April Smith

asmith@monettschools.org
Dr. Cathie English
ENG 665
Reflections on Reflective Training
I cant decide whether I never received any reflective training whatsoever or if I
just dont remember it. Im sure that I was given some kind of reflective training, at least
in the form of conversation. I can remember sitting through a methods class, presenting a
lesson, and receiving feedback (most of which I disagreed with, due to my immaturity
and inability to receive constructive criticism). I definitely reflected on that lesson and
revised it every single time I taught that concept to any student of mine. I sat in that
classroom with a chip on my shoulder, telling myself they didnt understand foreign
language instruction (even though my harshest critic was a person studying to teach
German). It wasnt really a conversation, though. It was me presenting, and them
writing a critique that I got to read later in private. I never talked to anyone about the
lesson afterwards. I just read lots of reviews and very few concrete suggestions. I think
that I would have been less hurt if I could have somehow participated in the discussion.
As it was, I felt as if everybody was talking about me behind my back and I didnt have
an opportunity to defend myself. Most people were kind, but kindness in the form of
empty compliments doesnt produce any real growth. The German girl was absolutely
correct in her critique, but I think that if she had been able to present it to me as part of a
discussion, it would have been much more effective and less hurtful.
As far as my teaching career has gone, there hasnt been much, if any, dialogue
with anybody else. From time to time, there are Spanish teachers that I can bounce ideas
off of, but nothing in the way of reflection. Being a French teacher can sometimes be
lonely, but I think it has helped me to be much more autonomously reflective. When it
comes to ELA, however, it has been a completely different experience. I have been
taught to reflect and learn metacognitively the entire time I have been instructed in this
art. My first year teaching ELA, I was able to collaborate with another instructor. We had
a very positive and fruitful experience. Our shared students actually learned and showed
progress (for which we had actual research-based evidence!)
I find it interesting that my experience in FL has been so incredibly independent
since the Collin and Karsenti article mentions reflective training in the field of foreign
language acquisition. Maybe I had to be more in tune with my students and ask more
questions of them or be sure to provide them with enough formative assessments that
they and I know where they are in the learning process. Also, it can be very embarrassing
if you are asked a question in foreign language class if you dont understand the question,
much less how to give an answer. So, maybe my students try to avoid this as much as
possible and try to at least learn enough to fly under the radar of Madame Smiths
embarrassing questions.
I would love to see collective reflective practice at Monett High School.
Whenever we have in-services, we are often asked to discuss things in whole faculty as
well as departmental settings. There is rarely an element of reflection, however. I

wonder if there would be a small group of forward-thinking individuals who would

consider this. I could see several of us sitting around a table and discussing our latest
findings on various aspects of inquiry and experimental elements in our classrooms. This
is actually currently happening. There are a few of us who are meeting outside of the
regular school day and discussing blended learning practices, ELL learning, and also an
OWP group. All three of these small groups are meeting and reflecting on best practices
and practices to avoid. In this particular setting, the participation has been great.
The problem is when the administrators force us as a department to do things that
many are either reluctant or ill-equipped to handle. At our last in-service, our department
was given a group of standards to discuss and label as various categories of importance.
Out of a group of 12-15 people (I didnt count!), only 5 of us actually tried to participate
in this in any way. Two people had a direct stake as EOC teachers, and the other three of
us felt as if we might be helpful. The rest of the group failed to participate for various
reasons, many valid, most of them not. The important part of the learning process
(participating in the discussion) was not deemed as necessary to 2/3 of the group so they
sat in the back of the room and watched us tape slips of paper onto the white board. It
was a very frustrating situation and not very conducive to helping build departmental
unity.
So, overall, I have had mostly positive reflective experiences. However, when it
is a forced reflection over a topic I really dont care about, it is difficult to fake
enthusiasm. As teachers, we need to realize that is the position many of our students are
in. We should try to find a way that all learners can positively relate to the topic of
discussion. As learners, we need to find something that we can identify with and reflect
on that.