At Thinking Teacher, we aim to create a network of reflective teachers who seek each other’s views on a range of issues that pertain to teaching and learning.
In order to do this, we tap into the rich ground of everyday practice that inevitably unfolds for each and every teacher. Learning from one’s own experience is known to be the most effective – and lasting. Instead of relying on formal training programmes or courses, (which necessitate the presence of an ‘expert’ and a separate time slot), we place the onus squarely on the shoulders of the teacher, as she works every day. By exploiting the rich opportunity provided through daily dilemmas to develop reflection and critical thinking, we facilitate online teacher development. Slowly, we envision the dependence on a facilitator to wean away, with each teacher being equipped to deepen her practice through peer interaction and self-capacity building.
In a sense, this is a paradigm shift for teacher development – what Schön terms a ‘new epistemology of practice’.
In today’s world, critical thinking and reflection are most essential for every professional: and unless a teacher possesses these skills, we can hardly expect the new generation to be equipped with them.
Thus, we strive to awaken the reflective practitioner from within each teacher in a school. As vibrancy and critical thinking develop in each school’s ambience, we then try and link schools with each other, so as to allow for a rich exchange of ideas, questions and opinions.
We envision the ripples of reflective practice to impact generations of school children so that learning becomes the unique and joyful privilege that it should be – for every learner and every teacher.