Abstract
This paper addresses a feasibility study of a method for recurrent collegial reflection. A qualitative approach, using a participatory research design, was adopted. The collegial reflection was implemented in a school, in a middle-sized municipality in southern Sweden, with 21 teachers participating in the intervention. Data collection included digital recordings of collegial reflection, open questions by mail, and individual interviews. Findings indicated one major theme, paradoxes in the design of the collegial reflection, and three categories: wanting to decide and wanting to be guided; meeting each other as teachers and/or as persons; and looking for the safe and/or looking for the new. Before implementing the method in another context, management needs to appreciate these contradictory experiences, allow for voluntary participation, address participants’ expectations, and allocate time and tasks. This study implicates that collegial reflection may contribute to teachers’ professional development, and it is thereby relevant to teachers’ classroom practice and pupils’ learning. We conclude that, by creating a structure which supports teachers’ collegial reflection, the school may function as a supportive environment, which may contribute to teacher retention.
Highlights
In recent years, the psychosocial work environment for teachers has changed, internationally as well as in Sweden [1, 2]
The analysis identified one major theme, paradoxes in the design of the collegial reflection, and three categories: wanting to decide and wanting to be guided; meeting each other as teachers and/or as persons; and looking for the safe and/or looking for the new
Paradoxes in the design of the collegial reflection meant that the teachers expressed feelings and experiences that were often contradictory
Summary
The psychosocial work environment for teachers has changed, internationally as well as in Sweden [1, 2]. Their work pace has been intensified, and teachers express needing more reflection time during their workday [3,4,5]. Collaborative reflection with colleagues, that is, collegial reflection, can be a way for managements to meet these changes and create a work environment that is supportive to the teachers’ professional development [6]. Since collegial reflection may take different forms, it is advisable to test it at the intended environment before implementing it comprehensively. The research question was: “Is collegial reflection a way to meet teachers’ need for more reflection time in order to develop professionally, and how can collegial reflection be designed to meet this need?”
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