Reflect and Revitalize
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . .
Teaching can be an incredibly fulfilling and exhilarating experience, but it can also be one that leaves you feeling defeated and exhausted. When you unwind and finally have time to reflect on your teaching day, where do your thoughts go? Do you focus on the positive outcomes, or do you spotlight the things you thought were negatives? Are the “negatives” really something to bemoan or a chance to grow? Reflective strategies are vital to teaching and learning and are an important tool for analyzing and improving our instructional methods.
Sadly, taking the time to actively reflect is something we rarely do. We are trying to fervently deliver curriculum at a pace that matches mandates and that does not always meet the needs of our students, so frustration sets in. Thinking analytically about our teaching is difficult because let’s face it – teaching is difficult. Reflection is not built into our schedules or pacing guides, but research shows that reflective teachers are more effective teachers. Now that said – how do we make reflective practice a part of our already packed day?
Start with a deep cleansing breath then think, reflect, and act. Ask yourself some questions:
- Was that lesson successful? Why or Why not?
- How could I teach that concept differently?
- How did my attitude affect my students?
- How am I challenging my students who can take concepts a step farther?
- How am I supporting those who need more time to gain skills and knowledge of concepts?
- What is stopping me from improving the lesson, my method, and/or my students’ understanding?
- Did that assessment truly reflect student understanding or did it merely show task completion?
Each day in our classrooms we see firsthand if our children are happy, engaged, disinterested, or frustrated. Taking time on the drive home to systematically reflect on what went well and on what we wish would have happened allows us to make meaningful changes. Reflecting on those “wells and wishes” can inspire and enhance our learning as well as the learning of our students.
Reflective teachers are purposeful and open to the individual needs of their students. They are flexible and patient and they strive to expand options rather than limit them. They consider alternative methods and are willing to change to better meet the individual needs of their students. Reflective practitioners do not let the “negatives” steal the joy from teaching. They use them to develop, refine, and grow. Pacing guides press on and wait for no one, but taking the time to actively reflect is time well spent.