Critically Assess Their Own Practice

McDiarmid (1995) notes the importance of having teachers critically assess their own practice:

"If teachers are to develop the new knowledge and skills called for in the reform, they need to be able to look critically at their practice. This is not to say that their current practice is not good but rather that their roles and responsibilities have changed significantly. How does their current curriculum and practice compare to the ideas in the curriculum frameworks and the learner outcomes? Where do they need to change? How can they work with others--colleagues, administrators, parents, community members--to achieve these changes?

Teacher willingness to be self-critical is, however, related to the climate in which they work. If others--be they parents, community members, legislators, newspaper editors--are critical of teachers' attempts to understand the reform and change their practice, they should not be surprised if teachers react defensively." (p. 17)

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