Teach, learn, reflect: narratives of SEA Teachers

Abstract

This study explores how South East Asian (SEA) pre-service teachers who were part of the SEA Teacher project engage in critical self-reflection to survive the demands of internship. Anchored on the theory of situated cognition which assumes that knowing is inseparable from doing and that knowledge is situated in activity bound to social, cultural and physical contexts, the researchers examined how their experiences hone them as professional teachers. Narrative inquiry guided the study which involved 6 pre-service teachers who were interviewed. Other sources of data include documents and interviews with teacher training instructors. Based on the narratives, the SEA teachers used self-reflection in every phase of their practice teaching experience. Themes that emerged include initiation, development and celebration. This study served as an avenue for interns to be heard and teacher education courses should integrate real classroom observation and immersion. Moreover, this study will serve as an eye opener for South East Asia Minister of Education Organization, the facilitator of the program and universities in South East Asia to focus on the real needs and pressing issues of the recipients of the project.