The paper argues that it is not wise to encourage reflective teaching in general without first establishing clear priorities for the reflection that emerges out of a reasoned educational and social philosophy. It does not accept the implication that exists throughout much of the literature that teachers' actions are necessarily better merely because they are more deliberate and intentional. It recommends that people in the field of education ask themselves and others more questions about the nature and purpose of teacher reflection as a goal, suggesting a move beyond the current view of reflective teaching as a distinct programmatic emphasis. After describing the conceptions of reflective teaching practice, the paper discusses a social reconstructionist conception of reflective practice developed in the teacher education program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The key elements of this approach are: (1) the teachers' attention is focused both inwardly at their own practice and outwardly at the social conditions in which the practices are situated; (2) the teachers' deliberations are focused upon substantive issues that raise instances of inequality and injustice within schooling and society for close scrutiny; and (3) the teacher is committed to reflection as a social practice. (Contains 29 references) (SM)