ABSTRACT
We begin our exploration of reflective teaching with a look at some of John Dewey's (190411965, 1933, 1938) contributions to promote thoughtful action by teachers. As an early 20th-century educational philosopher, Dewey made many major contributions to educational thinking. He was one of the first educational theorists in the United States to view teachers as reflective practitioners, as professionals who could play very active roles in curriculum development and educational reform. Building on the work of Dewey, we next consider the work of Donald Schon (1983, 1987) and his understanding of reflecti ve practice. Schon has written widely about reflective practice highlighting its uses in several fields such as architecture and medicine. After having examined both Dewey's and Schon's contributions, we then move on to a consideration of recent work in the literature on reflective teaching. Our purpose is not to provide an exhaustive review of conceptions of reflection, but rather to offer a pointed and defensible view of reflective teaching that is distinguished from other views.
