Taking a test as a basis for reflection in teaching beliefs, intentions and actions.

I am always looking for ways to make teachers think – and talk – about best practice in teaching. And one important aspect is, of course, what the teachers themselves believe to be best practice. There is no one single answer to this, and many people only start reflecting on it when we start talking about it.

After sifting through several others, I came across a tool recently that I liked a lot: The Teaching Perspectives Inventory. You are asked a lot of questions about what you believe you should be doing, what you are doing, and what you are planning on doing in your teaching (focussing on one single setting, because your teaching style likely varies depending on the context). The tool then groups your answers and gives you scores for five different teaching perspectives, both summing up all your answers and differentiating for beliefs, intentions and actions. There are very helpful videos that show how to read the results by talking through an example.

I had thought a lot about what my perspectives in teaching were before taking the test, but I found it enlightening nevertheless and would totally recommend you take the test!