Course Journal: Category 3
PIDP 3100
Professor Glenn Galy
March 12th, 2015
Sean Harris
“learning from one’s experience involves not just reflection, but critical reflection”
Objective
One thing that I have noticed from these journal entries is that they have drawn my focus not only to how my learners engage in the
process but also to how I reflect on my own teaching. This quote was insightful to me in the sense that it made me look at how I
reflect on the lessons I teach as well as how critical reflection can be of use to my students in their learning journey. Again, by
focusing on not only the quote but what the author used to lead up to the quote I was able to analyze some of my own failings as an
educator. What really drew my attention was the authors’ theory of action versus action in use. (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p.116)
“we can believe that adults learn differently from children and that their life experiences are a resource for learning. This is our
espoused theory. However, once in the classroom we may teach adults the same way we teach children.” (Merriam & Bierema, 2014,
p.116)
All too often I have noticed on reflection in the classroom that I have slipped from my role as facilitator to that of transmitter of
information. This quote has highlighted that I not only need to take into account the fact that my students should be made aware of
how their learning experience in the classroom compares to what they already know, but also how my own experience with the
students compares to what my own theories of education are.
Reflective
As mentioned before I feel the most important thing that I have learned from this quote is that in order to further myself as an
educator I need to keep in mind that the theories that form my own schema of education are only theories if I do not reflect on
whether or not I actually put them into practice. I have caught myself in numerous instances interrupting my students’ autonomous
learning because I felt that they were not picking up the material at an appropriate pace. Autonomy in the classroom and the idea
that students are wholly capable of self-directed learning are two educational practices that I have always tried to espouse, however,
reflecting back on my teaching practice I can think of numerous instances where I have jumped in too quickly and essentially have
undermined my students’ ability to grow as adult learners. From the point of view of my students I have also neglected to give them
the opportunity to use their own previous learning experiences as an educational stepping stone. A great example of this is teaching
Korean students grammar points. Koreans who study EFL in Korea will learn that there are hard and fast rules to be followed. When
they come into an ESL environment they see that there are always exceptions to the rules. By not taking their previous experience
into account I have missed the opportunity to show these students that although there is a pre-existing theory, there are always new
ways to use language. This can lead to rigidity in how the learners use the newly acquired language.
Interpretive
My aha moment with this journal was an affirmation that I need to be including self-reflection not only in how I approach my
education practice in the classroom, but also in how I assess my own teaching after a lesson. Looking a little deeper into the chapter
it touches on Brookfield’s theory of critical self-reflection; namely
“The identification of “the assumptions that underlie our thoughts and actions.
The scrutiny of “the accuracy and validity of these assumptions in terms of how they connect to, or are discrepant with, our experience of reality.”
The restructuring of these assumptions “to make them more inclusive and integrative”
(Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p.117)
Seeing these points laid out in this manner has given me better insight into how I should reflect on my own delivery of my lessons as
well as how I should tie this theory into my students experience in the classroom.
Decisional
Reflecting on this quote has given me the tools I need to incorporate critical self-reflection into my teaching practice in the future. I
can know strive to plan my lessons in such a way that they take into account my students prior experience, they give my students a
chance to reflect on what they are learning at the moment and then to compare and contrast the two. Further, this has given me the
opportunity to incorporate this into advice I can give to the teachers that I manage. I have always stated that reflection is important
for every teacher, however, I have never stressed to teachers to think about how the classroom experience of the day measures up
against their own beliefs of teaching. The conversation has generally asked teachers to think about what worked, what didn't work
and how they can make it work in the future. I can now ask teachers to look at how the class worked versus how their own
educational philosophy says the class should work.
References
Merriam S.B., Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
PIDP 3100
Professor Glenn Galy
March 12th, 2015
Sean Harris
“learning from one’s experience involves not just reflection, but critical reflection”
Objective
One thing that I have noticed from these journal entries is that they have drawn my focus not only to how my learners engage in the
process but also to how I reflect on my own teaching. This quote was insightful to me in the sense that it made me look at how I
reflect on the lessons I teach as well as how critical reflection can be of use to my students in their learning journey. Again, by
focusing on not only the quote but what the author used to lead up to the quote I was able to analyze some of my own failings as an
educator. What really drew my attention was the authors’ theory of action versus action in use. (Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p.116)
“we can believe that adults learn differently from children and that their life experiences are a resource for learning. This is our
espoused theory. However, once in the classroom we may teach adults the same way we teach children.” (Merriam & Bierema, 2014,
p.116)
All too often I have noticed on reflection in the classroom that I have slipped from my role as facilitator to that of transmitter of
information. This quote has highlighted that I not only need to take into account the fact that my students should be made aware of
how their learning experience in the classroom compares to what they already know, but also how my own experience with the
students compares to what my own theories of education are.
Reflective
As mentioned before I feel the most important thing that I have learned from this quote is that in order to further myself as an
educator I need to keep in mind that the theories that form my own schema of education are only theories if I do not reflect on
whether or not I actually put them into practice. I have caught myself in numerous instances interrupting my students’ autonomous
learning because I felt that they were not picking up the material at an appropriate pace. Autonomy in the classroom and the idea
that students are wholly capable of self-directed learning are two educational practices that I have always tried to espouse, however,
reflecting back on my teaching practice I can think of numerous instances where I have jumped in too quickly and essentially have
undermined my students’ ability to grow as adult learners. From the point of view of my students I have also neglected to give them
the opportunity to use their own previous learning experiences as an educational stepping stone. A great example of this is teaching
Korean students grammar points. Koreans who study EFL in Korea will learn that there are hard and fast rules to be followed. When
they come into an ESL environment they see that there are always exceptions to the rules. By not taking their previous experience
into account I have missed the opportunity to show these students that although there is a pre-existing theory, there are always new
ways to use language. This can lead to rigidity in how the learners use the newly acquired language.
Interpretive
My aha moment with this journal was an affirmation that I need to be including self-reflection not only in how I approach my
education practice in the classroom, but also in how I assess my own teaching after a lesson. Looking a little deeper into the chapter
it touches on Brookfield’s theory of critical self-reflection; namely
“The identification of “the assumptions that underlie our thoughts and actions.
The scrutiny of “the accuracy and validity of these assumptions in terms of how they connect to, or are discrepant with, our experience of reality.”
The restructuring of these assumptions “to make them more inclusive and integrative”
(Merriam & Bierema, 2014, p.117)
Seeing these points laid out in this manner has given me better insight into how I should reflect on my own delivery of my lessons as
well as how I should tie this theory into my students experience in the classroom.
Decisional
Reflecting on this quote has given me the tools I need to incorporate critical self-reflection into my teaching practice in the future. I
can know strive to plan my lessons in such a way that they take into account my students prior experience, they give my students a
chance to reflect on what they are learning at the moment and then to compare and contrast the two. Further, this has given me the
opportunity to incorporate this into advice I can give to the teachers that I manage. I have always stated that reflection is important
for every teacher, however, I have never stressed to teachers to think about how the classroom experience of the day measures up
against their own beliefs of teaching. The conversation has generally asked teachers to think about what worked, what didn't work
and how they can make it work in the future. I can now ask teachers to look at how the class worked versus how their own
educational philosophy says the class should work.
References
Merriam S.B., Bierema, L.L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.