 You have seen the model of my journey towards being and becoming a professional. Let me explain self-reflection, the first signpost on the journey. Self-reflection is a useful tool to continually explore our everyday practice, personal belief systems, our perception of others, our interpretation of motivations and attitudes. And as a student teacher, self-reflection is a process to pause and think about learning that happens on a personal and professional level. I confess, when I began my studies, I spent so much time and energy on the progress and behavior of children that I forgot to reflect on my own experiences and conduct. Self-reflection helped to make me aware of how I was learning. I began to realize that teaching without reflection is teaching blind, teaching without knowledge. When I systematically inquired into myself, I understood myself better. I became more conscious of my thoughts and actions. As an early years teacher, I used self-reflection in my formal learning to deepen my ECCE knowledge and skills. I also used it on a personal level for my personal improvement through lifelong learning. Self-reflection builds a bridge between theory and practice. I can see and name different thoughts and practices in the context of ECCE. I used tools to develop the skill of connecting the what and the why of self-reflection in practice. In my studies, I learned skills such as using a learning journal, creating a self-reflection log, participating in debates, reflective writing, peer review, peer coaching and mentoring, personal planning and developing portfolios. Self-reflection is not an individual activity. You need to be guided so that your development is informed by your peers and other knowledgeable people. Guided reflection moves you forward in your journey to being and becoming a professional.