Learning to Reflect on Teaching: A Case Study of One Preservice Physical Education Teacher

Recent discussions in the scholarly literature of the importance of teacher reflection have led to research on the development of reflection in preservice teachers. Although many preservice teachers can become reflective, some do not. Preservice teachers' perspectives on knowing (i. e., beliefs about the nature of knowledge and learning) may mediate reflection. This case study describes the interpretations a preservice teacher who preferred received knowledge (i. e., coming to know by listening to others) made of experiences in reflection (lesson and unit evaluations, dialogue journals, and class discussions) that occurred in a methods course. Detailed descriptions and a discussion of the teacher's responses to these various reflection experiences are provided. Despite persistent efforts by both the preservice teacher and teacher educator, only slight changes in reflective abilities occurred. The findings are discussed in relation to 3 hierarchical social systems that were central to the preservice teacher's personal history: family, sport, and schools.