Slow Down and Reflect

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When I came across this post by Elena Aguilar it made me think.  In the first paragraph she states that, "if we slow down, we'll have more opportunities for reflection."  I love this because I think that reflection may be the most powerful tool in becoming a better teacher.  Reflection is something you can do no matter how long you have been teaching and it almost always leads to a positive change.

picture from here


Reflect on a lesson... next time you'll keep the good stuff and make other stuff better.

Reflect on how you handled a situation with a student... you'll have a better idea of what to do next time.

Reflect on an assessment... you'll know if it was giving your the feedback you desire.

Reflect on a meeting... you'll know how better work with your peers next time.

Reflect on how much you are reflecting... now you are just getting crazy.  Or are you?  When I reflect on my reflecting, I realize that I'm leaving little time for it.  That is where I can use some of the tips from Elena Aguilar's article.  Definitely click here to read the whole thing.  But here is a summary of her tips:

#1. Prune your goals
#2. Prune your calendar
#3. Allocate time to opening meetings
#4. Allocate time to closing meetings
#5. Prune the agenda
#6. Ask a colleague a thoughtful question
#7. Ask a student or a parent a thoughtful question
#8. Eat lunch
#9. Take a sick day
#10. Practice self-care



Comments

  1. Toni PestroJanuary 25, 2014 at 6:51 PM

    Hmm, I really like this. It has application to many phases in life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Annie ForestJanuary 29, 2014 at 8:07 AM

      I agree! It's like getting permission to say "no" to some things!

      Delete

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