“Implementing reflective learning has felt exciting as the lesson has become more than just imparting information that I have deemed relevant.  It has become more of a two way process which incorporates feelings as well as facts.” – Kate Gittins, Percussion, Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone Teacher – aged 40

 

It is difficult to appreciate how much reflective work can help to advance learning if you have never experienced it for yourself.   It is worth doing reflective work for a month for the insight that it can offer you.

 

Following are a couple of my consecutive reflections which I have included because they demonstrate how a thought or observation leads to action and progress:

 

 

Reflection One

 

 

“Feel like am getting back into practice now but need to give it more time and make it more challenging.  Feel my playing is getting better, especially rhythmically and this is evident when jamming.  The project with Jamie is going well and I have decided to do a gig every two weeks’ as I am getting busier now with the singing group.  Maybe an hour a day playing is all I can really manage for now… anyway, we’ll see.”

 

 

Reflection Two

 

 

“Although I didn’t do a lot of practice this week, I did a lot of music and enjoyed all of it.  One very important point I realised recently is that I have been neglecting the act of finding new resources.  I was reminded of this because one of my students bought some great books which I borrowed and they helped me to begin achieving some of my aims and made my practice more challenging and interesting.  I really needed that!  Having relevant and good resources is essential to gaining skill and motivation for my music.  This is something which I already knew but with time had forgotten to implement for myself!”

 

 

These two reflections show my desire to make my practice more challenging and my solution to the problem, inspired by one of my students, ended up being the acquisition of some new books.  By reflecting, I reminded myself to find new inspiring materials when I feel a lack of motivation and to implement for myself what I teach to others!

 

I always begin a session by reading my student’s reflective work and from there I can gain a good idea of how to structure their time with me.  For example, whether to revise material, if little practice has occurred, or whether to progress activities or to change them, depending on their motivation level.  If a student hasn’t done any written work, I still begin the lesson by asking some questions and I write down their answers in the reflective section of the Diary, which helps to keep track of their development while demonstrating how reflection is done and how it is relevant to the student.  Often issues are raised which require discussion and support.  These can range from what is happening in a student’s life that is making them feel a particular way and impacting negatively or positively on their work, to discussing a film or concert they have seen.

 

I like to aim for the student leaving a lesson feeling better than they did when they walked in because it is important to me that music has a positive feeling attached to it, that it is fun, non-threatening and life-enhancing.  This means that sometimes I have to act more as a listener and mentor for my students.  After all, we are human and other areas of life can affect the way we learn and progress.  Reflection and discussion enables me to support my students because I have an understanding of their needs while ensuring my teaching practice is more inclusive by supporting more than one type of learner.

 

Reflective work makes teaching easier as it indicates the changing needs and desires of students and helps a teacher to support these.  When students experience support and find their learning material relevant to their desired outcome, they want to stay with you.

 

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