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To be a teacher is a great responsibility and it is often thought that once qualified, a teacher simply teaches and students do the learning. However, this is not the case as self-analysis can help a teacher to grow and improve their overall performance. Self-analysis should be a part of a teacher’s daily routine however this does not have to be formally written down. It could simple be asking oneself a few question after the lesson has been conducted. What went well? What didn’t go well? What could I have done differently to improve the lesson for the students? Did learning take place? After these questions have been answered and changes made, when the lesson is conducted again it should of significantly improve. A private journal is also a great tool for a teacher to reflect and use to write down their thoughts and feelings without the fear of being judged by others. It is important to have a balanced evaluation that focuses on both the positives as well as the areas to develop. A lesson is rarely perfect and there are always things that can be done to make it better but dwelling on the negatives is counterproductive and should instead focus on a desire to do a better job next time. Nobody enters the teaching profession to be a mediocre teacher delivering the same lesson time after time however workload and time constraints can lead to lessons being repeated even though they need improvement. This is why it is important to introduce self-analysis into your routine from the beginning and to make is a simple process and not another job adding to the list. One of the key parts of self-analysis is being able to recognise mistakes that have been made and having the confidence to change these and try new ideas. Reflection can be used to identify teaching styles and adapting these to enhance performance and the learning experience. Self-analysis of lessons is also a good way to identify missed opportunities to explore a topic or discussion or to establish if a topic needs to be covered in more detail. Self-analysis can also identify gaps in a teachers training and open up opportunities for career development. The process of self-analysis can also be shared with colleagues by conducting informal peer observations to share ideas and discuss possible changes that could be made. Teachers can also ask the students to review their learning experience to gage how they feel about the way lessons have been structured and how effectively they are learning. This can be conducted several ways such as a survey or a poll. Sometime you just need to take a step back and put yourself in the student’s position. Self-analysis of teachers should be viewed as a positive process with the main outcome to improve effectiveness, to develop and to continually strive to be the best teacher you can be as Scales suggests, “one of the most effective methods of learning is to teach someone else” (Scales, 2009, p. 119). Books: • Scales, Peter (2009) Teaching in Learning Sector, 1st ed. Berkshire: Open University Press • Roffey-Barentsen, Jodi & Malthouse, Richard (2009) Reflective Practice, 1st ed. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd
