Narratives for reflexivity: Understanding the professional self

Abstract

The importance of 'reflective practice' in teaching and other professions is well established. Encouraging habits of reflection in students is a feature of the work of many professional educators. One starting point for students is reflection on their experiential knowledge of professional contexts. But in a learning environment shaped by a 'banking' model of education, students may question the legitimacy of experiential knowledge. This paper is an exploration of the potential of written personal narrative as a starting point for developing a reflexive understanding of the self in professional contexts. It has a specific focus on teacher education.