Before the students start PO, I introduce reflective teaching, using Richards and Lockhart’s definition: A reflective approach to teaching is one in which teachers “collect data about teaching, examine their attitudes, beliefs, assumptions and teaching practices, and use the information obtained as a basis for critical reflection about teaching” (1996, p. 1). I then assign several articles on reflective teaching (for example, Brandt 2008; Lee 2007) and discuss them in class. The readings and the subsequent class discussions help students gain an understanding of the nature of reflective teaching.
As I use PO in the practicum, there are four phases: