User:Nandini DP/sandbox

Introduction
Reflection is the most effective tool for both students and teachers where, each individual thinks about their practices, analyzes how something has been, and how the practice can be improved or changed to enhance learning outcomes. For example, if the student wants to win a chess game next time, he should critically think about his strengths and weakness in playing the chess game based on his previous experiences, actions, and beliefs, analyze and come up with the strategies, which can help him to utilize the tactics, to win the game of chess. Then, that student becomes reflective. Similarly, to be a Reflective teacher, there are three important fundamental characteristics that the teacher should have i.e., open-mindedness, responsibility, and wholeheartedness.

1. Open mindedness
Open-mindedness is the characteristics, which should be acquired by the teacher gradually and should become part and parcel of their life. It cannot be inherited. To be an open-minded teacher, he/she should be open to receive the feedback and critics from the students, colleagues, and principal, build healthy relationship with students and colleagues, develop skills to think in other’s perspective and assess the teaching done in the classroom by critically thinking and reflecting and finding out what went on well, what didn't go well and what are the changes to be made for the next classroom.

2. Responsibility
Responsibility is the second important characteristics that need to be acquired by the teacher to be reflective. As he/she will be accountable and responsible for completing the tasks assigned to them as a teacher. Here, teacher should prioritize, plan, manage the tasks in a more organized manner, such that, completing the syllabus assigned, being responsible to build character and discipline in the students, encouraging each and every student to take part in co-curricular activities, time management, class management, showing leadership in the school by actively participating in the tasks assigned. One of the examples, to be a responsible teacher is to have Inclusive classroom, where the teacher is responsible to make sure every individual’s interest, needs, are they comfortable and completing the notes and should make an adjustment to fulfill the needs of special need students.

3. Wholeheartedness
The third important characteristic to be a reflective teacher is Wholeheartedness. The teacher should teach and listen to the student wholeheartedly, so that, the student will be satisfied and have respect for the teacher. The teacher should interact with the students to check whether the students require any support from them without any discrimination. They should accept the students as they are. And, the most important thing is that the teacher should think before speaking because, students are most influenced by their teacher than their parents, as they spend maximum time in the school. The process of reflective teaching involves analyzing the experiences, accumulation of knowledge, thinking critically of the actions in the classroom and use the knowledge in some other situations. Reflective teaching is the balance between the thoughts and actions and a balance between arrogance that blindly rejects what is commonly accepted as truth and the servility that blindly receive this truth. The teacher who reviews reconstructs re-enacts and critically analyze his own work and student’s performance becomes a reflective teacher. Reflective teaching becomes self-observation and self-evaluation.

Conclusion
Hence, reflection is a blend of experience, intuition, and critical thinking. The individual who gives time to himself/herself to think critically about the thoughts and actions of the previous experience and analyze what went wrong and what to be improved or changed by reflecting makes him/her an effective teacher. There are some of the qualities needed by any individual to become a Reflective teacher. They are •	Passionate about teaching the students wholeheartedly. •	Gradually unlearning negative qualities like comparison, jealously, etc •	Taking everything that comes without judging and to be prepared to receive wholeheartedly •	To know the strengths and has the courage to overcome failures •	Should be a responsible individual •	Taking one task at a time and giving or putting 100% efforts that brings the effectiveness of the completed task and the same time have the satisfaction •	Should be committed and dedicated to the role

Reference
[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303383026_On_Becoming_a_Reflective_Teacher Zeichner, Kenneth & Grant, C.. (1984). On Becoming a Reflective Teacher.]