This book is an excellent resource for teacher educators who want to prepare teachers who can continue to learn in and from their practice and become better teachers throughout their careers.
— Ken Zeichner, Boeing Professor of Teacher Education, University of Washington
Reflection on professional practice is key to improved education examining both the affective dimensions and cognitive outcomes of professional and personal actions. Pultorak and his colleagues provide an in-depth examination of the various dimensions of reflectivity that not only provide new perspectives, but raise critical questions about the role of reflectivity in education. Reflectivity and inquiry have a symbiotic relationship as twin stimulators that strengthen each other through mutual analysis and development. The book provides original research as well as comprehensive summaries of the field, illustrations of reflectivity in practice, and its potential as a driving force in improving education.
— W Robert Houston, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Education, Distinguished Teacher Educator, University of Houston
Teaching is clearly a complex activity. In this book, The Purposes, Practices, and Professionalism of Teacher Reflectivity, the authors comprehensively examine the learning centered community as a support for the integrated learning and development of P–12 students through inquiry-based practice. Each chapter reflects a common vision of teaching and learning grounded in research and practitioner reflective knowledge. Finally, the authors challenge teachers through effective teacher education to reflect on their own practice, consider school community and family contexts in connecting concepts, and develop protocols to enhance student learning. This book is a must for all educator libraries.
— Boyce Williams, vice president of international relations, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
The Purposes, Practices, and Professionalism of Teacher Reflectivity makes a significant contribution to teacher education by addressing directly and unapologetically the importance of the teacher reflectivity throughout the educational process and within teacher preparation programs. The collection of chapters starts with the role of teacher reflectivity in theory and research and ends with a thought-provoking section on reflectivity from an international perspective. Meshed between these sections are chapters that provide new insights and answer long-standing questions about the role of teaching reflectivity within teacher education programs, in the professional growth of teacher candidates, and within P-20 schools and classrooms. The approach taken by the editor and the authors to discuss reflectivity within various contexts contributes to the widespread appeal of the book. The book is well-written and organized in such as a way as to make it a must-have resource for teacher educators, teacher candidates, P–12 teachers and administrators, and anyone else committed to integrating teacher reflectivity into the teaching and learning process.
— Annette D. Digby, dean, Thayer School of Education, Wingate University, Wingate, NC
In The Purposes, Practices, and Professionalism of Teacher Reflectivity, authors make significant contributions to the ongoing conversation in American education about the importance of studying teaching and learning. Teacher reflectivity is a learned practice, and the authors offer important insights about the impacts of reflectivity on various aspects of teacher education. Specifically, the book thoughtfully addresses teacher reflectivity as it relates to theory and research, teacher education programs, teacher candidates, and to schools and classrooms. An additional important emphasis is on teacher reflectivity from international perspectives. Indeed, this volume is an important resource for teacher educators and for others interested in advancing the study of teaching and learning.
— Sandra J. Odell, professor and chair, University of Nevada, Las Vegas; editor, Journal of Teacher Education
This book offers a superb array of literature and research studies around teacher reflectivity. Its coverage is both broad and deep. The research is rigorous and exciting in both range and intensity. I was particularly taken by the historical and critical dimensions that explored teacher reflectivity over time and place. The argument that the work of teachers requires them to be reflective practitioners who can make complex professional judgements based on knowledge of students, pedagogy, curriculum content and teacher research is powerfully presented. Ideas about the 'reflective practitioner' , teachers 'technical rationality', 'practical action' and the importance of 'critical reflection' are vigorously presented through a careful analysis of theory, research and practice in schools and teacher education programs. There are many refreshing ideas and practical ways that teacher reflectivity can be taught and developed in dialogic spaces that show both great wisdom and experience by the writers involved. As a teacher educator I will use this book to enhance my skills in critical reflectivity and to develop my skills to analyse and explore my learning as it shapes and reshapes my world view and the actions I take as a professional educator to work towards reforms in schools, teacher education programs and to critique and act on my work and my world.I commend this quality publication as a way for professional educators to analyse and work towards researching their work to develop and encourage reflective professionals to engage in critical reflection throughout their entire career. As part of this process professional educators need work towards constructing educational systems that build in the time and place for dialogic spaces for educators to explore, share and develop reflective practitioners to work collaboratively to enhance student learning and teacher performance.
— Maxine Cooper, University of Ballarat, Australia; former president, Australian Teacher Education Association (Australia TEA)
Everyone working in the educational field and interested in teachers' reflectivity should own this book. It situates teacher reflectivity as a provision of methods, tools and practices which can cause an important impact on teacher performance, teacher retention, student learning, teacher education and teachers' professional development. Written in a very accessible way, each of the eighteen chapters studies teacher reflectivity from a different perspective. Theoretical and research viewpoints are discussed, classroom practice and implementation aspects considered, pre-service as well as professional development practices described and the international contexts outlined. Due to the thorough and detailed contribution of all the authors, The Purposes, Practices, and Professionalism of Teacher Reflectivity becomes a self contained and comprehensive reference resource as well as a manual on teacher reflectivity. It will be a useful guide for teaching practitioners, researchers, lecturers, teacher trainers and decision-makers.A real must for all participants in the enhancement and innovation of education today and tomorrow.
— Arno Libotton, senior lecturer, Free University Brussels; former president, Association of Teacher Educators Europe (ATEE)
Teaching teacher candidates to reflect is a nearly universal aspect of preservice teacher education. The rich collection of chapters that make up this unique book do not simply advocate reflection; however, they use compelling narratives and other data to examine the impact of reflectivity on teachers' and students' learning. Readers will find this engaging book both informative and provocative.
— Marilyn Cochran-Smith, professor and chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College
For teacher educators, teacher candidates, classroom teachers, administrators, and researchers, Pultorak (curriculum and instruction, Southern Illinois U. Carbondale) compiles 18 essays by teacher educators in a variety of fields from the US and Europe who consider the role of teacher reflectivity in teacher performance, retention, student learning ,and other aspects of education. Chapters originated in a national commission appointed by the Association of Teacher Educators in 2004 on these issues. The practical and research-based chapters discuss specific types of reflection in theory and research, education programs, with teacher candidates, in schools and classrooms, and from international perspectives like that of Chinese teachers. These include reflectivity as a social problem-solving process, changing dispositions of new teachers, facilitating instructional differences, self-assessment, teacher development, the role of inquiry-oriented learning communities, the use of journals, and the role of teaching standards.
— Book News, Inc.