Introduction
General Resources

Reflecting critically on our teaching is an important way to maintain ongoing growth and development as a teacher. The links below provide both introductory and advanced materials on reflective practice, including definitions and examples, a tutorial, several approaches to becoming a more reflective practitioner, and tools for reflective practice.

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“The Getting of Wisdom: What Critically Reflective Teaching Is and Why It’s Important,” Stephen Brookfield, University of St. Thomas. From Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
This introductory chapter from Brookfield’s book defines, describes, and provides a rationale for critically reflective teaching. Gives examples of critically reflective teaching, an approach that questions accepted assumptions about teaching and researches students to better understand the classroom. Explains six reasons why critical reflection is important for teachers’ survival.
http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_Wisdom.cfm

Are You a Reflective Practitioner? Contemplation for Growth, Center for Teaching and Learning, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
An interactive tutorial designed to help you develop your skills as a reflective practitioner. Readings, activities, reflective questions, and links to relevant resources.
http://ctlreflective.project.mnscu.edu/

Introduction to Developing Reflective Practice, The Higher Education Academy, UK Centre for Legal Education.
This is the introductory page to a comprehensive UK website on reflective practice in legal education. Topics such as the following would be useful for all disciplines: “what’s reflective practice?” “what’s in it for you?” and “reflective practice and teaching.”
http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/resources/reflection/introduction.html

“Forms of Reflective Teaching Practice in Higher Education,” Susan Hall, Curtin University of Technology, Australia. In Learning Through Teaching, Pospisil, R. and Willcoxson, L., Eds. Proceedings of the 6 th Annual Teaching Learning Forum, Murdoch University, February 1997. Perth: Murdoch University.
This article explores numerous forms of reflective practice in higher education and defines three levels of reflectiveness with examples of each.
http://lsn.curtin.edu.au/tlf/tlf1997/hall1.html

“Storming the Citadel: Reading Theory Critically,” Stephen Brookfield, University of St. Thomas. From Becoming a Reflective Teacher, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
This selection from Brookfield’s book makes a case for the value of reading educational theory, philosophy, and research to enhance reflective practice. It offers a series of epistemological, experiential, communicative, and political questions for evaluating educational literature by reading critically.
http://www.nl.edu/academics/cas/ace/facultypapers/StephenBrookfield_Citadel.cfm

The Critical Incident Questionnaire: Brookfield’s Questions. In National Teaching and Learning Forum, Vol. 5, No. 2, January 1996.
A copy of Brookfield’s 5 questions to students that provide the feedback critical to reflective teaching.
http://www.ntlf.com/html/pi/9601/article3.htm

“The Critical Incident Questionnaire: A Critical Reflective Teaching Tool,” Katherine L. Adams, California State University, Fresno.
Adams’ reflections on using Brookfield’s Critical Incident Questionnaire in two public communication classes.
http://www.exchangesjournal.org/print/print_1038.html

Reflective Practice.
This journal, published four times a year, focuses on issues and practices in reflective teaching and
learning in the classroom, workplace, and professions.
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/14623943.asp

Teaching, Learning, and Everything Else:  Conversations about teaching in higher education (Xavier University of Louisiana, Center for the Advancement of Teaching, CAT).
A podcast ongoing series of conversations with teachers in higher education reflecting on a diverse range of teaching issues.  Includes links to online references from each episode.
http://cat.xula.edu/podcast/

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See also Teaching Philosophy Statement and Teaching Portfolios on this website for further information on reflective practice.