S12/E4: Harnessing the power of self-reflection to personalize professional growth with Shélynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean

Highest Aspirations

On this episode of Highest Aspirations, we explore the importance of building personalized professional learning opportunities that provide educators with opportunities to continuously reflect on their work. Our guests Shélynn (Shey) Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean provide simple frameworks within an experiential learning cycle designed to improve instruction and reframe negative self-criticism into more constructive, actionable feedback.

Shey and Anna produce and host the Teacher The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast to create a reflective listening experience for teachers of the English language and to build a community of educators around the world who unite behind a shared fervor for teaching and learning.

Shélynn (Shey) Riel holds a Master of Education in TESOL and over fifteen years of experience in education. Alongside her work as co-host of The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast, Shey works with Bridge Education as the Expert Series Webinar Moderator, facilitating live monthly webinars that bring together ELT experts to share insights and perspectives on the latest industry trends. Shey has held positions of leadership in curriculum development and program administration at universities and non-profits in the U.S., served as a facilitator for various digital exchanges for global English teachers, and delivered professional development to teachers on the ground in Argentina and Bangladesh. She adopts a holistic approach to education, emphasizing balanced environments for learning and reflection. Beyond the podcast, Anna works as a Learning & Development Coordinator for English Language Programs, a program of the U.S. Department of State, where she develops orientations and professional development courses on specialized topics in English language teaching for participants in teaching exchange programs worldwide. She holds an M.A. in Applied Linguistics and has worked within the field of English language education, abroad and in the U.S., for over 12 years as a teacher, assessment specialist, curriculum designer, program manager, and instructional designer. Her goal as an educator is to empower learners by giving them agency in their learning process and providing them with the tools they need to excel in their academic, professional, and personal lives.

For episode resources and more, visit our EL Community blog. Download the full episode transcript here.

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