I have been working with some colleagues on my reflective practice. As a result of these initial conversation I have been playing with the role of reflection in my daily life and around my work. The first result - which I nervously share here - looks at a critical incident from my teaching this week and relates to our reflective study on the use of physical literacy as a cornerstone of our teaching:

The question

It hung like a bad smell

Their discomfort: palpable

I explored.

They hadn’t got it

Maybe it was just a bit too clever

Or maybe they weren’t cleverenough

Wait on! I’m the teacher. It’s notabout learning it wrong

No!

It’s about my teaching it right.

So it’s my fault?

Well, our fault.

They tried to explain the concepts andideas but they simply couldn’t

I tried to help, to explain, but Iwasn’t far ahead of them.

A couple of steps maybe

Truth be told I found it a challengetoo but could re-consider it in light of my prior experiences

We moved the ideas forwards, but itwasn’t easy as they had their own misunderstandings to overcome.

To repair

Then she spoke about her fundamentalconcerns. But...No. Wait a second. She was sorry for thinkingdifferently. For not agreeing

When was it decided that she couldn’t have an opinion?

Who was it decided that I was rightand she wrong?

Was I really the infallible expert?

No! You should challenge things Isaid. Find fault. Question everything

You should accept nothing at facevalue.

Try before you buy. Look at thingsthrough your lenses

OK.

She responded...fundamentallyit...hadn’t...couldn’t...No. Not couldn’t... didn’t work for her

She saw some obvious flaws.

This doesn’t work.

Not for her.

Not in physical education.

But why? I tried to explain but theflaw was there and it wasn’t to be shifted.

Should I shift it? No. I should let herfind meaning for herself

But the fault lies not with her.

The theory? The practice? Praxis?

Well, I’m the teacher. I must striveto find the solution

The fault is mine!

My pedagogy? My knowledge?

Who does understand and can explain?

Me? She? They

Want to be practitioners

So?

Find a teacher solution

Put it into teacher talk

Take smaller steps

Explain