“We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience.”
— John Dewy
Effective teachers constantly seek to improve their craft and hone their skills. They do not rest on their laurels, but contrarily, strive to learn, to grow, and to evolve as educators. Whether it was a truly spectacular lesson, a lesson with great potential that didn’t go quite as planned, or a lesson that seemed doomed from its inception, often times, afterwards, I wish I had recorded precisely what took place so that I would have it for future reference. Based upon my experiences, I may decide to use an instructional strategy or activity again as is, modify it before future use, or opt never to use that practice again. Regardless of the decision, it is best made after careful consideration, instead in the heat of the moment. That process of meticulous analysis is called reflection.
I define reflection, in educational settings, as intensely and critically thinking and/or writing about previous classroom events or experiences. Reflection involves more than just thinking, but, rather, entails a deep pondering and candid assessment of prior occurrences. Reflection does not merely answer the cursory “what,” “when,” and “how” questions. Reflection goes beyond the surface to answer “why,” “what if,” “to what extent,” and “under what conditions” questions. Most importantly, I believe, are the questions involving changes: “Moving forward, what changes can be made?” “How could this lesson be improved?” “What revisions and modifications would make this activity, instructional strategy, or lesson more impactful for students?”
Reflective teachers routinely set aside and devote time to evaluating their teaching practice. “They consider the scope of their pedagogy – from the structure of the course to the classroom community – and reflect on how their specific teaching decisions impact their students’ learning” (Mantell, Moore, & Barnett, 2013). Reflective teachers, then, utilize the results of this analysis to drive future instructional decisions.
Reflection is not meant to brow-beat, bash, or admonish oneself for mistakes, errors in judgement, poor execution, or a multitude of other “wrongs.” Conversely, when properly executed, reflection brings about professional growth and development. An essential companion to the mental exercise of reflecting is journaling, the act of writing about one’s thoughts and/or experiences. A physical or digital journal of one’s choice (a composition book, a digital/word processing file, a notebook, a diary-like book, or even a blog) is critical to the structure and continuity of the reflective process. Journals are the vehicles for preserving the facts, feelings, and fears associated with teachers’ classroom experiences; ideas, “ah ha” moments and “oh my Lord” instances are recorded for eternity.
Throughout my teaching career I have always thought about my lessons, critiquing them for strengths and for weaknesses. I have not, however, always consistently, nor have I systematically documented my adventures in teaching. Although I enjoy writing, and appreciate and value the reflective journaling process, along the way, I concluded that journaling can be tedious and time-consuming. I also realized that reflective journaling is well worth the effort! Yes, reflection and journaling require dedication, time-management, and consistency. However, through the reflective process, I have gained valuable insight, and thus made meaningful changes in my instructional delivery. As a result, this school year, I proposed a reflective journaling initiative within my school’s mathematics department. In my presentation, I touted reflection as instrumental in the adoption and adaptation of instructional best practices, and as a precursor to collaborative ventures, vertical alignment, and resource procurement and management. The mathematics department agreed to writing and holding each other accountable for at least one entry per week.
“Writing about your teaching is perhaps the single most powerful first step you can take on the road to becoming the kind of instructor you wish to be” (Rients, 2019). I believe that documenting thoughts, feelings, and observations of educational experiences, is critical to the ongoing success of teachers.
References
Mantell, Moore, & Barnett, (2013). The Reflective Teacher. Retrieved
from https://teaching.temple.edu/edvice/reflective-teacher on October 16, 2019.
Rients, J. (2019). Journaling for professional development. Retrieved from
development on October 16, 2019.
I find the following statement the most profound thing I’ve read all day
“Writing about your teaching is perhaps the single most powerful first step you can take on the road to becoming the kind of instructor you wish to be”
It was not until I did this, that I learned my true power as an educator. First off, writing was a part of my self care/meditative practice....a way to flush my mind. Secondly, it was an informal SWOT analysis from which I was able to chart a strategic plan to either improve, build upon or scaffold another standard/activity, etc. Writing about your experience is especially powerful when done on a regular basis in that it allows you to routi…