“It’s our polite nudge in the ribs to help you and your team stay organised and on task.”
This week’s subject is: Critical reflection.
Element 1.3.2: Critical reflection on children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in groups, drives program planning and implementation.
Does your service have a culture of continual reflective practice and ensure documentation of critical reflection is maintained?
Reflective practice is a foundation of professional growth and development in all aspects of providing a high-quality education and care Service, in particular educator’s pedagogical practice, development and implementation of the educational program. It involves a purposeful and critical analysis of educator’s own experiences, actions, and decisions with the objective of improving practice and outcomes for children and young people.
When educators and leaders engage in consistent and purposeful critical reflection, it fosters a culture of continuous improvement. By engaging in reflection, educators and leaders can gain deeper insights into their practices, examining the reasons behind their practices, identify strengths and areas for growth, and refine their approaches to better meet the individual and collective needs of the children in their care. Additionally, reflection encourages professionals to challenge assumptions, explore alternative perspectives, and make informed decisions based on research, evidence and best practices.
Critical reflection, practical strategies to guide your team:
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- Journaling: Encourage educators to maintain reflective journals where they can record their thoughts, observations, and insights on a regular basis. Journaling allows for private, uninterrupted reflection and serves as a valuable tool for self-assessment and goal setting.
- Collaborative Reflection: Facilitate group discussions or peer-to-peer reflections where professionals can share their experiences, seek feedback, and engage in collaborative problem-solving. These can occur in a range of contexts, often at team meetings, informal professional discussions, during program evaluations, online chat forums and spontaneous check-in meetings. Collaborative reflection promotes a culture of shared learning and collective responsibility.
- Professional Development Opportunities: Provide access to professional development workshops, seminars, and training sessions that focus on reflective practice techniques and methodologies. Encourage and support your team to actively participate in reflective exercises and discussions during these sessions.
- Mentoring and Coaching: Pair new/trainee educators with more experienced educators who can provide guidance, support, and feedback on their reflective practice journey. Mentorship relationships foster a sense of accountability and facilitate personalised growth and development contributing the continual improvement of the overall Service delivery.
Resources:
We Hear You blog- The journey towards critical reflection, Understanding critical reflection, Documentation- What, why and how
Guide to the NQF: Element 1.3.2: Critical Reflection
Videos: Documenting and reflecting, Critical Reflection in Practice
Within System7 go to Quality Area 1/ Module 8 to submit self-assessment notes and if required, open a QIP issue if you identify any areas of improvement.
The Childcare Centre Desktop has a range of resources to assist services with critical reflection and assessment and planning. These include Educational Program Policy, Educational Program and Practice Procedure, Assessment of Learning Summary, Program Template,Critical Reflection Template and much more.
Resources, NQS Element, Regulation and System7 links
Childcare Centre Desktop – Childcare Centre Desktop
National Quality Standard – QA 1/ 1.3.2: Critical reflection
National Regulations – 73, 74, 155, 156, 254
System7 Module – QA 1/ Module 8
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