Irsa Iqbal

Hi my name is irsa iqbal and I work in an early years setting in London. I am nearing the end of my CACHE level 3 Early Years Educator course and have been asked by my tutor to engage in discussions with my peers about the main theoretical perspectives on professional development. Below is description of my current knowledge involving the reflective practices of Kolb and Gibbs. I wondered if there were any other view points or theories on reflective practice that are useful for early years practitioners? Any advice much appreciated, thanks in advance :) Reflection is a valuable tool for early years practitioners, as it enables them to critically assess their interactions with young children, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies that enhance their teaching practices. By exploring various theoretical perspectives on reflection, practitioners can better understand how to integrate reflective practices into their professional development. Discussing these theories in an online forum with peers allows for a collaborative exchange of ideas, particularly when linked to personal experiences in early years settings. This approach not only illustrates how theories work in practice but also enhances the practical application of reflection for continuous growth. Theoretical Perspectives on Reflection: In early years education, theories such as Donald Schön’s Reflective Practitioner model, Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, and Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle provide valuable frameworks for understanding how reflection can support professional development. Schön’s Reflective Practitioner Model: Donald Schön introduced two modes of reflection: reflection-in-action, which occurs in real-time, and reflection-on-action, which happens after an event. Reflection-in-action allows professionals to adapt their approach during an activity, enhancing immediate decision-making. For example, a healthcare worker might need to adjust a treatment plan on the spot based on a patient’s response. Reflection-on-action enables a deeper evaluation post-event, where lessons are extracted for future application. Reflection-in-action occurs during a task, allowing early years practitioners to adapt their approaches based on immediate feedback from children. For example, a practitioner might notice a child struggling with an activity and decide, in the moment, to modify the task to better suit the child’s abilities. Reflection-on-action takes place after the event, where practitioners can analyse their responses and identify lessons for future interactions. This model is particularly useful in early years settings where flexibility and responsiveness are key. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory: Kolb’s model describes reflection as part of a four-stage learning cycle: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. In an early years context, practitioners might first engage in an activity with the children (concrete experience), then reflect on how well it supported the children’s learning (reflective observation). After this, they can conceptualize new approaches based on their reflections and experiment with these new methods in future sessions. This cyclical process is essential for early years practitioners, who often need to adapt their strategies to the diverse learning needs of young children. Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle: Gibbs’ model provides a structured framework for reflection, including description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan. This approach is beneficial for early years practitioners as it helps them to thoroughly analyse their experiences and identify specific actions for improvement. For instance, a practitioner reflecting on a challenging day might use Gibbs’ cycle to describe what happened, explore their emotional responses, evaluate what went well, analyse what could be improved, conclude with insights, and plan actionable steps for future practice. To explore these theories, I would join an online forum with peers and share a summary of the above frameworks. By inviting others to discuss how they incorporate reflection into their practice, I can encourage a dynamic exchange of ideas and insights. This interaction fosters a collaborative learning environment where we can explore diverse applications of reflection in professional contexts.