What does "reflection" in teaching primarily involve?

Reflection in teaching primarily involves making minute-to-minute adjustments in response to the ongoing dynamics of the classroom environment and student needs. This process includes continuously assessing how well students are understanding the material and whether they are engaged in the learning process. Effective teachers use reflection to evaluate their teaching effectiveness in real-time and adapt their instructional strategies accordingly.

For instance, if a teacher notices that students are confused about a particular concept during a lesson, reflected observation and quick assessment allow the teacher to alter the delivery method or provide additional support. This style of reflection promotes responsive teaching and enhances student learning by ensuring that instruction is tailored to meet learners' immediate needs. It is a continuous process that grows from the teacher's awareness of how their teaching is impacting student learning.

Other options, while valuable aspects of teaching, do not capture the essence of reflection as a responsive and adaptive practice in the moment. Conducting assessments at the end of a unit and creating lesson plans are more structured activities that do not reflect the immediacy and adaptability required in a reflective teaching practice. Implementing new teaching methods can be based on reflective practice, but it does not constitute reflection itself. Reflection is fundamentally about thinking critically and adjusting practices as one observes students’ reactions and engagement.