ABSTRACT
This chapter exposes some of the challenges and frustrations students encounter when engaging in reflective practice. It details the anxieties that students who are new to reflection often experience, and takes into account the views and attitudes of more established learners. There are two key questions the chapter attempts to answer, firstly what is reflective practice, and how, in particular, do students perceive it? Secondly how can students and practitioners develop skills in reflective practice, and embed this into their work with children and families? This is an examination of how reflective practice can support students as they develop their academic and professional skills, develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their motivations and limitations through engagement with theoretical frameworks and contemporary research. The origins of reflective practice as an academic field are looked at briefly, and then the concept of reflecting in and on practice is explored further in relation to differing epistemologies. Ultimately, the chapter argues that reflective practice, whilst being a nebulous, slippery concept, is a vital ingredient in supporting children, families and communities, and is a transformative tool in relation to developing practice.
