognize similar situations in the future.

Why did it happen—making sense of the situation

Now you have thought about the situation in greater detail, and probably recognized things that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, think about why things happened as they did. How did the situation, yourself, and others interact at the time. Did the situation go well or was there room for improvement?

Could you have done anything differently—critical review and development of insight

With the help of hindsight how would you have managed the situation differently? Think about what factors you could have influenced: is there anything you could have tried that may have improved the situation, or is there anything you did that was particularly important in the situation? It is easy to remember the things that you did not do and it is often the things that you did well that are forgotten.

What will you do differently in the future—how will this change your practice

This is arguably the most important stage in reflecting. You need to pull together everything you have thought of before to learn, change your own practice, and improve 3 . Do not only think about what you would do differently in that specific situation, but think whether you have thought of any transferable knowledge or skills you can utilize elsewhere. For example: if you reflect on a postprocedural complication do not only think of how you would manage this again but also how you would prevent it happening if you performed the procedure yourself! If you are a part of a well-led cardiac arrest do not think only of what you would do next to help, but also how you would lead an arrest in the future, or even how you would lead a team in any other situation!

Re-enforcement—what happens when you put this into practice

Test your reflections: When comparable situations happen again, do things change as you would expect them to? This is a chance to repeat the reflective cycle to refine and develop your understanding.

How to make the best use of reflective practice

As mentioned previously most people see reflective practice as a tick box exercise, but it does not have to be.

Over the next day take note of any interesting situations that arise. Later in the day try mentally reflecting, following this framework, and if you think any will be particularly useful to you write them down. If you try this for a week you will begin to see similar situations arising and how your reflective practice is positively affecting you.

Remember: you do not always have to learn only from your own experience; learn from others’ mistakes as well. Reflect on situations that you have witnessed to work out why things happened as they did, and how this can influence you.

It can be useful to take these reflections for peer or senior review: others may be able to draw light on things you have not noticed. This can allow you to recognize points for improvement and work on them. This can also be a useful learning opportunity for the other involved!

An example to put this into practice

I was involved in a patient confrontation; the patient was unhappy with her hospital stay and wanted to be discharged home. Unfortunately she required a package of care and so could not be discharged. I explained this and she returned to her bed. I was happy I had explained everything to her and continued with my other jobs.

Who, what, and why

I was involved in a patient confrontation; an elderly patient was unhappy with hospital stay and wanted to be discharged home. She was under our general surgical team for a head injury and observation after a normal CT head. She had been seen on our ward round and told that she was medically fit for discharge but still awaiting social services: her house had been reviewed and deemed unsafe so she was waiting for banisters to be installed. The issue was raised with me by chance as I was doing other things on the ward. I explained this to her and although she remained annoyed I was able to make her understand what the delay was and she returned to her bedside. She did not seek further clarification that day.

How did it make you feel

At the time I felt rushed and frustrated. I had a lot of other work to be done and this was distracting from that. She had already been told she was waiting for social services in the morning. I understood why this was difficult for her but did not think I would be able to do anything to help.

Why did it happen

The morning ward round was quite rushed and so our explanation was limited to telling her we were waiting for social services. I can understand from her point of view this may have meant very little, and so my explanation of what exactly we were doing may have relieved some frustration. Having been waiting up to this point, it is no surprise she continued to be angry but may have been accepting of this plan.

Could you have done anything differently

I think my explanation was very good, and the patient seemed happy with this, although I did not give a rough idea of how long this would take. It may have been useful to have spoken to the sister in charge to ask for what progress had been made to feed back to the patient. Also I did not ask her whether she was happy with this explanation: I may have been able to satisfy her frustration further by answering a few more questions or even recognize any other issues at home that may need addressing before discharge. Although the information given in the ward round was correct, it was not understandable to the patient. If this had all been quickly clarified in the morning, the patient would have been happy throughout the day and not caused a problem later on.

What will you do differently in the future

I think that the route problem in this situation was our explanation on the morning ward round. Furthermore, I am not sure how long such issues take to be addressed. To avoid a similar situation in the future I will speak to the other health care professionals on the ward to get a round idea of how long occupational interventions such as this and other community interventions take to start. This means when future patients are medically fit I can spend a moment in the morning informing them of what needs to be done and how long it may take. Hopefully this will allow me to address patient concerns early to avoid them becoming an issue when it is too late.

Re-enforcement

I will reflect on how future situations similar to this develop, looking for an improvement in the quality of my patient care.

Following a structure helps to focus a reflection: I am sure you will agree the learning points are much clearer from a good reflection!

Conclusions

To summarize, the benefits of reflecting are clear: it may be difficult to do initially, but through practice you will develop your own skills and become a better learner. Many structures are available so choose one what works for you. Reflective practice is an important part of your career progression on paper, but if done well, can greatly improve your skills as a health care provider.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with regard to the content of this report.

Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article.

Published online 15 June 2017

Schools & departments

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

One of the most famous cyclical models of reflection leading you through six stages exploring an experience: description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from experiences. It offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or didn’t go well. It covers 6 stages:

Description of the experience
Feelings and thoughts about the experience
Evaluation of the experience, both good and bad
Analysis to make sense of the situation
Conclusion about what you learned and what you could have done differently
Action plan for how you would deal with similar situations in the future, or general changes you might find appropriate.

Below is further information on:

The model – each stage is given a fuller description, guiding questions to ask yourself and an example of how this might look in a reflection
Different depths of reflection – an example of reflecting more briefly using this model

This is just one model of reflection. Test it out and see how it works for you. If you find that only a few of the questions are helpful for you, focus on those. However, by thinking about each stage you are more likely to engage critically with your learning experience.

A circular diagram showing the 6 stages of Gibbs' Reflective cycle

This model is a good way to work through an experience. This can be either a stand-alone experience or a situation you go through frequently, for example meetings with a team you have to collaborate with. Gibbs originally advocated its use in repeated situations, but the stages and principles apply equally well for single experiences too. If done with a stand-alone experience, the action plan may become more general and look at how you can apply your conclusions in the future.

For each of the stages of the model a number of helpful questions are outlined below. You don’t have to answer all of them but they can guide you about what sort of things make sense to include in that stage. You might have other prompts that work better for you.

Description

Here you have a chance to describe the situation in detail. The main points to include here concern what happened. Your feelings and conclusions will come later.

Helpful questions:

What happened?
When and where did it happen?
Who was present?
What did you and the other people do?
What was the outcome of the situation?
Why were you there?
What did you want to happen?

Example of 'Description'

Here you can explore any feelings or thoughts that you had during the experience and how they may have impacted the experience.

What were you feeling during the situation?
What were you feeling before and after the situation?
What do you think other people were feeling about the situation?
What do you think other people feel about the situation now?
What were you thinking during the situation?
What do you think about the situation now?

Example of 'Feelings'

Here you have a chance to evaluate what worked and what didn’t work in the situation. Try to be as objective and honest as possible. To get the most out of your reflection focus on both the positive and the negative aspects of the situation, even if it was primarily one or the other.

What was good and bad about the experience?
What went well?
What didn’t go so well?
What did you and other people contribute to the situation (positively or negatively)?

Example of 'Evaluation'

The analysis step is where you have a chance to make sense of what happened. Up until now you have focused on details around what happened in the situation. Now you have a chance to extract meaning from it. You want to target the different aspects that went well or poorly and ask yourself why. If you are looking to include academic literature, this is the natural place to include it.

Why did things go well?
Why didn’t it go well?
What sense can I make of the situation?
What knowledge – my own or others (for example academic literature) can help me understand the situation?

Example of 'Analysis'

Conclusions.

In this section you can make conclusions about what happened. This is where you summarise your learning and highlight what changes to your actions could improve the outcome in the future. It should be a natural response to the previous sections.

What did I learn from this situation?
How could this have been a more positive situation for everyone involved?
What skills do I need to develop for me to handle a situation like this better?
What else could I have done?

Example of a 'Conclusion'

Action plan.

At this step you plan for what you would do differently in a similar or related situation in the future. It can also be extremely helpful to think about how you will help yourself to act differently – such that you don’t only plan what you will do differently, but also how you will make sure it happens. Sometimes just the realisation is enough, but other times reminders might be helpful.

If I had to do the same thing again, what would I do differently?
How will I develop the required skills I need?
How can I make sure that I can act differently next time?

Example of 'Action Plan'

Different depths of reflection.

Depending on the context you are doing the reflection in, you might want use different levels of details. Here is the same scenario, which was used in the example above, however it is presented much more briefly.

Adapted from

Gibbs G (1988). Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. Oxford Polytechnic: Oxford.

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What Is Reflective Teaching and Why Is It Important?

Gerald smith.

June 11, 2022

If you feel that your teaching is becoming a bit stale or you’re unsure of a lesson’s effectiveness, reflective teaching is the best way to regain your confidence and interest in ESL education. Let’s take a closer look at what reflective teaching entails, why it’s important, and how you can implement reflective practices in your career.

Reflective teaching is covered in detail in the IDELTOnline™ course, Bridge’s most advanced professional TEFL certification, which can be used as a pathway to an MA TESOL at more than 1,600 universities.

What is Reflective Teaching?

Reflective teaching is a teacher’s practice of thinking, writing, and/or speaking about their lessons and their teaching methods and approaches.

It’s easy for teachers to get into a rut while teaching, where it feels like they’re delivering lessons on autopilot. Reflective teaching is a way to break out of that rut and become the best teacher you can be.

In his essay, “Reflective Practice for Language Teachers,” Thomas Farrell writes, “Reflective practice occurs, then, when teachers consciously take on the role of reflective practitioner and subject their own beliefs about teaching and learning to critical analysis, take full responsibility for their actions in the classroom, and continue to improve their teaching practice.”

Want to read the entire essay and get a more in-depth look at reflective teaching? Take the graduate-level IDELTOnline™ course.

Teachers participate in a TEFL workshop.

Why is Reflective Teaching Important?

“Teachers who engage in reflective practice can develop a deeper understanding of their teaching, assess their professional growth, develop informed decision-making skills, and become proactive and confident in their teaching.” -Farrell

It improves your lesson plans

One of the main benefits of reflective teaching is that it helps you to become a better teacher who engages their students more and consistently improves their lesson plans .

By analyzing different aspects of lessons like teacher talking time or student collaboration, you can measure your success.

For example, if you remember that students weren’t engaged during an activity, you can analyze the reasons why. Maybe you didn’t set a clear context or you overexplained and slowed down student discovery. Or, maybe it didn’t have anything to do with your planning, and the students simply partied the previous night and didn’t want to discuss the differences between the present perfect and past simple.

Whatever the reason, reflective teaching can help you think of a solution.

It can help you break out of a teaching rut

The more you teach, the easier it is to get into a teaching rut. You reuse the same tried and tested activities, you tell the same old anecdotes, and you recycle the same tired grammar explanations.

While reusing activities is great, you need to make sure you’re not doing something that feels boring to you. When you’re not having fun, you can’t expect your students to have fun.

Farrell writes, “If teachers engage in reflective practice they can avoid such burnout because they take the time to stop and think about what is happening in their practice to make sense of it so that they can learn from their experiences rather than mindlessly repeat them year after year.”

Reflective teaching gets you to think about how to modify activities and lesson plans so they’re fresh and interesting for both you and your students.

It inspires you to try new things

When materials like ELT course book activities start to get boring, it’s time to try something new.

Online, there are tons of resources for up-to-date lesson plans. Personal favorites are Onestopenglish and TeachThis.com , but there are hundreds more, some free and some paid.

Another great way to try new things is to collaborate with a fellow teacher. This is easy when working at a language school, but you can also do this online through Facebook groups and Linkedin. Teachers even share lesson plans through Twitter.

It’s part of continuing professional development

Continuing professional development comes in many forms, such as Specialized TEFL/TESOL courses or Micro-credentials that offer targeted training. Reflective teaching is also an effective way to continue developing and expanding your teaching skills throughout your career.

While reflecting on your teaching, you can also think back to training from TEFL courses you’ve already taken and see if you’re fully utilizing what you studied in your online TEFL certification lessons.

Learn more about professional development for EFL teachers.

It provides opportunities to share your experience

Posting your teaching reflections in Facebook groups or on Linkedin helps start conversations around best teaching practices .

You’ll be surprised to see how many teachers have had the same experiences as you or will have suggestions on how to teach in new ways.

This not only allows you to offer and receive great feedback but also builds your network or community of teachers .

See the ways that the IDELTOnline™ sets you apart as a teacher.

What are the characteristics of reflective teaching?

Although reflective teaching can take many forms, there are a few characteristics that appear throughout all types of reflective practices:

Reflective teaching notes what happens in the classroom, why it happens, and how it can be improved.
If you are practicing reflective teaching, it’s rare that you will teach the same lesson again in the exact same way because reflective teaching challenges you. You’ll need to critique yourself and your go-to lesson plans.
Although many teachers write their reflections down, not all reflective teaching needs to be written. Many teachers, instead, choose to speak about their lessons with a colleague or mentor, or what Farrell calls a “Critical Friend.”
Reflective teaching is collaborative, often involving a head teacher or a colleague.
Reflecting on and speaking about how your lessons go often leads to helpful insights.

What are some examples of reflective teaching?

Some ways of practicing reflective teaching include:

Teaching journals: Write down classroom reflections in a journal.
Classroom observations: Be observed either by a mentor or by recording the lesson and rewatching it yourself.
Critical friends: Speak about your classes with a friend who can offer constructive criticism.
Action research: Research something you struggle with, and maybe even take a course to improve specific teaching skills .
Online groups: Teachers actively post online about reflective teaching in teacher development groups like the Bridge Teaching English Online Facebook Group . Posting online helps teachers get more recognition in the industry as well as organize their reflections.
Blogs: Many teachers choose to share their reflections by creating their own EFL blogs . For example, Rachel Tsateri, an EL teacher and writer, published a reflective post on her teacher talking time (TTT) on her website, The TEFL Zone . Because Rachel read a lot of the literature around TTT, she was also engaging in action research, a rather academic but effective approach to reflective teaching.
Teacher beliefs: Continue to develop and verbalize your own beliefs about what makes good teaching. Not sure where to start with your teaching beliefs? Learn about crafting an ESL philosophy of teaching statement.

Try different methods to find the right one for you. Journaling is an easy first step, but if you’re a more social teacher, you might prefer working with a critical friend or a teacher development group.

Teaching, a lot like learning, is a journey. No one becomes a great teacher overnight, so don’t be too hard on yourself when a lesson doesn’t go well. Instead, think critically about how you teach so you can continue to improve your students’ learning experiences and grow in your profession.

Want to learn more about reflective teaching and other best TEFL practices covered in the IDELTOnline™ course? Take a look at what this certification entails and whether it’s right for you.

Gerald Smith is an EL teacher, journalist and occasional poet. Originally from Texas, he now lives on a houseboat in Glasgow, Scotland with his partner and their two kittens.

Writing a Nursing Reflective Essay: Unveiling the 4 Biggest Success Tips for Nurses

Reflective practice is a cornerstone of the nursing profession, empowering nurses to enhance their skills, knowledge, and personal development. Nursing reflective essays serve as a powerful tool for nurses to explore their experiences, emotions, and thoughts surrounding specific incidents or situations encountered in their practice. In this blog post, we will delve into the significance of reflective essays in nursing, understand the reflective process, highlight the benefits of self-reflection for professional growth, and provide valuable tips for writing an impactful nursing reflective essay.

1. Understanding Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is a deliberate process that involves critically examining one’s experiences, actions, and responses in various clinical scenarios. It is a cyclical journey that incorporates observation, analysis, and evaluation to gain insights into personal strengths and areas for improvement. Reflective essays provide nurses with a structured platform to document and assess these experiences, enabling them to identify patterns, evaluate their performance, and enhance their practice.

By engaging in reflective practice, nurses are encouraged to think deeply about their actions, decisions, and the impact they have on patient care. It allows them to question their assumptions, biases, and preconceptions, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the complexities of healthcare delivery. Reflective practice promotes an ongoing process of learning and growth, ensuring that nurses continually strive for excellence in their profession.

2. The Reflective Process

A. description:.

In this initial stage of the reflective process, nurses provide a detailed account of the event or incident they wish to reflect upon. They describe the context, setting, and individuals involved, ensuring a clear understanding of the situation. This description sets the foundation for a thorough reflection.

b. Feelings and Thoughts:

Nurses delve into their emotional and cognitive responses to the event, expressing their initial feelings, thoughts, and reactions. They consider how their emotions may have influenced their actions and decision-making during the incident. This introspection allows nurses to recognize their own biases and explore alternative perspectives.

c. Evaluation:

This stage involves an objective evaluation of the event, considering the outcome, patient outcomes, and the nurse’s own performance. Nurses analyze their actions, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. They reflect on their communication skills, technical proficiency, and adherence to professional standards. This evaluation helps nurses acknowledge their achievements and recognize areas where further development is required.

d. Analysis:

Nurses engage in critical analysis of the event, seeking underlying factors, patterns, and relevant literature or guidelines. They explore the impact of personal beliefs, values, and ethical considerations on their decision-making. They may reference research, best practices, or theoretical frameworks to gain a broader understanding of the situation and identify potential areas for improvement.

e. Conclusion:

In this final stage, nurses summarize their learnings from the reflective process. They outline the key insights gained, identify changes in their understanding or practice, and explore strategies for future improvement. This conclusion serves as a roadmap for personal and professional growth, providing a clear direction for further development and enhancement of nursing practice.

3. Benefits of Nursing Reflective Essays

A. enhancing critical thinking:.

Reflective essays foster critical thinking skills by encouraging nurses to question their actions, assumptions, and the evidence behind their decisions. This process promotes a deeper understanding of the complexities of patient care and encourages evidence-based practice. Nurses develop the ability to analyze situations from multiple perspectives and make informed decisions that prioritize patient safety and well-being.

b. Personal Development:

Nursing reflective essays promote self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and personal growth. Nurses gain a deeper understanding of their own values, beliefs, and biases, which allows them to provide more compassionate and patient-centered care. By reflecting on their experiences, nurses can identify their strengths and weaknesses, reflect on their interpersonal skills, and enhance their ability to empathize and connect with patients and their families.

c. Professional Growth:

Nursing reflective essays provide nurses with a platform to reflect on their professional development, identifying areas for improvement and formulating strategies for advancement. Through self-reflection, nurses can assess their competence in various aspects of nursing practice, such as clinical skills, leadership abilities, and communication. They can set goals for ongoing learning and development, ensuring they keep pace with evolving healthcare practices, technologies, and research.

d. Improved Patient Care:

By engaging in reflective practice, nurses can improve the quality of care provided to their patients. Nursjng reflective essays enable them to identify and rectify errors, enhance communication and teamwork, and ensure patient safety and satisfaction. Nurses gain valuable insights into their own performance, allowing them to make necessary adjustments to their practice to deliver optimal patient outcomes. Reflective practice encourages a proactive approach to addressing challenges and continuously improving the care provided.

4. Tips for Writing a Nursing Reflective Essay

A. select an appropriate incident:.

Choose an incident or situation that had a significant impact on your practice or personal growth. It should be relevant, recent, and conducive to deep reflection. Consider incidents that challenged your assumptions, presented ethical dilemmas, or highlighted areas for improvement.

b. Use a Structured Approach:

Follow a reflective framework, such as the Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle or the Johns Model of Reflection , to guide your nursing reflective essay. This structure will help ensure a comprehensive and organized reflection. Start by describing the incident, explore your feelings and thoughts, evaluate your actions, analyze the situation, and conclude with key learnings and action points.

c. Be Honest and Self-Critical:

Reflect on your actions and decisions with honesty and self-criticism. It is essential to acknowledge any mistakes or areas where you could have performed better. Nursing reflective essays are not meant to place blame but rather to promote growth and improvement. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses and explore strategies to build on them.

d. Connect Theory and Practice:

When researching your nursing reflective essay, explore relevant theories, guidelines, or evidence-based practices that relate to the incident. Consider how these resources could have influenced your actions or outcomes. Integrating theoretical knowledge with practical experience enhances your understanding and enables you to make informed decisions in future situations.

e. Focus on Learning and Growth:

Emphasize the lessons learned from the nursing reflective essay writing process. Identify specific actions or changes you will implement in your future practice to enhance your skills and improve patient care. Nursing reflective essays should demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning and improvement. Share your plans for continuing professional development, such as attending relevant workshops, seeking mentorship, or engaging in further education.

Nursing reflective essays offer a valuable opportunity for self-reflection and professional growth. By engaging in the reflective process, nurses can gain insights into their actions, emotions, and thoughts, leading to improved critical thinking, personal development, and ultimately, enhanced patient care.

Embracing reflective practice allows nurses to continually evolve and adapt to the ever-changing healthcare landscape, ensuring the provision of high-quality, patient-centered nursing care. Through reflective essays, nurses can unlock their potential, foster empathy and compassion, and become lifelong learners committed to continuous improvement.

Nursing Assignment Help

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Reflective Practice In Teaching. Why Is It Important?

Reflective Practice In Teaching Review

Reflective Practice is an essential aspect of teaching that involves reflecting on one’s teaching practices, analyzing the effectiveness of those practices, and making necessary changes to improve student learning outcomes. It is a process that teachers use to critically analyze their teaching experiences and identify areas of strength and areas that require improvement. Reflective practice in teaching is a cyclical process that involves four main stages: planning, teaching, evaluating, and reflecting.

The planning stage involves setting learning objectives, designing lesson plans, and identifying teaching strategies that align with the student’s learning needs. During the teaching stage, teachers use various methods to deliver the lesson, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. They also use technology and other instructional aids to enhance student learning.

The evaluation stage involves assessing the effectiveness of the teaching strategies and learning outcomes. Teachers use various assessment methods, such as tests, quizzes, and assignments, to measure student understanding of the lesson. They also use formative assessments, such as class discussions and feedback, to gather information about students’ learning needs.

Finally, in the reflection stage, teachers reflect on their teaching practices and evaluate their effectiveness in meeting the learning objectives. They identify areas of strength and areas that require improvement and make necessary changes to their teaching practices to improve student learning outcomes.

It Helps Teachers

Reflective practice in teaching has several benefits. It helps teachers to develop a deeper understanding of their teaching practices and how they affect student learning outcomes. It also helps them to identify areas that require improvement and make necessary changes to improve student learning. Additionally, reflective practice helps teachers to stay up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and instructional technologies.

In conclusion, reflective practice in teaching is an essential aspect of teaching that helps teachers to improve their teaching practices and enhance student learning outcomes. It is a cyclical process that involves planning, teaching, evaluating, and reflecting. Through reflective practice, teachers can develop a deeper understanding of their teaching practices and identify areas that require improvement.

Why Is It Important?

Reflective practice is essential in teaching for several reasons. Here are some of the most important ones:

Improving Teaching Practice: Reflective practice helps teachers to identify what works well in their teaching practice and what doesn’t. It allows them to analyze their experiences and develop new teaching strategies that are more effective in meeting the needs of their students. Teachers can use reflective practice to fine-tune their teaching approaches so that they can continually improve the quality of their instruction.
Enhancing Student Learning Outcomes: Reflective practice can help teachers to identify gaps in their teaching, which may be hindering their students’ learning. By analyzing their practice, teachers can modify their instruction to better meet the needs of their students. This can lead to improved student learning outcomes and greater academic achievement.
Personal and Professional Growth: Reflective practice allows teachers to reflect on their personal and professional growth. By analyzing their experiences and reflecting on their practice, teachers can identify their strengths and weaknesses, and take steps to develop their skills and knowledge. This can lead to personal and professional growth, which can benefit both teachers and their students.
Continuing Professional Development: Reflective practice is an important part of continuing professional development. It allows teachers to stay up-to-date with the latest teaching strategies and instructional technologies. By reflecting on their practice, teachers can identify areas where they need to develop their skills and knowledge and take steps to do so.

In conclusion, reflective practice is essential in teaching because it helps teachers to improve their teaching practice, enhance student learning outcomes, develop personally and professionally, and continue their professional development. It is an ongoing process that requires a commitment to self-reflection, analysis, and growth.

What is a reflective practice in teaching?

Reflective practice in teaching is the process of analyzing and evaluating one’s own teaching practice in order to improve it. It involves critically examining the effectiveness of teaching strategies, lesson plans, and learning outcomes in order to identify areas of strength and areas that need improvement. Reflective practice is an ongoing process that involves four main stages: planning, teaching, evaluating, and reflecting.

During the planning stage, teachers set learning objectives, design lesson plans, and identify teaching strategies that align with the student’s learning needs. During the teaching stage, teachers use various methods to deliver the lesson, such as lectures, discussions, and demonstrations, and they use technology and other instructional aids to enhance student learning.

Reflective practice in teaching helps teachers to develop a deeper understanding of their teaching practices and how they affect student learning outcomes. It also helps them to identify areas that require improvement and make necessary changes to their teaching practices to improve student learning outcomes. Additionally, reflective practice helps teachers to stay up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and instructional technologies.

What are the benefits of reflective practice?

Reflective practice in teaching has many benefits, some of which include:

Professional development: Reflective practice allows teachers to identify areas where they need to develop their skills and knowledge. By reflecting on their practice, teachers can take steps to develop their skills and knowledge and stay up-to-date with the latest teaching strategies and instructional technologies.
Improved teaching practice: Reflective practice helps teachers to identify what works well in their teaching practice and what doesn’t. It allows them to analyze their experiences and develop new teaching strategies that are more effective in meeting the needs of their students. Teachers can use reflective practice to fine-tune their teaching approaches so that they can continually improve the quality of their instruction.
Enhanced student learning outcomes: Reflective practice can help teachers to identify gaps in their teaching, which may be hindering their students’ learning. By analyzing their practice, teachers can modify their instruction to better meet the needs of their students. This can lead to improved student learning outcomes and greater academic achievement.
Personal growth: Reflective practice allows teachers to reflect on their personal growth. By analyzing their experiences and reflecting on their practice, teachers can identify their strengths and weaknesses, and take steps to develop their skills and knowledge. This can lead to personal growth, which can benefit both teachers and their students.
Improved job satisfaction: Reflective practice can help teachers to feel more satisfied with their job. By reflecting on their practice and making improvements, teachers can feel more confident in their teaching abilities and more fulfilled in their roles as educators.

In conclusion, reflective practice in teaching is an essential process that helps teachers to continually improve their teaching practice, enhance student learning outcomes, develop personally and professionally, and feel more satisfied with their job.

What are the main types of reflective practice?

There are several main types of reflective practice in teaching, including:

Self-reflection: This type of reflective practice involves teachers reflecting on their own teaching practices and evaluating their effectiveness. This can involve keeping a reflective journal, reviewing video recordings of their teaching, or simply taking time to think about their teaching experiences and how they can improve.
Peer observation: Peer observation involves teachers observing each other’s teaching practices and providing feedback. This can be a valuable way to gain insights into other teaching styles and techniques, as well as receive constructive feedback on one’s own teaching.
Feedback from students: Students can also provide valuable feedback to teachers about their teaching practices. This can involve asking students for feedback through surveys, focus groups, or individual conversations. Teachers can then use this feedback to identify areas where they can improve their teaching practices.
Collaborative reflection: Collaborative reflection involves teachers reflecting on their teaching practices together, often in the context of professional learning communities or other professional development activities. This can be a valuable way to share experiences and ideas, and to learn from one another’s successes and challenges.
Action research: Action research is a systematic and reflective approach to improving teaching and learning practices. It involves teachers conducting research on their own teaching practices and analyzing the results to identify areas where they can make improvements.

Each type of reflective practice has its own strengths and benefits, and teachers may use one or more of these approaches to continually improve their teaching practices.

How can I instigate reflective practice in my teaching?

Instigating reflective practice in your teaching involves creating a culture of continuous improvement and encouraging yourself and your colleagues to reflect on their teaching practices. Here are some steps you can take to instigate reflective practice in your teaching:

Model reflective practice: Start by modeling reflective practice yourself. Share your own reflections on your teaching practices with colleagues, and encourage them to do the same. You can use various tools, such as reflective journals, blogs, or discussion forums, to share your reflections.
Provide opportunities for feedback: Create opportunities for students to provide feedback on your teaching practices. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, or individual conversations. Be sure to use this feedback to improve your teaching practices and share what you learn with your colleagues.
Collaborate with colleagues: Collaborate with colleagues to reflect on your teaching practices together. You can create a professional learning community or join existing groups that meet regularly to discuss teaching practices and share experiences. You can also participate in peer observation activities to learn from each other.
Use technology: Use technology to support reflective practice. You can use digital tools, such as video recording software or online discussion forums, to reflect on your teaching practices and share your reflections with colleagues. You can also use data analytics tools to analyze student performance and identify areas where you can improve your teaching practices.
Attend professional development activities: Attend professional development activities that focus on reflective practice in teaching. This can include workshops, conferences, or courses. You can also read books or research articles on reflective practice to learn more about this approach and how to implement it in your teaching.
Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and teacher education, 11(1), 33-49.
Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner: Toward a new design for teaching and learning in the professions. Jossey-Bass.
Van Manen, M. (1991). The tact of teaching: The meaning of pedagogical thoughtfulness. State University of New York Press.
Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. P. (2013). Reflective teaching: An introduction. Routledge.
Farrelly, R. (2017). Developing reflective practice in the ELT classroom. ELT Journal, 71(2), 227-237.
Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. Jossey-Bass.
Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (2013). Reflection: Turning experience into learning. Routledge.

In conclusion, reflective practice is an essential process for teachers to continually improve their teaching practices and enhance student learning outcomes. There are different types of reflective practice, including self-reflection, peer observation, feedback from students, collaborative reflection, and action research. By instigating reflective practice in their teaching.

Teachers can create a culture of continuous improvement, share experiences, and ideas, and learn from one another’s successes and challenges. It requires commitment and effort, but the benefits are well worth it. By continually reflecting on their teaching practices and seeking feedback, teachers can become more effective educators and help their students achieve greater success.

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Reflection and Reflective Practice: [Essay Example], 2910 words
Reflection and Reflective Practice. This report is a reflective essay of a critical incident analysis (CIA) which is authored by a second-year student of the Operating Department Practitioner (sODP). The paper analyses a multidimensional and multifaceted critical incident using the Gibbs Reflective cycle (1998), which focusses on communication ...
What is reflective practice?
Reflective practice was something which developed in disciplines such as teaching, medicine and social work as a way to learn from real life experiences. ... to think about a topic in relation to your own experiences or you may have to reflect on something as part of a general essay question. Reflection can help you to be more creative and try ...
50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples)
A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it's about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you've experienced at that time.
Reflectivity in Research Practice: An Overview of Different
The reflective practice is essential in research, since it aims at raising a thoughtful eye on oneself, which allows the subject to gain self-awareness (Dahlberg et al., 2002, p. 139). To be reflective researchers means to become conscious of what already structures the mental life and to analyze how these underlying cognitive artifacts mold ...
How to Write a Reflective Essay: Format, Tips and Examples
Reflective Essay in MLA Format. Times New Roman 12pt font double spaced; 1" margins; The top right includes the last name and page number on every page; Titles are centered; The header should include your name, your professor's name, course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy); The last page includes a Works Cited.
The Introduction To The Reflective Practice Education Essay
Essay Writing Service. Reflection is also the process of reviewing an experience in order to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice as defined by Reid (1993). Reflection in the context of learning helps us to learn and grow and develop within ourselves. He also believes that reflection is an active process that ...
Reflective writing
Adapted from The Reflective Practice Guide: an Interdisciplinary Approach / Barbara Bassot. You can learn more about reflective writing in this handy video from Hull University: ... You might be asked to write an essay where you respond to a piece of text or an image, relate a topic to your own experiences or discuss whether a certain model ...
Writing a Reflective Paper
Reflective Practice: Writing and Professional Development. London: Sage, 2010; Chang, Bo. "Reflection in Learning." ... However, the paper should not be a disjointed, stream-of-consciousness narrative. Reflective papers are still academic pieces of writing that require organized thought, that use academic language and tone, ...
Reflective writing: Reflective essays
Writing a reflective essay. When you are asked to write a reflective essay, you should closely examine both the question and the marking criteria. This will help you to understand what you are being asked to do. Once you have examined the question you should start to plan and develop your essay by considering the following:
Reflective Practice: Thinking About the Way You Do Things
Reflective practice involves actively analyzing your experiences and actions, in order to help yourself improve and develop.. For example, an athlete can engage in reflective practice by thinking about mistakes that they made during a training session, and figuring out ways to avoid making those mistakes in the future.
Reflective practice
The practice of reflection is therefore encouraged and practised at university in order to assist you in becoming experts in your field, from your current role as students through to your careers as professionals. Reflective writing tasks are increasingly common at university, as they are designed to make you think about what you've learned ...
Full article: Facilitating reflection: a review and synthesis of the
Reflective practice is an inherently personal and relational process, occurring privately within people, and publicly, between people. Consequently, given it positively impacts on professional practice, it has become a personal and professional requirement for professional bodies accrediting practitioners. This literature synthesis aims to ...
Reflective essays
Reflective essays are academic essays; what makes an essay "good" will work for a reflective essay. What is different about a reflective essay is that the essay is about you and your thinking. However, you will need evidence from your course to back up your reflections. You should structure a reflective essay as an essay, that is write to ...
Reflective Essay
Learn the purpose of writing a reflective essay, and see reflective essay examples. ... Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Get unlimited access to ...
Reflective essays
The reflective essay is one of the most common reflective assignments and is very frequently used for both formative and especially summative assessments. Reflective essays are about presenting reflections to an audience in a systematic and formal way. Generally, all good academic practice for assignments applies when posing reflective essays.
Reflective practice in health care and how to reflect effectively
Introduction. Reflective practice is something most people first formally encounter at university. This may be reflecting on a patient case, or an elective, or other experience. However, what you may not have considered is that you have been subconsciously reflecting your whole life: thinking about and learning from past experiences to avoid ...
A complete guide to writing a reflective essay
Here's a recap of the contents of this article, which also serves as a way to create a mind map: 1. Identify the topic you will be writing on. 2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas. 3.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
Overview. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle was developed by Graham Gibbs in 1988 to give structure to learning from experiences. It offers a framework for examining experiences, and given its cyclic nature lends itself particularly well to repeated experiences, allowing you to learn and plan from things that either went well or didn't go well.
What Is Reflective Teaching and Why Is It Important?
In his essay, "Reflective Practice for Language Teachers," Thomas Farrell writes, "Reflective practice occurs, then, when teachers consciously take on the role of reflective practitioner and subject their own beliefs about teaching and learning to critical analysis, take full responsibility for their actions in the classroom, and continue ...
4 Key Strategies for Reflective Practice in Nursing
Reflective practice is an invaluable tool for nursing leaders seeking to navigate the complexities of healthcare and drive positive change. By focusing on these four essential aspects of reflection, you can enhance your leadership effectiveness, improve patient care , and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement .
Writing a Nursing Reflective Essay: Unveiling the 4 Biggest Success
In this blog post, we will delve into the significance of reflective essays in nursing, understand the reflective process, highlight the benefits of self-reflection for professional growth, and provide valuable tips for writing an impactful nursing reflective essay. 1. Understanding Reflective Practice. Reflective practice is a deliberate ...
Essay On Reflective Practice
The reflective practice and the use of a journal is an important tool for teachers to use to access their teaching practices and discover what is going well and areas that are in need of improvement. While in the moment we may not be able to see all angles of a situation, but when we take the time to sit down and write out thoughts, feelings ...
Reflective Practice In Teaching. Why Is It Important?
Reflective Practice In Teaching Review. Reflective Practice is an essential aspect of teaching that involves reflecting on one's teaching practices, analyzing the effectiveness of those practices, and making necessary changes to improve student learning outcomes. It is a process that teachers use to critically analyze their teaching experiences and identify areas of strength and areas that ...