Dialogic reflection for social justice - He Anga Huritao

Titiro whakamuri, kokiri whakamua. Look back and reflect so we can move forward.

Abstract

Critical reflection is the cornerstone of teacher education and professional learning and there are countless models to support and refine the practice of critical reflection.  This paper forms a narrative critique of the authors’ bespoke framework for critical reflection-on action, created to support the gradual transformation of trainee and beginning teachers working in New Zealand communities that are characterised by rich diversity. Entitled ‘He Anga Huritao’ (a framework for reflection), the framework draws from literature pertaining to both critical reflection and education for social justice, placing emphasis on tuakana-teina (or mentor/mentee) relationships. This framework was created following the analysis of how critical reflection was experienced by beginning secondary trainee teachers in employment-based Initial Teacher Education. Following investigation of the application of this framework with individual considerations at each stage, this paper concludes with recommendations for practitioners interested in applying He Anga Huritao to their practice or setting. This paper is to the interest of New Zealand teachers and school leaders, involved in using critical reflection as a tool for social justice to support the transformation of teaching practice. In reading this paper educators will develop a sense of the particular need for critical reflection to transform teaching practice towards social justice and be provided with a tool with which to do so.