Levels in reflection: core reflection as a means to enhance professional growth

TLDR

Reflection is a central concept in teacher education, often framed as a cyclical model, yet deeper issues such as self‑concept can also shape teaching practice. The article aims to demonstrate how this cyclical model can support student teachers in reflecting on practical situations, skills, and beliefs, and to introduce core reflection for addressing deeper issues. The authors describe applying the cyclical model to guide student teachers’ reflection on practice, behaviour, skills, and beliefs, and propose core reflection as a tool for deeper inquiry.

Abstract

Reflection is currently a key concept in teacher education. The reflection process is often described in terms of a cyclical model. In the present article, we explain how such a model can be used for supporting student teachers' reflection on practical situations they are confronted with, and on their behaviour, skills and beliefs in such situations. In some cases, however, more fundamental issues appear to influence teachers' practical functioning. For example, their self‐concept can have a decisive influence on the way they function, or they may do what is expected of them, and yet not feel truly involved. In such cases, a more fundamental form of reflection is needed, which in this article we refer to as 'core reflection'. The focus on core reflection concurs with the recent emphasis in psychology on attending to people's strengths rather than their deficiencies.