Lean Forward, Lean Back

Personal Reflection on Teaching Practice

• Initial Values: Upon entering the Ed School, a focus on valuing specific teaching practices.

Video Reflection Experience

• First Video: Watching a video of a tutoring session with a fifth-grade girl.

  • Expectation vs. Reality: Believed to be asking open-ended questions to encourage discussion.

  • Realization: Observed the student leaning back, indicating disengagement, which contradicted the goal of fostering a vibrant learning atmosphere.

Impact of Observation

• Transformative Moment: Surprise and disbelief upon recognizing the disconnect between perceived and actual teaching methods.

• Self-Calibration: Gained insight to assess personal teaching methods against desired outcomes.

  • Feeling Empowered: Realized the need to adjust practices to better align with educational values and improve student engagement.

Future Application

• Commitment to Video Reflections: Motivation to continue using video reflections as a tool for self-improvement, regardless of external accountability.