Reflection

Reflection is a critical process. While many people are reluctant to make the time for it, few deny its power. Bruner (1986, p.132) provides one such view: If one fails to develop any sense of reflective intervention in the knowledge one encounters, one operates continually from the outside in - knowledge controls and guides you. If you develop a sense of self-premised on your ability to penetrate knowledge for your own uses, and you share and negotiate the results, then you become a member of the culture-creating community. Reflection is not just a formal academic process. "Chewing or mulling things over" is common for most people. Becoming more aware of such processes and how to use them effectively strongly facilitates learning. Bruner (1986) sees reflection and distancing as crucial to opening up possibilities: 'a metacognitive step of huge import'. Keeping a diary or journal is a wonderful educative tool for anyone. One of the challenges for teachers and parents is to facilitate the switching on of reflection by the children in their care. Think for a moment about areas of your life where you switch on your reflection, and areas where you show no interest and leave it switched off.