Becoming Reflective Practitioners: A Case Study of Three Beginning Pre-service Teachers

Abstract

This case study examined three pre-service teachers’ reflection processes during their first teaching practicum. During the six-week practicum, the pre-service teachers reflected on their own as well as their peers’ teaching in group mentoring meetings several times a week. Unstructured stimulated recall facilitated pre-service teacher-initiated reflection on their teaching. As a result, they were able to frame and reframe their understanding and implement that understanding in their next lessons. Each pre-service teacher, however, went through an individual developmental process in learning to reflect. In their developmental path, turning points were identified that were important for transition into a deeper level of reflection. Our results show that it is important for teacher educators and mentors to recognize the process of development from the very first teaching practicum.