Personal reflective diaries with group-friendly criticism: empowering pre-service teachers

ABSTRACT

The study examined the effect of the use of ‘personal reflective diaries’ and ‘group-friendly criticism’ to assess professional development and self-empowerment among 47 Israeli final-year pre-service teachers in a seminar course, and later on, perceptions and insights during their practicum and their internship year. Content analysis of holistic summations, a questionnaire, and interviews yielded two participant types: ‘purposeful’ and ‘late bloomer.’ For both, four main themes emerged: (1) ability to face difficulties; (2) teaching and class management strategies; (3) beliefs and insights about the teacher’s role; and (4) sense of efficacy. Participants stated that fear and uncertainty had turned into satisfaction and empowerment, with growing empathy towards their students. Overall results showed that in-depth focus on one difficulty while using reflective diaries together with group-friendly criticism helped both types of participants deal with their difficulties successfully, while developing strategies and insights for their future as teachers.

KEYWORDS:

• Pre-service teachers
• professional development
• self-empowerment
• personal reflective diaries
• group-friendly criticism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anat Abramovich

Anat Abramovich received her BSc and MSc in Agricultural Engineering from the Technion (Haifa), specializing in waste leachate treatment. She earned her PhD from the Faculty of Technology and Sciences at the Technion (Haifa), specializing in environmental education. Abramovich had taught mathematics for 22 years, and for 12 years she combined it with teaching high school environmental science. She is the head of the Israeli Center for Scientific Technological Education, and a lecturer at the Gordon College of Education, in the science department specializing in science and environmental education.

Hadas-Shelly Huber

Hadas-Shelly Huber is head of the Communications Department and lecturer at Gordon Academic College of Education (Haifa, Israel) in the departments of special education and early childhood education. She is the head of pedagogical teacher training for engaged and active methods of learning (PBL). Her research fields are: thinking enhancement, metacognition, self-regulated learning and development models for literate multi-disciplinary discourse. She has expertise in coordinating the special track for the retraining of academics in the field of special education. She has created many learning programs, including a professional workshop addressing technology learning, self-awareness and emotional intelligence.