Reflecting on this first semester I have realised that I, as a person, have changed professionally and personally.

I used to be quite an anxious person and found the thought of starting University quite daunting. But now, I am relishing in the fact that I am here, and I should be enjoying every moment! Which leads me onto my new lease for life, that I should not take everything as a knock back, treat everything as a new learning curve and a way to improve. A key element, I believe, for being a reflective teacher.

This new lease for life is a great value which I should try and instil in the children I teach and to make them aware that it is okay to make mistakes. I became aware of this new lease for life whilst doing the working together module. It made me understand that, sometimes, you need to make a few mistakes in order to get the best outcome and I was able to reflect upon this using Brookfleild’s lenses….something I will never forget and I will need to be an effective reflective teacher.

Being a reflective person was something that we were always told about from the beginning and was something which I did not truly understand and thought it was just something that we had to do. But, I understand now that to be a reflective teacher will not only benefit myself but also the children whom I teach, as they will not just be getting the same teaching style or resources all the time. I will change for the better therefore the children will too.

However, a key moment of professional reflection is through the values module. I was initially a bit sceptical about this module and did not understand how it would benefit me professionally. However, I now understand our own values need to be in the right place in order to teach children as we will be a role model for them and, hopefully, their own set of values. I was able to explore my own values and how these might relate to myself personally and professionally and what society makes of me. It was interesting and eye opening and made me realise the true extent to which my values go and the example I should be setting for children.

I will continue to reflect throughout my professional practice in order to become an effective reflective teacher.