Exploring Reflective Practice in an Initial Teacher Education Program in Ireland

Abstract

Reflective practice is a core element of the learning journey that pre-service teachers embark on through their initial teacher education programs, both nationally and internationally. It is frequently positioned amongst the plan, teach, reflect cycle. However, research has evidenced that it often becomes the more subdued component of this cyclical journey. This chapter examines the complex nature of reflective practice within an initial teacher education program in the Republic of Ireland. The study focuses on the qualitative analysis of pre-service teachers’ (n = 100) reflective writing submissions at different stages of their school placement experience. Drawing on theoretical understanding of reflective practice, the data analysis involved determining the level of critical thinking present in written reflections. Results indicate that Brookfield’s reflective writing framework supported enhanced levels of criticality, and pre-service teachers were more likely to move beyond focusing on the fundamentals of teaching. While levels of criticality were raised in terms of unearthing assumptions, crucially, engaging with critical ideology reflection was evident to a lesser extent. Without this key stage, in some cases, the reflective process became a platform to reinforce a set of beliefs and values rather than fully critique. The chapter concludes by reimagining the place of the written reflection submission and explores the role of teacher educators in successfully embedding a reflection framework which moves beyond the question ‘how do we teach reflective practice?’ to a values-based one, namely; ‘into which reflective practices do we wish to guide our teachers?’