“We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.”– John Dewey, Experience and Education
“The insistence that the oppressed engage in reflection on their concrete situation is not a call to armchair revolution. On the contrary, reflection – true reflection – leads to action.”– Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed
“The most important thing we can do as educators is to maintain a reflective disputation toward our practice. There is always room to begin anew, deepen your existing practice, and to discern what works best for your particular interests, needs, and context. Reflection and its fruits are, ultimately, a testament to an image of children as capable human beings who lead rich lives, hold complex ideas, and experience the world deeply.”– Ron Grady, Carving Out Time for Wonder: Reflective Practices in Early Childhood Pedagogy
As early childhood educators we are well versed in the importance of reflecting on our practices. Many of us received ample opportunity and experience reflecting during our pre-service education and we understand that to be an intentional educator means to engage in on-going reflection. Though we might struggle to make time for deep reflective practices, we often engage in reflection each day as we make choices for the environment and create invitations for children to explore and co-learn with us. Reflection is an integral part of the teaching and learning cycle.
How can reflective practices improve our ability to advocate for just, equitable early childhood education for all? What does reflection in defense of childhood look like? We explore these and many other questions in our new DEY Reflective Practitioner Series. As part of the DEY Professional Learning Institute, this series will combine important features of reflective practices with our mission to advance high-quality early learning that promotes whole-child development and fosters our commitment to anti-bias and anti-racism.
As Ron Grady notes, at the heart of reflective practices is strengthening our image of the child as capable, and John Dewey reminded us that reflection is how we learn. But when we connect reflection to Paulo Freire’s belief that true reflection leads to action, we see the value in linking reflective practices to our advocacy. Advocating for all young children to spend their early years in safe, nurturing environments remains a vital component of the work of early childhood educators. In our Reflective Practitioner Series, not only will you reflect on your instructional practice, relationships with children, and curriculum choices, but you will also make deep connections between the work you do each day with children and the work we must all do to protect childhood.
The Reflective Practitioner Series is a subscription-based Professional Learning Community that includes access to monthly videos and reflective workbooks. For $25 a month you will receive access to the resources included in each series and invitations to join a monthly Zoom discussion.