Why is self-reflection important in teaching

Professions as challenging as teaching have to be analysed from time to time. Self-reflection offers teachers an opportunity to challenge themselves and their beliefs. Teachers around the world use this technique to better themselves and assess what works and what doesn’t in their classroom.

The main benefits of self-reflection in teaching processes

• It encourages professional development. Self-reflection can help you identify strengths and weaknesses within a lesson plan to improve the way you teach any given curriculum area.
• It creates a student-centred learning environment. If you are actively engaging in self-reflection, you can also pass this process onto your students and encourage them to become more reflective learners too. An invaluable transferable life skill to take with them when they leave the confines of the classroom.
• It increases confidence. If you self-reflect, you will inevitably become more aware of yourself, your errors, but also your wins. Knowing you are good at your job undoubtedly onfidence boost.
• It encourages honesty. Because being honest with yourself and letting others be honest in their assessment of you is the only way to improve.
• It keeps lessons current & relevant. Self-reflection does not allow you to continue practising the same techniques in an ever-evolving environment but forces you to “go with the flow” and evolve your teaching methods accordingly.