Generally, critical reflection is merge of critical inquiry and self-reflection and it defines as the distinguishing attribute of reflective practitioners which involves examination of personal and professional belief systems, deliberate consideration, ethical implications and impact of practices (Larrive,2000, P.294). Thus, it is a process in where sets of assumptions can be ‘hunted’ by teachers if they are prepared to view their practice through different ‘critical lenses’. Like as Larrivees’ argument for the teacher educator, critical reflection is critical inquiry in educational practices and self- reflection through critical reflexivity (Larrivee, 1999).
In teaching field, it helps to examine and encounter the teacher’s/ educator’s deep beliefs systems which are driven by previous existing practice. It also improvement and try to be solved critical question in the power relationships that allow, or promote, one set of practices, struggles between unequal interests and groups that exist in the classroom practices but it is differ from term ‘Reflection’ only (Brookfield,2016).
For teacher educator, it is one way of thinking that accepts uncertainty and acknowledges dilemmas which are generated to the pedagogical implementation and must have as its explicit focus the uncovering, and challenging of power dynamics that frame our decisions and actions. It also attempts to challenge classroom hegemonic assumptions; those assumptions we embrace as being in our best interests when in fact they are working against us. This is what makes critical reflection truly critical (Rushton and Suter, 2012). So, critical reflection for the teacher educator indicate the cyclic critical reflexivity in own educational practices which leads to the transformation. It is reasoning process which leads to a “meaning-making action” that helps teacher to set goals, use what they’ve learned in the past to inform future action and consider the real-world implications of own classroom practices.
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In the critical theory tradition, critical reflection as illuminating power and hegemony which emphasized the justice in constant, intentional effort to uncover the power dynamics present in any group trying to work reflectively (Rushton and Suter, 2012). Ultimately for teacher it is envisioning and self- reflection of own and classroom practices as well as a collaborative process for detecting and remedial seen as well as unseen hegemony. Thus, in pedagogical perspective it talks about the need learners, clients, peers and experts to burn questions to us, introduce new ways of looking at practice, and support teacher in the periods of struggle when challenging dominant assumptions threatens our sense of identity and raises the risk of our beliefs and practices.
In another side, it shows the multilayer of reflection such as ‘reflect-on-action’, ‘reflect-in-action’ and ‘reflect-for-action’. Critical reflection is an extension of “critical thinking”. asks us to think about our practice and ideas challenges us to step-back examine our thinking by asking probing questions It is a reasoning process to make meaning of an experience during the professional journey, this apply to further growth of own field.
For teacher/ educator it processes adds probing with own experiences and builds connections between course content, pedagogical approaches and the experience. According to Mezirow it shows “a process of testing the justification or validity of taken-for-granted premises” through the critical inquiry as well as critically reflection. He argues that developing as a critically reflective teacher encompasses both the capacity for critical inquiry and self-reflection by applying the conscious consideration of the moral and ethical implications and consequences of classroom practices on students.
In critical reflection period, teachers get critical reflexivity through the Self-reflection goes beyond critical inquiry by adding to conscious consideration the dimension of deep examination of personal values and beliefs, embodied assumptions of and their expectations for students. For the justification of critical reflection Dewey says that reflective thinking requires continual evaluation of beliefs, assumptions, and hypotheses against existing practices, so it is of critical or reflective thinking seem to suggest that it is primarily cognitive problem solving of the educator. If critical reflection to be developed teacher attributes greater influence to the reflection of own role and critically challenging self-imposed limitations as well as idealizations. In the teaching, teacher with this conceptualization depicts critical reflection as a matter of `stance and dance’(Brookfield,1995).
On the basis of above mention views, I think for teacher or educator critical reflection is self-reflection encompasses reflexivity, deliberation, awareness, and insight turning which continuously discovers new dimensions of our strength for improvement existing status of educational/ pedagogical activities. Consequently, it can be said that, it is personal awareness discovery process through the practices, actions and critical reflection. It developed the three basics practices in the teacher/ educator profession such as making time for solitary reflection, becoming a perpetual problem solver and questioning the status quo (Larrivee, 1999). Thus, it is the transformation in educational practitioner beyond prescribed linear process or define a step-by-step procedure which infused their practice with a sense of vision and purpose as they continually in new educational ground.
In other hand, now some questions are arisen is it required for teacher? It is important in educational practitioner why? How it solved the educational problems of our context? Etc. I think, during the answering of these questions they justify the needs of critical reflection for practitioner researchers. In the above paragraph I already talk about it. It is a process that allows insights to surface which serve to challenge our familiar behavior patterns. It is more a way of knowing than a knowing how. experience to engage in transformative learning theory. So, for the educational practitioners/ researcher it is very important because of envisioning the own existing practices and emancipation for all. In teaching learning activities, critical reflection facilitates introspective learning from values, beliefs, knowledge, and experiences that contribute to perspectives of one’s self, other people, and the world.
According to Larrivee, critical reflection is cyclic process, it emphasized the three stages they are: Examination (Questioning in current practice, Challenging, Desire for change), Struggle (Inner conflict, Surrender, Uncertainty, and chaos) and perceptual shift (Reconciling, Personal discovery and New practices) (Larrivee,2000, Pp.304-305). Like as Larrivee views, I think if each and every practitioner / researcher want to change their educational practices they must be driven through these three stages for transformation. In such case, critical reflection is very beneficial for practitioner. Similarly, critical reflection is not only a way of teaching approach it is a way of life. So, it evokes the teachers to their more explore, the more discover, more question, the more access to new realms of possibility, thus it needed for educational practitioners for proper change.
During this educational journey, it helps me as a teacher and researcher to take informed actions and helps to develop a rationale for their own practice. In the similar way critical reflection avoid self-laceration, and to acknowledge the teachers if action and believes are not responsible for everything that goes wrong. In another side, it grounds on our emotionally so it’s another role for teacher is to achieve an emotional balance in their professional practice and increase democratic trust in classroom practices. According to Brookfield the critically reflective teacher gives careful consideration to the learner’s ‘voice’ in the learning environment, showing that the relationship with the learners is important to them, thus increasing their trust in the teacher.
This example make more clear about needs of critical reflection for teacher practitioner For example, see Elizabeth Smith’s (2011) publication for a list of social and health-related disciplines where critical reflection is seen as “particularly important” (p. 211) as it supports the on-going development of these practitioners and, in turn, improves the experience of patient care. We value critical reflection in our personal practice as educators and educational developers (Brookfield, 1995).
For the teacher/ educational practitioner, the need of critical reflection was justified by Brookfield argument that is ‘the problems caused by innocence in teaching can be avoided if teachers are prepared to question their assumptions through a process of critical reflection’. He states that “teachers’ reflection on practice should be a process of ‘hunting assumptions’, where assumptions are the ‘taken for granted’ beliefs about the world (Brookfield ,1995).
As a teacher/ educator or researcher I engage in this journey of critical reflection through the examined my previous practices and change my prescribed view and practice. In the engage time I guided through four ‘critical lenses’ such as; my autobiographies as learners and teachers, looking at our practice through my learners’ eyes (interpretive lenses), engaging with colleagues’ experiences, their practice with ‘critical conversations’ and interlinking the theoretical literature i.e. focused on praxis.
In my critical reflective journey, I travel with a process of self-reflection on my own learning and professional practice as teacher becomes awareness in each and every moment of the field engagement. I think it influences me in the way of teaching to probing the understanding of learner perspectives and improve my action. In this process, I think critically as a reflective practitioner with careful consideration to the learner’s ‘voice’ in the learning environment and address assumptions underlying their beliefs and behaviors. After the building concept towards critical reflection in the period of this course engagement I decided to use critical reflection as a major component in my practices’ growth and success.
During my professional activities my actions, believes (historical and cultural origins of the assumptions), questioning and sense making process are governing by alternative ways of acting. In the part of critical reflective practice, I try to challenge the prevailing social, political, cultural, or professional ways of action continuing through the process of critical reflection, my experiences and critical-analytical insights. For these reasons, I will begin to use critical reflection ‘as a thread’ it means interpret everything that happens in my field experience and prolonged with every stance by governing self-examination and self-reflection. I also agree with Dewey perspective ‘reflection is an important aspect of learning from experience, (Deway,1938). Like as this, I using critical reflection for professional growth as well as praxis.
In the beginning of this journey, I am guided by positivistic linear structured perspective but now I change my beliefs as a novice critical reflective practitioner because Brookfield (2004) argument touches my heart I think it is very relevant for my practices that is “ without reflection, teachers run the continual risk of making poor decisions and bad judgments and unquestioningly believe that students with unexamined assumptions” (Brookfield, 2004) and “reflection plays an important major role in the transformation of experience into knowledge” (Kolb, 1984). Finally, I turned towards the analysis of classroom events and circumstances and try to understand classroom complexity, the task of teaching requires constant and continual classroom observation, evaluation, and subsequent action by virtue of critical reflection. In my view, I focused on inherently a learner-centred endeavor and how I can design my experiences and developing new practices. I work with encountering the current practice then win to fear then trying transformation continuously.
In this practice, I think critically about my assumptions and actions, then develop more collaborative, responsive and ethical ways of performing my practice within the context / classroom environment. Consequently, I engage in ‘critical thinking’ with reflection. Firstly, I involve the ability to unearth, examine and change my very deeply held or fundamental assumptions (Mezirow 1991) and emphasizes reflect critically in the focus on power. Finally try to transform, i.e. ‘change my fundamental perspective’.
