PGCE Reflective Writing: How to Use Gibbs, Schon, Kolb, and Brookfield in Your Assignment

Critical Reflection vs Description — Why This Distinction Determines Your Grade

Description narrates what happened in a lesson — what was taught, what activities were used, how learners responded. Description is necessary context, but it is not reflection. Description says: "what."

Critical reflection analyses why things happened, connects to educational theory, evaluates the teaching decision, identifies a development pattern, and commits to specific change. Critical reflection says: "what, why, what theory explains this, and what next."

Insufficient (description): "During my Year 8 History lesson, I used a source analysis activity. Some students struggled with the primary sources so I gave them more guidance. By the end of the lesson most students could identify bias in the sources."

Sufficient (critical reflection): "When learners struggled with primary source analysis, my response was to increase teacher guidance — a pedagogical instinct that may have reduced their analytical autonomy (TS5). On reflection, Counsell's (2000) work on historical thinking suggests that productive struggle with sources — rather than teacher-directed guidance — develops the deeper analytical reasoning that History at KS3 requires. Vygotsky's (1978) ZPD would support a scaffolded peer discussion activity as an alternative to direct teacher support, enabling learners to work at the boundary of their ability with peer scaffolding. In future, I will design a structured peer analysis protocol before intervening directly."

The grade difference between a Pass and a Merit in PGCE reflective assignments is almost always located in the Analysis stage — where the candidate must explain WHY, apply theory, connect to Teachers' Standards, and commit to change. Masters-level (Level 7) assessment expects critical engagement with research — not description, however detailed.

Gibbs' Reflective Cycle (1988) Applied to PGCE Teaching Practice

Gibbs (1988) provides a six-stage structure for post-lesson reflection: Description → Feelings → Evaluation → Analysis → Conclusion → Action Plan. It is the most commonly used reflective model across all PGCE routes — [Primary](/pgce-primary-assignment-help/), [Secondary](/pgce-secondary-assignment-help/), and [FE](/pgce-further-education-assignment-help/).

The worked example applies all six stages to a Year 9 Science classroom incident:

Description: "During a Year 9 Science lesson on chemical reactions, I explained the collision theory using a diagram on the board. Three learners at the back were not engaged and appeared to be talking to each other."

Feelings: "I felt frustrated but also uncertain — I wasn't sure whether to stop the class, address the learners directly, or continue and hope they would re-engage. I felt the lesson was losing momentum."

Evaluation: "What worked: most of the class were engaged and following the diagram explanation. What didn't work: the lesson was highly teacher-led, which may have contributed to low engagement for learners who prefer active learning. My response to the disengagement (continuing without addressing it) was ineffective."

Analysis (the stage where most trainees fail): "Vygotsky's (1978) ZPD concept suggests that purely passive reception of information — without interaction or application — may not engage learners at the boundary of their understanding. The collision theory is abstract — Bruner's (1960) enactive mode would suggest a physical modelling activity (learners moving as 'particles') before the abstract diagram could have improved cognitive engagement. The three learners' disengagement may also have been communication-related — low-level disruption rather than inability (TS7 — Behaviour management)."

Conclusion: "I could have introduced a paired discussion activity before the board explanation, or used a quick modelling activity to make the abstract concept concrete before the formal diagram stage."

Action Plan: "In my next lesson on rate of reaction (Thursday), I will use a 5-minute particle modelling activity before the diagram explanation and monitor the three learners from the back by seating them in a different arrangement."

Every Gibbs stage must contain substantive content — one-line answers to stage prompts are not sufficient at PGCE level. The Analysis stage requires a named theorist with date, application to the specific incident, Teachers' Standards connection, and a claim about what the theory reveals.

Schön's Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action in PGCE Assignments

Schön (1983) — The Reflective Practitioner — identifies two types of professional reflection that are both required in PGCE assignments:

Reflection-in-Action: Thinking on your feet — adjusting teaching in the moment in response to observed learner feedback. Example: "Noticing mid-explanation that three learners were looking confused, I stopped and asked: 'Can you tell me in your own words what happens to particles when temperature increases?' This comprehension check revealed a misconception — learners thought 'particles move faster' meant they physically grew larger. I addressed the misconception before continuing." This is Reflection-in-Action — a real-time teaching adjustment. It connects to TS5 (adapt teaching to respond to learner needs).

Reflection-on-Action: Critical analysis after the lesson — examining what happened and why. This is the primary mode of most PGCE written assignments. Example: "On reflection, the comprehension check I introduced mid-lesson (Reflection-in-Action) revealed that my initial explanation assumed too much prior knowledge. I had not activated learners' existing particle model before building on it — a failure of schema activation (Bartlett 1932 / Ausubel 1960). Next time I will begin with a quick retrieval task asking learners what they remember about particle behaviour from KS3."

PGCE assignments that demonstrate both types — Reflection-in-Action moments from the lesson AND Reflection-on-Action post-lesson analysis — score at a higher level than those showing only one type. Reflection-in-Action moments demonstrate responsive teaching (TS5); Reflection-on-Action demonstrates critical self-evaluation (TS8).

Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle (1984) in PGCE Reflective Assignments

Kolb (1984) — Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development — provides a four-stage cycle: Concrete Experience → Reflective Observation → Abstract Conceptualisation → Active Experimentation. Kolb is particularly effective for assignments structured around a teaching experiment — trying something, observing the results, theorising why, and trying a revised approach.

Applied to a [PGCE Primary](/pgce-primary-assignment-help/) classroom incident:

Concrete Experience: "During a Year 4 Maths lesson on fractions, I introduced the concept using only abstract notation (1/4, 1/2) without physical resources."

Reflective Observation: "Learners were confused by the notation and could not transfer it to word problems. I noticed blank expressions and reluctance to attempt independent tasks."

Abstract Conceptualisation: "Bruner's (1960) modes of representation suggest that abstract symbolic notation (symbolic mode) should follow — not replace — concrete and iconic representations. Piaget (1952) would locate KS2 learners at the Concrete Operational stage, where physical manipulation of objects is still required for understanding of new abstract concepts. My lesson skipped the enactive and iconic stages entirely — a sequencing error justified by time pressure."

Active Experimentation: "In my next fractions lesson, I will begin with a practical sharing activity (enactive — physically dividing objects into equal parts), then move to a diagram representation (iconic — drawing circles and shading), and finally introduce symbolic notation (1/4) once learners have built the concept from experience."

The Abstract Conceptualisation stage is the equivalent of the Analysis stage in Gibbs — it is where theory is applied and where most trainees underperform. Kolb explicitly requires theory integration at Stage 3 — this is where Kolb differs from Gibbs, which places theory in the Analysis stage as one of several analytical approaches.

Brookfield's Four Lenses of Critical Reflection (1995)

Brookfield (1995) — Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher — provides the most comprehensive reflective framework for PGCE assignments at Masters level. Its four lenses require multi-perspective analysis rather than single-perspective self-assessment:

Lens 1 — Autobiographical: How the trainee's own experience as a learner shapes their teaching assumptions. "I was taught mathematics through drilled procedures — this may explain why my first instinct is procedural instruction rather than conceptual exploration." This lens exposes the unconscious assumptions that shape teaching decisions — assumptions the trainee may not recognise without deliberate self-examination.

Lens 2 — Students' eyes: Seeing practice from the learners' perspective — what did they actually experience? "Learner exit tickets showed that 8 of 22 pupils were confused by the fraction notation after the lesson — their experience of the lesson was different from what I thought I was providing." This lens uses evidence from learners (exit tickets, assessment data, observation of learner responses) to challenge the teacher's own perception.

Lens 3 — Colleagues' eyes: Mentor or peer observation feedback. "My school mentor noted that my wait time after questioning was less than 3 seconds — not enough time for learners to formulate responses, particularly EAL learners." This lens uses external professional feedback — mentor observations, peer lesson observations, co-planning reflections — to provide a perspective the trainee cannot generate alone.

Lens 4 — Theoretical/research lens: What does education research say? "Rowe (1986) found that increasing wait time from 1 second to 3–5 seconds significantly improved the quality of learner responses and participation rates — directly connecting my mentor's observation to evidence-based practice." This lens connects the specific incident to published research — transforming a personal observation into a theoretically grounded analysis.

Brookfield's framework is the most comprehensive reflective model for PGCE assignments at Masters level — it requires looking at practice from four angles rather than one. Assignments using all four lenses demonstrate the critical self-examination that postgraduate teaching programmes specifically assess.

Connecting Reflection to Teachers' Standards

Every classroom incident used as the basis for reflection should connect to one or more Teachers' Standards (for [PGCE Primary](/pgce-primary-assignment-help/) and [PGCE Secondary](/pgce-secondary-assignment-help/)) or ETF Professional Standards (for [PGCE FE](/pgce-further-education-assignment-help/)). The connection must be explicit: "This decision demonstrates TS5 — Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils — by modifying the task mid-lesson in response to observed difficulty."

The Teachers' Standards reference gives the reflection its professional framework — without it, the reflection may be insightful but lacks the standards-alignment PGCE assessors require. Teachers' Standards should appear naturally within the reflective analysis, not bolted on as an afterthought at the end of the assignment.

Choosing a Reflective Model for Your PGCE Assignment

Gibbs (1988): Best for structured post-lesson reflection with clear sequential stages — ideal for trainees who need a framework to organise their thinking. Its six explicit stages are the easiest to follow and the easiest for assessors to verify against.

Schön (1983): Best for assignments that need to show in-lesson responsiveness (Reflection-in-Action) as well as post-lesson analysis — particularly strong when linked to TS5 (adapt teaching). Use Schön when you have a strong example of adjusting your teaching mid-lesson.

Kolb (1984): Best for assignments explicitly structured around experiential learning — a teaching experiment where you try, observe, theorise, and try again. Particularly strong in [PGCE FE](/pgce-further-education-assignment-help/) contexts where adult learning theory (Knowles 1980) emphasises learning through experience.

Brookfield (1995): Best for Masters-level assignments requiring multi-perspective analysis — particularly when mentor observation data is available (Lens 3) and prior learning experience is relevant (Lens 1). The most comprehensive model for achieving a Distinction-level reflective analysis.

Most PGCE assignments accept any recognised model — if the programme specifies one, use that. If not, choose the model whose structure best fits the incident you are reflecting on and the evidence you have available.

First person is appropriate and standard for PGCE reflective assignments — "I decided," "I noticed," "I reflected on." Reflective writing requires the trainee's voice. Avoiding first person makes reflective assignments impersonal and harder to read. Some universities with strict academic writing policies allow first person specifically in reflective components — check the specific HEI's academic writing guide.

Internal links:

• [PGCE Assignment Help](/pgce-assignment-help/)
• [PGCE Secondary Assignment Help](/pgce-secondary-assignment-help/)
• [PGCE Primary Assignment Help](/pgce-primary-assignment-help/)
• [PGCE Further Education Assignment Help](/pgce-further-education-assignment-help/)

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use first person in my PGCE reflective writing assignment?

First person is appropriate and standard for PGCE reflective assignments — "I decided," "I noticed," "I reflected on." Reflective writing is personal and professional — it requires the trainee's voice. Avoiding first person makes reflective assignments impersonal and harder to read. Some universities with strict academic writing policies allow first person in reflective components — check your specific HEI's academic writing guide. If first person is permitted (as it almost always is in reflective assignments), use it throughout the reflective sections.

How many reflective models should I use in a PGCE assignment?

Most PGCE assignments specify which reflective model to use — check the assignment brief. If the brief asks you to "use a reflective model," choose one and apply it fully (all stages or lenses) rather than referencing multiple models superficially. Using Gibbs' six stages applied to one rich classroom incident is stronger than referencing three models with one sentence on each. If you want to acknowledge other models, a brief comparison in the introduction — "While Gibbs (1988), Schön (1983), Kolb (1984), and Brookfield (1995) all offer frameworks for reflective practice, this assignment applies Gibbs' Reflective Cycle because its explicit stages support structured post-lesson analysis" — shows awareness without disrupting the analytical focus.

Why do PGCE assessors care so much about critical reflection?

Critical reflection is a core professional competence for teachers — not just an academic exercise. Schön (1983) identified the ability to reflect on practice as the defining characteristic of the expert practitioner: professionals who cannot reflect on what they do cannot improve. PGCE programmes assess critical reflection because the ability to analyse teaching, apply educational research, and adjust practice accordingly is what distinguishes effective teachers from those who simply repeat what they have always done. The QTS Teachers' Standards explicitly require trainees to reflect systematically on their practice (TS8).

What is the difference between Schön's Reflection-in-Action and Reflection-on-Action?

Reflection-in-Action is real-time thinking during a lesson — noticing something is not working and adjusting approach mid-lesson without stopping. Reflection-on-Action is post-lesson analysis — looking back critically at what happened and why after the lesson is finished. PGCE written assignments are primarily Reflection-on-Action (you write about lessons after they have happened), but strong assignments also describe and analyse specific Reflection-in-Action moments: "I noticed X during the lesson and responded by Y — this was a Reflection-in-Action adjustment that demonstrated TS5." Including both types shows assessors that you are a responsive and self-aware practitioner.

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