ABSTRACT
Gaining self-knowledge is important for teachers because, as Parker Palmer has noted, "Good teaching requires self-knowledge". Indeed Parker maintained that "Whatever self-knowledge one attains as teacher will serve their students and scholarship well". This chapter outlines and discusses how teachers can engage in contemplation that includes reflection on the inner self as well as reflection on teachers' background and past experiences that have shaped their philosophy of who they are as teachers. One way teachers can reconstruct their life experiences is to simply tell and/or write in chronological order an in-depth biography that can offer insight into their past to uncover their philosophy of practice. Contemplative reflective practice includes contemplative practice to reach the inner self as well as engaging in conscious reflections on teachers' lived experiences so that they can gain greater insight into their philosophy of practice. Thus by engaging in contemplative reflective practice we can get a more complete knowledge and insight of our professional practices.
