Teacher reflection: a perspective from the trenches

Theory Into Practice, Summer, 2003 by Kathleen M. Sharp

As I share my personal experiences with them, I encourage my students to reflect about themselves as cultural beings, and I invite them to give feedback in the learning environment. I recognize that students' feedback is equally important in the reflective process as we grapple with difficult issues around culture and race. This feedback influences my teaching practices, such as goal setting, peer evaluation, student self-evaluation, and teacher evaluation. In an effort to determine the most appropriate instructional strategy for each student's learning style, I carefully and deliberately examine the pedagogical practices that will reach all learners. This approach allows me to change the structure of the curriculum, yet at the same time teach what is expected (Banks, 1999). Accordingly, my lesson plans and materials almost always include a multicultural component. I believe as Fillmore (1993) does that students in a world where people come from many different places and backgrounds deserve to develop an appreciation for all cultures.

Reflection and Activity in my Classroom

Several activities guide reflection in my classroom. To encourage dialogue and reflection in my American literature class I invited students to look at literature through four lenses (Soter, 1999). The first lens represents the opinion of the reader. The second represents what the student learns from the book (e.g., the setting, plot, characters, conflict, and mood). The third lens represents the author's autobiography and perspective (or who that author is culturally and racially). The fourth and final lens describes the social and cultural context of the era outlined in the book.

Prior to teaching Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I researched how the Cherry Hill, New Jersey, school district handled the controversial aspects of the story, specifically the "N" word (nigger) being used 382 times in the novel. I realized the severity and sensitivity associated with the novel and wanted to create a safe and meaningful learning environment for my students. What I discovered from the Cherry Hill research was that the school district provided a reading guide and suggested a video that introduced students to the text and the controversial issues prior to reading the book. In addition, I distributed a recent article from a magazine, which described African Americans' feelings about the "N" word from the perspective of African Americans of different generations (e.g., a 78-year-old female, a 52-year-old male, a 17-year-old male, and a 23-year-old female).

The discussion that followed encouraged students to look at Twain's critique of racism and stereotypes. I also discussed other cultural implications and the cross-cultural relationships described in the book. Clearly, several forms of reflection occurred throughout these activities. I searched my own beliefs surrounding the issues in Twain's novel, considered others' introspection, and encouraged my students to think about themselves (mostly as White students) in relation to the world. Reflection was central as I developed these activities for my students. I had to think deeply about who I was, and about issues among my students for the best possible learning to occur.