How can we as eductors be sure that our teaching practices are effective? How can one guarantee that our students are truly learning? As an ESL grade school teacher, college professor and academic coordinator, I have the responsibility of helping students acquire knowledge and develop basic skills; reading, writing, listening, speaking, and use of the language, as well as guiding fellow teachers to achieve these goals.

For the past three years I have pivoted my approach from a didactic pedagogy to dynamic and reflexive one. Although this transition has been slow and progressive, I have noticed that students of all ages are developing critical thinking skills a lot faster, they are more receptive and analytical to feedback and are more curious about the world around them.

From a teaching perspective, reflecting upon my students needs and interests, as well as my own praxis has allowed me base my teaching techniques and methodology on asking more questions rather than giving answers or lectures. This in turn has forced me to rethink and reflect upon the true objective of each lesson and how that information or knowledge will be useful for them in their lives.

From a holistic standpoint, seeing each student as an academic, social, psychological, thinking, and spiritual being, I strongly agree that a reflexive approach in learning and teaching, also known as experience-based learning (EBL), allows students to achieve a deeper understanding, take responsibility for their decisions and learning, in order to become better students and citizens of the world (Duarte and Fitzgerald, pg. 20). 

Reference:

Duarte, F. and Fitzgerald, A., Guiding Principles for a Reflexive Approach to Teaching Organisation Studies, Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 3(1), 2006. Available at:http://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/vol3/iss1/3