This month, I led an in-service on reflection. As a busy teacher, we often don't have time to add another thing to our day. I knew to reflect was important, but I didn't push it on my innovative teachers. Until now...
→ During a lesson: Pause during the chaos, untangle, and sort through; OBSERVE!
Teachers & Innovators
After doing all this research myself I realized that I cannot keep ignoring the importance of reflection for educators and students. At my bimonthly Innovative Teacher workshop, I decided to focus our February meeting on Reflection and the importance of it.
I started the workshop by reflecting on the past decade in EdTech. It's crazy to think of a classroom without devices! Within the last decade the iPad, Smartphones, and Chromebooks have all been introduced. In the past ten years, technology in the classroom just keeps moving faster and faster. Recently, my Cheif Technology Officer had shared an article with me, Beyond Screen Time: Better Questions for Children and Technology in 2020 by Chip Donohue via EdSurge. It was a great article that talked about the "rapid development and deployment of technology and digital media aimed at young children." YES! SO MUCH YES! This is the sort of stuff I am always saying to people! When I finished reading, I realized this one article was part of a guide, A Decade in Review: Reflections on 10 Years in Education Technology, which included 11 opinion articles written by leaders in the Educational Technology field. Yeah, so I read them all. I loved them. They were skeptical, opposing, enlightening, and truthful. I shared the articles with my innovative cohort and encouraged them to read at least two. Most of the group read all the articles as well and we had a great discussion about the last decade. I love it when things work out!
After we discussed the past, we moved on to the present and the future. I shared with the teachers the questions above that I posed to myself. I shared the articles I found when researching. I encouraged them to either read the articles I provided or to find their own. The teachers I work with did NOT disappoint. Some were digital so I can share them below!
Others created hard copy versions of reflection ideas. Here is a list of what some of the other innovators came up with!
While completing my ISTE Certification, I was again pushed towards reflection. I decided to do my own research to answer 5 simple questions:
• What is reflection?
• Who should use reflection?
• When should we reflect?
• Why should we reflect?
• How can we reflect?
These seem like basic questions, but when you dive deeply into them, they are thought-provoking. Here are the answers I came up with:
What is Reflection?
Reflection is the process of exploring and examining ourselves, our perspectives, our actions/interactions, as well as the ability to gain insight and how to move forward (Institute of Academic Development).
Who should Reflect?
Everyone!
- Teachers
- for themselves
- modeling for students how to reflect
- Students
When should Reflection occur?
Reflection is cyclical!
→ Before a lesson: What worked before? What didn't?
→ During a lesson: Pause during the chaos, untangle, and sort through; OBSERVE!
→ After a lesson: Use guided questions to look at all angles; consider multiple interpretations and create meaning!
Why should we Reflect?
Reflection helps us develop to understand more deeply ourselves and our practice. WE grow and in turn, our work continuously improves. I thoroughly enjoyed the article on Harvard Business Review, Why You Should Make Time for Self-Reflection (Even If You Hate Doing It) by Jennifer Porter.
How can we Reflect?
- START Small!
- Blogging/writing
- Popsicle sticks (write reflective questions on the sticks and pull out of a jar at the end of the lesson/day/week). Here is an example on Teachers Pay Teachers that I ended up replicating myself with a bunch of "Growth Mindset Reflection" Questions. This article
- Read & make connections between articles and your own practice
- Analyzing exit tickets students complete
- Surveys completed by students or staff
This article by Tricia Whenham, 15 Ways to Spark Student Reflection in Your College Classroom was full of good ideas that are feasible for educators and students. This article by Jackie Gerstein, Growth Mindset: Personal Accountability and Reflection also made quite an impression on me. It was short and sweet and gave great connections between growth mindset and reflection.
After doing all this research myself I realized that I cannot keep ignoring the importance of reflection for educators and students. At my bimonthly Innovative Teacher workshop, I decided to focus our February meeting on Reflection and the importance of it.
I started the workshop by reflecting on the past decade in EdTech. It's crazy to think of a classroom without devices! Within the last decade the iPad, Smartphones, and Chromebooks have all been introduced. In the past ten years, technology in the classroom just keeps moving faster and faster. Recently, my Cheif Technology Officer had shared an article with me, Beyond Screen Time: Better Questions for Children and Technology in 2020 by Chip Donohue via EdSurge. It was a great article that talked about the "rapid development and deployment of technology and digital media aimed at young children." YES! SO MUCH YES! This is the sort of stuff I am always saying to people! When I finished reading, I realized this one article was part of a guide, A Decade in Review: Reflections on 10 Years in Education Technology, which included 11 opinion articles written by leaders in the Educational Technology field. Yeah, so I read them all. I loved them. They were skeptical, opposing, enlightening, and truthful. I shared the articles with my innovative cohort and encouraged them to read at least two. Most of the group read all the articles as well and we had a great discussion about the last decade. I love it when things work out!
After we discussed the past, we moved on to the present and the future. I shared with the teachers the questions above that I posed to myself. I shared the articles I found when researching. I encouraged them to either read the articles I provided or to find their own. The teachers I work with did NOT disappoint. Some were digital so I can share them below!
 |
| https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pRwUVHTrCbPhOlcMzjgqzTc44771CwS6vKYgJNETrIM/preview |
Others created hard copy versions of reflection ideas. Here is a list of what some of the other innovators came up with!
- Use data binders to reflect w/ students
- Exit ticket tracker
- Reflection Bulletin Board
- have prizes to encourage reflections
- Practice model how to reflect
- Popsicle sticks for kids, not just adults (see above)
- For alternates kids who can't read or write
- # of stars on growth mindset questions
- draw a picture on what you learned today
- Look at the program in 2nd grade on Mindfulness and build upon that
After talking with the innovators we all realized what an important skill reflection is. One of the other instructional coaches within the district is doing a book talk on Onward by Elena Aguilar. Even though I have a pile of books I'm supposed to be reading, I picked this one up. The whole premise of the book is "Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators." Let's be honest, that's quite important! I'm only through the second chapter and I've ordered the workbook. She speaks so much of self-reflection and inner strength. I need more of this in my life (personal and professional) and I know many of my friends and colleagues do as well.
Staying positive is my goal. We are here for the students. Teaching is hard because it matters. I will continue to reflect upon my own practices so I can be the best I can be for all the kids at Homer Central.
Blue Pride!
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