McLean – tools for reflective practice

Tools for reflective practice can include writing, journaling, and sometimes that’s a really easy way to start because it’s not as intimidating as speaking and saying your questions out loud or your thoughts out loud.  

Again, having the time that’s actually dedicated to reflection in the day of the centre or in the evening or during staff meetings, and if you have that journal or that written question that you can bring to the meeting then that helps.  

There is also even being able to write down your questions and have a place to put those questions, you know, almost like a suggestion box but a reflection box. So – and you can do it anonymously. But you know you also have to keep it constructive and creative and real about some of the questions that you have about what you’re doing, and that can allow the administrator to become more reflective and also to think about what is on people’s minds. What are they thinking about?  

So I think writing and discussing and then using those steps of first saying what am I doing, providing more detail, how am I doing it, why am I doing it, what else can I do? So just starting with baby steps and then working your way to the why.