The best educational practitioners reflect on their teaching style and approach and revise this based on what works well for them and the children they work with. This is a crucial aspect of working with the SEND population as all children are first and foremost individuals; what works for one child may not work for another even with a similar SEND profile or diagnosis. Staff with good self-awareness and a willingness to adjust to the children they engage with experience the greatest success within the setting and with SEND support.
‘Reflective Practice is learning through and from experience towards gaining new insights of self and practice.’ (Finlay, 2008)
Reflective Practice is to critically evaluate experience from both the past and present and to use that information to inform and plan teaching and learning.
Reflective Practice is:
- about learning from others;
- a shared activity;
- about improving your objectivity; and
- is a key factor in improving learner experience.
Reflective Practice supports identification of and provision for children with SEND and fits well with the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle.