Quality Teaching: Reflection as the Heart of Practice

Quality teaching is the single most important factor in student learning. But what counts as quality teaching? This book explores one of the most fundamental characteristics of accomplished practice: teachers' reflection. By examining the role of reflection, we see how this vital aspect of teaching can be supported in teachers' professional lives—with significant results for student learning. Author Joelle Jay offers teacher leaders and school administrators concrete cases and recommendations for incorporating reflection into their schools. Includes: · A reader-friendly review of the research on reflection · Real-life cases of teacher's reflective practice in a variety of settings · Summaries of the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to supporting reflection · Suggestions for encouraging reflective practice among teachers · A synopsis of the elements of effective, reflective practice Readers will: · Understand the importance of reflection as an aspect of quality teaching · Understand the link between reflective teaching and student learning · Gain a nuanced understanding of reflection · Be able to compare both successful and unsuccessful applications of reflection · Understand elements needed to support reflection successfully Written primarily to support educational leaders, teacher leaders, and school administrators engaged in improving the effectiveness of teaching and learning.