REFLECTIVE TEACHING - USING NLP
Phil Quirke

A Reflective Model

How can you reflect on your day-to-day practice?
Directly observed
Indirectly observed

Personal recall
Documented recall
Audio / Video
Transcript

Focus of recall

Most teachers in developmental programs would prefer that their values and attitudes remain intact.
But by questioning our values and attitudes based on the teaching model above and using reflective techniques such as the NLP example below we can ensure that reflective teaching:
builds on our experiential foundation
aids our Action Research
uses and involves students as our daily observers
and therefore by:
Asking
Collating
Reflecting
Acting
We create our future teaching

An example drawing on NLP:
It has been suggested in NLP that we can look at ourselves in relation to a particular issue from five different points of view:

IDENTITY This describes our role in a particular situation. Who we are.
BELIEF This describes the beliefs and values we have that relate to the situation. Why we do what we do.
CAPABILITY This describes the skills and strategies we use in that situation. How we do what we do.
BEHAVIOUR This describes what we do in that situation. What we do.
ENVIRONMENT This describes where and when we do what we do.

This model can be useful in that it helps us as teachers reflect on our teaching from a number of angles that we might otherwise not consider.
When using the model it is often best to work from ENVIRONMENT up to IDENTITY - which we often describe using a metaphor - and then back again to ENVIRONMENT.
Think about the example below:
This morning I did a class that I wasn't that happy with and I thought it might have been down to my preparation. So I started asking myself the following:
Where did I prepare the class? (Environment)
In my office

When did I prepare it? (Environment)
On Wednesday afternoon around 4pm.

What did I prepare? (Behaviour)
A language focus and case study preparation exercise straight from the textbook.

How did I prepare? (Capability)
I typed out one feedback sheet and wrote out quickly the exercises and page references. It was definitely rushed and I didn't use any supplementary ideas as I normally would.

Why did I prepare what I prepared? (Belief)
Quick, easy. Didn't need to worry about it. Done before. Thought it would be a romp.

Who was I as I was preparing? (Identity)
Very much the supervisor with no time to prepare properly. Very self-centred.

What metaphor would I use for myself while preparing?
A March Hare

Take this metaphor back to belief. What would I add? (Belief)
Even the March Hare needs to slow down and take stock. Could have taken a couple of minutes for a carrot to feed the students. It would have worked out a lot quicker and less painful in the end.

How would that taking stock have affected how I planned? (Capability)
Allowed me to add a few gems like moving pairs even if I didn't change the material.

What would the carrot and gems mean for what I planned? (Behaviour)
More consideration of the students. More movement early on a Saturday morning.

Where and when would you plan if you wanted to get rid of the March Hare? (Environment)
Probably still on the Wednesday afternoon but try to get a flow on from the Wednesday class so there is less to prepare. Not in my office.

An exercise drawing on NLP
Now think of a recent lesson you have taught where you encountered a problem.
Discuss this problem following the model:

ENVIRONMENT
Where?
When?

BEHAVIOUR
What?

CAPABILITY
How?

BELIEF
Why?

IDENTITY
Who?

METAPHOR

BELIEF
What would I add / change / delete?

CAPABILITY
How would that have affected what I did?

BEHAVIOUR
What does the above mean for what I did?

ENVIRONMENT
Where and when will you make the changes?

Based on this experience, let us now look at assignment action plans.