Reflective Practice in the Early Years Tools for Practitioners 1. Introduction “We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience.” -John Dewey- You have probably heard the term “reflective practice”, but do you really know what this means? In this booklet we want to challenge you to think about reflective practice and how you might use reflective practice in your workplace to improve the way you practice, your working relationships and ultimately achieve better outcomes for you and the young children you work with. We all reflect but in different ways and about different things. Often the reflection provides the “story of the day” that we may muse overby ourselves or tell a sympathetic ear, but ultimately the “story of the day” we want others …show more content…
Observation “When dealing with children there is greater need for observing than of probing.” Maria Montessori Observation of the environment, the children and our own practice and feelings is at the heart of reflective practice. Observation requires a particular mindset and skill set. Observation of children Essential competencies and personal attributes necessary to observe children effectively are presented. These will include empathy and love of children, being non-judgemental and inclusive, knowledge of child development and understanding of the social context of children. Observation of practice Essential competencies and personal attributes necessary to observe our own practice (both as an individual and as part of a team) are presented. These will include professional training, welcoming professional challenge, the ability to leave one’s comfort zone and observe actions as if performed by another. Observation of