REFLECTIVE TEACHING PRACTICE: A KEY TO COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

Teachers are life-long learners who strive to effectively support their students and the community. Although personal learning journeys begin much earlier, the professional learning journey of teachers begins in their Teacher Training program. Self Reflection is the only way to improve teaching competencies and efficiencies rather than other strategies. The teacher should reflect on their actions and try to improve their efficiency on the basis of present needs. The training programme for the prospective teacher also depends on the competent, effective and efficient teacher educators. Development of teaching competency and change require intellectual, emotional, social, and physical action and engagement. Teachers as learners must think, reflect, communicate their ideas, take action, and then think, reflect, etc. again, in a continuous learning cycle. Professional growth and development include self-analysis and collaboration. Professional competency is not simply about learning a new set of skills, but may also involve developing deeper understandings of self and others. A supportive professional and social climate, as well as self reflection, are necessary for the open exploration of ideas and professional growth. The present paper attempts to establish the importance of professional competencies of teachers, reflective strategies for the competency development of teachers to explore themselves as well as to engender the reflective practice as a key to quality improvement.