Changes in One Teacher's Interpretive Observations With Reflective Practice Through Awareness of Discrepancies in Observations During and After Class

Abstract

This study aimed to identify changes in one teacher’s perceptions of children when reflecting on her teaching practice in light of "reflection-in-action." As observation inherently involves the teacher’s subjective interpretation of the observed, this study examined the teacher’s observations of two students in conjunction with children's notes and reflections during lessons, the teacher's reflections during the practice period, and lesson videos thorough an analyzing cases in which significant differences appeared between the teacher's in-class observations of the students’ learning and the learning patterns of the children as revealed through retrospective video review. These discrepancies stemmed from the teacher’s initial cognitive bias regarding how children express their learning. Recognition of this gap prompted a shift in the teacher's observational approach. The results demonstrate that it is essential for teachers to continue to learn flexibly and attend to such discrepancies to identify their implicit assumptions.