The Concept of Reflective Writing in Professional Identity and Development
The concept of reflective writing within professional identity and development plays a key role in building self-awareness and efficiency. Successful professional practices greatly anchor on a self-driven process of reviewing the acquired skills and knowledge (Bassot, 2016). According to Bolton (2018), reflective writing assumes a dynamic and creative preparation. Primarily, an individual’s capacity to reflect on their professional identity and development signifies a desirable employability skill in the current labour market. Besides curriculum elements, reflection pertains to cherished attitudes or state of mind that informs learning based on the accumulated work experience to broaden knowledge perspective, inform practice, and review assumptions (Bolton, 2009; Ghaye, 2010). This paper gives a reflection of the exploration and the outcome model on teaching profession and thinks about suggestions for training, strategy and examination.
Focusing on education profession which is my professional area, critical reflection promotes building self-awareness on teaching and being efficient. Based on my Curriculum vitae, I have gained experience in teaching practice and over time this has led to my improvements as a practitioner. The several years in teaching experience has built educational leadership skills in me as well as supervision. Handling pre-school children molded my performance boosting the learners’ performance outcome. Being an experienced teacher, I would schedule different but appropriate learning activities for babies concerning their ages in pre-school.
Professional teacher development is characterized as the convictions, values, and responsibilities a person holds toward being an educator and not any other practitioner. Education practice has molded my value and beliefs on pre-school children. Pre-school children should be handled with care since that is the period in their life that they master everything taught to shape their future. Over the teaching years, I have learnt that right values and examples should be impacted in pre-schoolers lives, as this largely determine their future. As I progress in teaching, the students I continue to meet receive better teaching practice.
The “code of professional conduct” in education plays a great role in effective education practice. The codes such as respect, care, integrity and trust in education have led to development in the practice. Acquiring such ethical codes has boosted how I handle the learners, their parents and the community. Such codes are further passed on to the children as they grow. Reflecting on these codes has helped me to be a better practitioner.
In conclusion, advancing and supporting the advancement of solid expert personalities in educators is pertinent to instructors, strategy creators and the examination local area. The advantages of analyzing Teacher Professional Identity connect with progress for understudies in their learning, long haul strengthening of instructors in their expert work, and backing for powerful approach improvement. This paper gives a reflection of the exploration and the outcome model and thinks about suggestions for training, strategy and examination. Reflective review and development helps teachers to grow better in their profession.
As shown in figure 1 and 2 below, professional timeline and CV serve as a key individual parameter that ascertains ones’ professional identity and development.
Reflective Writing in Education Profession
CV
Juanita Oide
Nursery/Secondary/Primary
Personal Profile
I am a Secondary trained English, SEN teacher, 7 years teaching experience in the Philippines, 1 year all year level teaching experience in China and 9 years Nursery teaching experience in Norway. I completed the AOR (Assessment only route) with Empowering Learning here in London. The Assessment Only route allows you to demonstrate that you already meet all of the Teachers’ Standards for QTS without the need for any further training.
Languages: Tagalog, English, Norwegian
April 2021 – present
Living Spring Montessori
Senior Nursery Practitioner
- Follow the Montessori practice in the classroom and outside play.
- Assist the Room leader to provide professional leadership and management of the nursery and to help ensure that all children receive the highest standards of care and education
- Planned activities for babies that match their months
June 2020 – April 2021
Wetherby House Montessori Kensal
Deputy Manager and Preschool Room leader
- Follow the Montessori practice in the classroom and outside play.
- Assist the Manager to provide professional leadership and management of the nursery and to help ensure that all children receive the highest standards of care and education.
October 2019 – March 2020
Wetherby House Montessori Northwood
- Planned activities for babies that match their months
- Assist the Room leader in all the paper works and specific assigned task for each staff
- Follow the Montessori practice in the classroom daily routine
September 2018 – September 2019
- Maintained head count and attendance sheets.
- Organised instruction material and setting up work areas
- Taught an average of 30 students per class.
- Give the assigned activities to the students and apply good classroom management.
March 2018-January 2019
Fine Tutor, Quex road Kilburn
Helped students in their English language skills
Assigned homework’s and quizzes and wrote corresponding keys2017-July 2018
St Clement Danes CE Primary School, London
Teaching Assistant (Nursery/Reception/SEN)
- Assessed oral responses, tests and portfolios, gave feed-back to students and planned improvement strategies
- I have adapted the learning process to pupil’s needs, including for children with SEN
September 2013-August 2017
Special teachers Resource team, Haugesund Norway
Teaching Assistant (Nursery/Reception/SEN)
- Communicated nonverbally with children to provide them with comfort, encouragement and positive reinforcement.
- Created strategies to meet the needs of mentally and physically disabled students.
- Instructed students with disabilities, including ADHD and Autism.
- Redirected students using Positive Behavior Support
- Led activities that developed student’s physical, emotional and social growth.
- Organized instruction material and setting up work areas
- Attended monthly staff training sessions
September 2012-August 2013
IOGT Kindergarten, Haugesund Norway
- Maintained head count and attendance sheets.
- Planned and led activities to develop students’ physical, emotional and social growth.
- Instructed small groups of students in basic concepts such as the alphabet, shapes and colour recognition.
- Reported on student’s progress, behaviour and social skills to parents.
August 2011-August 2012
Lyskkar Kindergarten,Haugesund,Norway
- Planned and led activities to develop students’ physical, emotional and social growth.
- Instructed small groups of students in basic concepts such as the alphabet, shapes and colour recognition.
- Tailored lesson plans for students with emotional and cognitive disabilities.
- Assisted the classroom teacher in supervising snack time and indoor and outdoor play.
- Led reading and arts and crafts lessons.
- Supported 20 classroom teachers in implementing a developmentally-appropriate curriculum for a group of 8 students.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Kept classrooms clean by sterilising and disinfecting toys and surfaces.
- Relieved the classroom teacher during breaks.
- Reported on student progress, behaviour and social skills to parents
November 2009- August 2011
Personal Huset, Haugesund Norway
- Instructed small groups of students in basic concepts such as the alphabet, shapes and colour recognition.
- Tailored lesson plans for students with emotional and cognitive disabilities.
- Assisted the classroom teacher in supervising snack time and indoor and outdoor play.
- Led reading and arts and crafts lessons.
- Identified warning signs of emotional or developmental problems and reported to parents.
- Kept classrooms clean by sterilising and disinfecting toys and surfaces.
- Maintained head count and attendance sheets.
- Reported on student progress, behaviour and social skills to parents.
June 2008-November 2009
Data Centre College, Baguio City, Philippines
- Planned and led activities to develop students’ physical, emotional and social growth.
- Taught an average of 50 students per class.
- Assisted in preparing reports and paperwork for parent-teacher conferences.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Relieved the classroom teacher during breaks.
- Graded tests and papers and recorded grades for teaching staff.
- Assigned homework assignments and quizzes and wrote corresponding key.
November 2006-June 2007
Lily English, Beijing China
- Helped the students practice their English language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
- Taught an average of 30 students per class.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Assigned home works and quizzes and wrote corresponding keys.
November 2006-June 2007
Beanstalk Bilingual International School, Beijing China
- Instructed small groups of students in basic concepts such as the alphabet, shapes and colour recognition.
- Tailored lesson plans for students with emotional and cognitive disabilities.
- Assisted the classroom teacher in supervising snack, lunch time, indoor and outdoor play.
- Taught an average of 30 students per class.
- Led reading and arts and crafts lessons.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Relieved the classroom teacher during breaks.
October 2005 – November 2006
English Language Teacher
- Helped Japanese children and adults in learning the English language
- Assisted in the children’s’ English homework
- Maintained head count and attendance sheets.
- Assigned homework assignments and quizzes and wrote corresponding keys.
- Relieved the classroom teacher during breaks.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Assisted in preparing reports and paperwork for parent-teacher conferences.
November 2003- October 2005
NG Family, Hongkong, China
- Prepared basic concept activities such as the alphabet, shapes and colour recognition.
- Tailored reading activities for the children using picture diagrams.
- Led reading and arts and crafts lessons.
- Do some household chores
- Help in the homework of the children.
August 2000- November 2003
Benguet National High School, La Trinidad, Benguet Philippines
- Planned and led activities to develop students’ physical, emotional and social growth.
- Tailored lesson plans for students with emotional and cognitive disabilities.
- Led reading and arts and crafts lessons.
- Assisted in preparing reports and paperwork for parent-teacher conferences.
- Identified warning signs of emotional or developmental problems and reported to parents.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Reported on student progress, behaviour and social skills to parents.
- Graded tests and papers and recorded grades for teaching staff.
- Assigned homework assignments and quizzes and wrote corresponding keys.
June 1997-April 2000
Saint Pauls’ Academy, Sayangan Atok Benguet, Philippines
Classroom English Teacher
- Planned and led activities to develop students’ physical, emotional and social growth.
- Tailored lesson plans for students with emotional and cognitive disabilities.
- Led reading and arts and crafts lessons.
- Assisted in preparing reports and paperwork for parent-teacher conferences.
- Identified warning signs of emotional or developmental problems and reported to parents.
- Prepared instruction materials, including making copies, constructing bulletin boards and setting up work areas.
- Reported on student progress, behaviour and social skills to parents.
- Graded tests and papers and recorded grades for teaching staff.
- Assigned homework assignments and quizzes and wrote corresponding keys.
January 2021 to present
North Wales Management School
Master’s in Education with Early childhood
October 2018 Empowering Learning, London
Teachers Standards Program (Assessment Only Route)
November 2016: IELTS Academic
August 2010-August 2011
AOF-Haugaland – Haugesund, Norway
English as a second language: English Grammar
August 2010-August 2011
AOF-Haugaland – Haugesund, Norway
Norwegian language higher level: Norwegian language and history
August 2010 – August 2011
AOF-Haugaland – Haugesund, Norway
Kindergarten and primary assistant course Basic knowledge and guides when working with children in the kindergarten and primary school
August 2009- August 2010
Breidablik Culture School – Haugesund Norway
Studying the Norwegian language: Norwegian language
April 1998-April 2001
Benguet State University – La Trinidad Benguet
M.A.: English as a Second language
April 1998-April 1999
Benguet State University – La Trinidad Benguet
Diploma for Physical Education: Ballgames and Dancing
June 1993- March 1997
Saint Louis University – Baguio City, Philippines
Bachelor of Arts: Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in English and minor in Physical Education
Interests: Outdoor activities, travelling, music, reading
Work References:
Patricia Coxhead
Head Teacher
St Clement Danes Primary School
Drury Lane, London
WC2B 5SU
Solveig Asase Larsen
Enhetsleder: Pedagogisk stotteenhet for Barnhage
Haugesund Kommune
Haugesund, Norway
Randi Thorsen
Dagligleder
IOGT Barnehage
Bjornvingate 40
Haugesund Norway
According to academic experts, reflective practice connotes some nature of changes in the learning environment. In the light of inevitable changes, it is important to incorporate timelines to manage and steer the learning process; otherwise, failure may ensue towards the tail end of the process (Bassot, 2016). In a bid to manage potential changes, several seminal theories exist in the public domain, which could be employed to manage changes effectively. For instance, Lewin’s theory suggests that, during learning, forces of change, often spearheaded by adopters, always engages in a push and pull game with individual forces that resist changes. Holistically, global competence usually facilitates personal transformation within the realm of taught values, skills and knowledge, thus creating a unified curriculum centered on a value-creating outlook (Bradbury, 2014).
. In addition, persons with disabilities have predominantly attracted a shift in teaching practice in the sense advocacy groups have attracted public attention on the need for equitable dispensation of learning (Butler et al., 2004). In order to accomplish a dynamic learning process, it is vital to structure an action plan with different context pointers, as shown in table 1. More often, an action plan acts as a guiding compass towards the attainment of specific learning goals.
Table 1: Action plan
What is required to develop? |
Requisite factors in achieving this |
Necessary support or resources |
Measurement of success |
Target dates for review |
Collaborative model |
Nurture learning societies |
Incorporation of new ideas |
Regular reflection of outcome with an inherent capacity to weigh knowledge acquired after learning |
Monthly review |
Professional development model |
Creates a shift in professional conceptual knowledge that define revision of practice |
Innovations and instructional principles |
Individual performance outcome in class |
Monthly review |
References
Bassot, B., 2016. The reflective practice guide: an interdisciplinary approach to critical reflection. London: Routledge.
Bolton, G., 2009. Write to learn: reflective practice writing. New York: InnovAit.
Bradbury, A., 2014. Learning, assessment and equality in Early Childhood Education (ECE) settings in England. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22(3), pp.347-354.
Butler, D.L., Lauscher, H.N., Jarvis-Selinger, S. and Beckingham, B., 2004. Collaboration and self-regulation in teachers’ professional development. Teaching and teacher education, 20(5), pp.435-455.
Ghaye, T., 2010. Teaching and learning through reflective practice: a practical guide for positive action. London: Routledge.