Transforming self & schools in service of students & communities through reflective pedagogy

Evergreen’s 2016-2018 MiT cohort theme includes the phrase “transformative educator” —  but what does it mean? There are multiple interpretations, as well as many ways in which to be transformative. It is our belief that a transformative educator is one who is able to engage in a recursive process of inquiry which consists of posing questions, considering multiple perspectives, reframing questions, and taking action on one’s practice within the sociocultural context of a raced and classed society.

As Valli (1997) suggests, a reflective practitioner is one who…

• examines, frames and attempts to solve the dilemma of classroom practice;
• acknowledges and questions the beliefs, assumptions and values one brings to teaching;
• is attentive to the institutional and cultural contexts in which one teaches;
• takes part in curriculum development; and
• is [actively] involved in school [community] change efforts.

Toward these aims, our work together this first quarter of Evergreen’s MiT program consists of inquiries into the following areas and practices:

• Theories of development, learning, and teaching;
• Teaching models;
• US system of public education and the procedure for effecting change in that system and in society;
• Assumptions and philosophical points of view that underline teaching, learning, and schooling;
• Engaging ideas generously and responsively with questions such as: “What uses can I make of this  work? What else might be said on this subject?”  (Harris, 2006 )

Students will use each of these inquiries to learn about themselves and to begin to develop their educational vision.

References

Harris, J. (2006). Rewriting : How to do things with texts. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press.

Valli, L. (1997). Listening to other voices: A description of teacher reflection in the United States. Peabody Journal of Education, 72 (1), 67-88.