Reflective Practice in Early Years Education
Sheryl Third, Fanshawe College
Copyright Year:
Publisher: Fanshawe College Pressboks
Language: English
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Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Reviews
This text provides engaging, hands-on activities to get the reader thinking and applying reflective practice as well as provides many other resources for the reader to dive into. The Land Acknowledgment at the beginning of the text speaks to the... read more
This text provides engaging, hands-on activities to get the reader thinking and applying reflective practice as well as provides many other resources for the reader to dive into. The Land Acknowledgment at the beginning of the text speaks to the importance of reflective practice right from the beginning, and is very appreciated. The activities provoke thought within the reader, but are not too advanced. This is a great introduction to reflective practice and can be adapted to fit individual institutions and locations.
The text appeared to be accurate and spoke to Canada and Ontario specifically in regards to relatability.
There were a few resources mentioned that were older than 10 years old, but most of the resources were still relevant to the topic.
Easy to read and comprehend.
This text was consistent throughout.
This text is constructed in a way that allows the educator to pull apart sections to use as individual modules. There are several visual images, imbedded videos and more that will appeal to the multiple learning modalities of the student.
The text is organized.
There were no issues with the interface.
No grammar errors.
Several resources connected to cultural responsiveness in the classroom where you could dive deeper if you chose.
The text defines reflection and gives many examples of the meaning of it. It aligns theories to the topic as it specifies various reflective models. The text provides resources including self-assessment tools. As this book is geared toward early... read more
The text defines reflection and gives many examples of the meaning of it. It aligns theories to the topic as it specifies various reflective models. The text provides resources including self-assessment tools. As this book is geared toward early childhood professionals, it would have been helpful to see more resources specific to ECE throughout the text. I am referring to having more videos of young children and teachers. The text provides many links to ECE and other resources. Some of the resources such as "The Thinking Lens" could have been more explicitly used in the text.
The text and content are accurate. I appreciate the alignment to NAEYC Standards. There are many resources such as articles and videos. They fit in well with the topic. It appears to be unbiased.
The text provides a practical application to making reflection a regular part of one’s teaching. There are tools for self-assessment and logical sequential steps for this process. It is geared toward education. I would have liked to see some more explicit examples of reflecting in early childhood education. The resources are all relevant. It would be helpful for the authors to review some older materials and update the text with new ones. Connections to child development theories would make the relevance even stronger.
It was clear and easy to follow. The text began with defining reflection, describing the benefits, and aligning reflection with theories. It progressed from the why to what and how to become a reflective practitioner. Objectives were concise and each chapter followed a logical progression.
The format and design of the text was consistent throughout.
The text can be easily modularized to fit in-person, online and hybrid courses. Each chapter ends with a self-assessment which is a great way for students to reflect on and articulate their learning. Much of the text was devoted to discussing the benefits of reflection and theories that serve as models for reflection. Depending on the needs of students, I may choose to eliminate some of this material from my course and move on to implementation and practice.
The text was organized well with a consistent format for each chapter. The resources are excellent. I would prefer to see some of the resources explicitly embedded in some of the chapters as opposed to simply providing a link.
The text is set up for students to be active participants in their learning. There is an online module, various videos, and other resources for students. Navigating each topic or chapter can be done easily.
The text was written simply and at a college level. It would be beneficial for teacher candidates and teachers.
There was a link for anti-bias resources. I would recommend that instructors supplement the text with more information about an anti-bias curriculum as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. I additionally recommend that the authors embed this topic throughout the text as it applies to adults as well as children. The text was not insensitive or offensive. It would be helpful to recognize different cultures, implicit and explicit biases, and other DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) topics. Educators need to check their own biases when reflecting on their teaching and the children's learning.
The text is a great roadmap for learning about reflective practice and taking steps to make reflection a regular part of one’s routine. I would follow the sequence of the text and supplement it with more early childhood education videos of children so that students can practice reflecting on what they are teaching and what children are learning. I would also supplement the topic with protocols so that students can practice in a group with a clear focus. With that said, the text covers the why and the what of reflective practice. I would include more of the “how,” again with a focus on teaching young children.
Self-reflection can lead to the development and improvement of professional skills. This textbook examines the role of reflective practice in the education field. The text begins by defining reflective practice and identifying the benefits the... read more
Self-reflection can lead to the development and improvement of professional skills. This textbook examines the role of reflective practice in the education field. The text begins by defining reflective practice and identifying the benefits the practice can bring to your professional competence. The different theories and reflective models are examined in the text. A range of methods by which you can incorporate reflection, whether it is in writing, with a professional group, or in social media formats, are also explored. There is a self-reflection assignment at the end of each chapter. This enables the student to reflect on their newly acquired knowledge in real-time.
No errors were found.
I found the written content to be relevant. Each chapter contains linked video and article resources. Those resources help to explain the topic and broaden the student's understanding. They are currently engaging and relevant. There is a concern that the resources could get outdated if not monitored by the publisher.
The text is an easy read and holds the reader's attention. Each chapter is broken into three parts: objective, lesson(s), and reflective practice. The first section identifies the learning objective. In the second section, you will find the lesson or lessons. Every lesson has a video link or "Dig Deeper"(or both) component that enables students to deepen their understanding of the lesson. The chapter concludes with a reflective practice activity.
The format is consistent.
Each chapter provides ample information but is also concise and to the point. There is no extra fluff.
The organization is easy to follow.
No problems found.
No problems found.
None noted.
Self-reflection can be beneficial to your professional growth. It is often a skill taught indirectly without much explanation as to why. There is often very little formal training or practice. This text can help bridge that gap between the concept of self-reflection and practicing the skills.
Set up in ten interactive modules, this textbook provides both theory and practice in becoming a reflective educator. Each chapter contains a brief reading passage followed by a discussion question that could serve as a springboard for class... read more
Set up in ten interactive modules, this textbook provides both theory and practice in becoming a reflective educator. Each chapter contains a brief reading passage followed by a discussion question that could serve as a springboard for class discussion or an individual writing assignment.
The text appears to be accurate, error-free, and unbiased.
Becoming a reflective teacher is a key dispositional skill for beginning teachers.
The text is easy to navigate and set up in a way that the reader can choose certain chapters or the entire text.
The organization of each chapter is consistent and user-friendly.
The organization of this text allows instructors to pick and choose relevant topics for their course. Set up in modules, this text could easily be adapted into an online, set-paced course.
The text is set up in an organized fashion with a logical progression of topics and content.
I did not notice any technical errors or issues.
I noticed one minor grammatical error where a period was missing at the end of a sentence.
The author worked to include culturally sensitive examples. This is an area that can always be a work in progress.
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Land Acknowledgements
- Forward
- Chapter 1: Introduction to Reflective Practice
- Chapter 2: Reflective Practice
- Chapter 3: Models and Theories of Practice
- Chapter 4: Am I a reflective practitioner?
- Chapter 5: Writing for reflection
- Chapter 6 - Everyday Reflection
- Chapter 7: Reclaiming Reflective Practice
- Chapter 8: The disposition, values, principles, and ethics of a reflective practitioner
- Chapter 9: Communities of Practice and the Reflective Process
- Chapter 10: Professional Practice and the Critical Reflective Process
- Versioning History
About the Book
This resource will provide a context that will allow the reader to consider their obligation to reflect from their own perspective and will explore how to create a practice that best suits their professional setting. This book will bring together in one place the history, the values, the skills and disposition required to be a reflective practitioner. It is a textbook with elements of a workbook, embedded are opportunities to watch, to think, to write, and to listen allowing the reader to become a purposeful and intentional reflective practitioner.
About the Contributors
Author
Sheryl Third, Fanshawe College