Smith College Graduate Assistants who predominantly act as assistant coaches on the College's various sports teams started this semester with a half day workshop on reflective practice.
Reflective Practice is the capacity to reflect in and on action or practice. It is considered a key factor in expert learning and refers to the extent to which individuals are able to appraise their behavior and integrate these reflections into future actions, thereby maximizing performance improvements. Given the fact that some of these coaches spend between 25 to 35 hours a week coaching, reflective practice is a critical tool for them to draw significant learning from the practical coaching environment in which they work.
This workshop was designed to help coaches:
Consider what reflective practice is and how it can be used to enhance their coaching effectiveness
Explore opportunities for learning and development within the coaching environment
Identify how to use specific performance criteria that underpin the coaching process to inform reflective practice
Examine how they currently reflect and consider what they can to do to enhance the process
Feedback was positive with one coach suggesting that:
'Re-thinking how I approach reflection was so useful. Taking on a pro-active approach that includes goal setting and planning to integrate personal coaching goals will be more helpful than just assuming it [learning] will happen.'
