Events - Auxin: “…but what is my mark…?”: developing...

Auxin: “…but what is my mark…?”: developing pre-service teachers’ critical reflection practices

Start: 03/10/2023, 13:00
End: 03/10/2023, 14:00

Contact:Jean Farmer - 021 808 3717
Location: MS Teams

In their four-year journey of studying to become a teacher, pre-service teachers engage in a range of assessment processes and tasks across their modules of study to determine their progress in meeting module or programme outcomes. School-based practicum forms an integral part of that process with the intended purpose of developing pre-service teachers' understanding of assessment as learning and assessment for learning. To what extent are self-reflection practices encouraged so that pre-service teachers are able to develop their self-criticality? It will be argued that “although self-reflection is inward-focused, it is a habit practiced and developed interpersonally within meaningful relationships guided by intentional questions and a quest toward purposeful ends" (Costa & Garmston, 2016; Wetzel et al., 2017). With a focus on the school-based practicum, the presenter will share the impact of a reflective, and guided development conversation tool piloted with pre-service teachers and their school-based mentors. In doing so, emphasis will be placed on the role which this tool has and can play in the adaptive expertise (Hunskaar & Gudmundsdottir, 2023) of both pre-service teachers and their mentor teachers. Furthermore, the dialogue will be centered on the role and impact of guided development conversations as sustainable assessment to help pre-service teachers in their life-learning journeys of becoming a teacher.

The Speaker

Dr Chrischar Rock is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education (Curriculum Studies) where she contributes to preparing B.Ed pre-service teachers for school-based practicum. For many years she served as a teacher training mentor at the Institute of Education (UCL) and as an associate curriculum content writer for the National Schools Partnership (UK). She is a Harvard Kennedy School of Government Executive Education alumna and holds a Masters' degree in Education and International Development (UCL), with a research focus on curriculum reform and teacher identity. Her further research and interest areas include teachers' practices and perspectives in the delivery of democratic citizenship education in South African schools as well as exploring different tools to develop teachers' reflective practices and self-criticality.