How often, as teachers, we say to our students: "What were you thinking?" "Think before you speak." "Pay attention to what you're doing." These are concerns that should be uppermost in our minds to govern our behavior, not just that of our students. Good teachers, no matter how much they have to do, become good by reflecting on their words, actions and results. To learn the process of becoming a reflective teacher, follow the steps below. You'll see results as you practice being reflective--and some of them will be a happy surprise. Remember what you tell your students: learning is a process, not a product.
Instructions
Becoming a Reflective Teacher
1. Make time in your schedule to be actively reflective. This critical task is the hardest to begin and sustain. Ask any teacher what they need most, and the first answer is time. You will need determination and creativity to schedule time for reflection; but just as muscles don't grow without exercise, neither does the mind's ability to reflect. Begin with 10 minutes per day and build as you grow.
Use your drive to the gym, loading the dishwasher or tooth-brushing time to start. Instead of a weekend step-class, consider one in meditation or yoga.
2. Begin with specific incidents or students. Using your class roster and observation records, give each student that budgeted 10 minutes for a day. (If it's Tuesday, it's Melinda.) Look at his/her behavior, achievements and areas of concern. This very much resembles the preparation you would do for a parent conference, except for the fact that you want to focus specifically on your relationship with that student. Jeremy keeps complaining "I'm not finished." Consider whether your behavior plays a part; you may want to give 5-minute warnings, support what he gets done in the allowed time more explicitly or look at how the time-allowance affects the class.
3. Look at instructional materials for clues to troubling interactions or behaviors. The math book brings universal groans. You may be stuck with it, but step back. Take a reflection period to review it as though you were choosing a textbook from scratch. Decide whether you dislike it as much as your students--and whether that shows in class. It's dry, it's too answer-focused, it's too hard for students to understand its explanations. You're stuck but not helpless. Consider your comfort with the book and with math overall--schedule an in-service or summer class. Figure out what you can add to make the subject work better. Get a colleague to help with ideas.
4. Ask a colleague to help you reflect. Being observed is very low on a teacher's love list, but an observation you schedule with a friend is different because you set some of the agenda. Open up and be ready to listen that because Mario seldom smiles, you seldom smile at him. Get a new view on why that irritating sophomore keeps asking and asking and asking questions. Add a different slant on your class clown, know-it-all or grump.
5. Share the process you're learning with your students. Reflection is a critical component of thinking; get your students started. A puzzle, problem or mystery--post it on Monday, add a clue or question as the week goes on, discuss on Friday. Young children can dictate a story about a picture of a tearful child and a friend. Older children can speculate, as can adults. And the answer is: maybe, could be, what a great perception, tell us how you got to that idea. A refreshing change from: B+, 83/100 and even "good job."
Share the techniques of reflection to strengthen your capacities and help your students become reflective as well. The process will benefit you all.
