The Early Years Foundation Stage places huge emphasis on reflective practice, and this is a theme that the Pre-School Learning Alliance is placing at the heart of its training programme.
The EYFS puts the onus on providers to consider ways in which they can continuously improve quality, whether or not they are already judged to be outstanding. Within the new framework, practitioners are encouraged to reflect upon the key issues that are vital for its success. However, the process of reflective practice does not just happen because someone says it should. For reflection to be really meaningful, it must begin with a shared overall aim to achieve effective early learning and positive experiences for children.
It is this whole-team approach to reflecting on action that is often lacking in early years settings. The issues of time and opportunity are often a factor, and yet when practitioners are asked how they reflect upon their work together, they will claim that they do so in staff or team meetings, or in the incidental conversations they have with colleagues throughout the day. These valuable interactions should be recognised and appreciated as part of the reflective process, but they are only a small part.
As teams work together they share ideas, carry out plans, seek solutions to problems that arise, and develop a shared understanding of their role. The whole team must identify opportunities to reflect together so they can improve both collectively and individually.
The PLA is developing its series of workshops that use reflective practice to boost leadership and management skills. Reflective Practice and Change Management under the EYFS are both offered as one-day, six-hour sessions, and a new workshop to help settings work with self-evaluation under the new inspection regime is being put together.
The PLA's training manager Pat Townshend says, 'Reflective practice is now part of the toolkit of most working professionals, whatever their area of expertise. In our workshops we encourage people to change the way they think and approach things from a different angle.'
She adds that developing reflective practice at levels 2 and 3 has been an interesting process. 'We've looked at what this means for a practitioner working as an assistant and how they can use the support of their management to achieve it.'
As Ms Townshend says, self-reflection is not only important for refining and improving day-to-day practice but also beneficial to individuals in terms of their own professional development.
Being reflective
- Demonstrates that practitioners are actively concerned about the aims and consequences of the work they are doing
- Enables practitioners to monitor, evaluate and revise their own practice continuously
- Requires an ability to look carefully at practice in order to develop new skills and understanding
- Requires an open-minded attitude
- Enhances professional learning and personal fulfilment through collaboration and dialogue between practitioners.
What does reflection involve?
Fowler and Robins (2007) note:
- Reflection 'in' action, or thinking on your feet
- Reflection 'on' action, or after the event
- Our own thoughts and ideas
- Our colleagues' thoughts and ideas
- Children and parents' thoughts and ideas
- Feedback from other partners or agencies
- The views and knowledge gained from our own experiences and that of
theoretical literature
What should our approach to reflection as a team involve?
- Giving time to the process as a team
- Being clear about what it is that you are reflecting upon
- Being clear about who your partners in the reflective process are
- Consideration of the subject, making links to theory and practice
- Consideration of your current practice
- Looking for ways to improve, maintain and - most importantly - act upon what you have discovered
- Structuring your actions with timescales, responsibilities and the opportunity to reflect upon what you have achieved (or not)
- Feeding back to colleagues, reflecting upon your actions
- Making further changes or adjustments
- Being aware of the reflective 'tools' that are available to you, such as quality improvement or quality assurance schemes and Ofsted's self-evaluation form
What do we want to achieve?
- Effective early learning experiences for children
- New ways of seeing familiar things
- Personal and professional development]
- Continuous quality improvement
- A shared understanding
INFORMATION BOX
Awards offered by CACHE in conjunction with the PLA
- Level 2 Certificate in Pre-school Practice - includes a section 'Using support to promote personal development' in which candidates are encouraged to go to their line manager if they want to reflect on how they are doing their job
- Level 3 Diploma in Pre-School Practice - as part of the course, practitioners are encouraged to reflect on their work and think carefully about alternative approaches
Reference
- Fowler, K and Robins, A (2006), 'Being reflective: Encouraging and teaching reflective practice', in Robins, A (ed.) Mentoring in the Early Years. London: Paul Chapman Publishing
Further information
The Pre-school Learning Alliance is launching its new Quality Improvement accreditation scheme in 2009, which will be a framework for supporting, recording and recognising continuous improvement in the EYFS.
It also offers a range of resources for practitioners to inform their practice and assist in the process of reflection.
Go to www.pre-school.org.uk/shop
