Reflecting
The Importance of Reflecting
Most people believe that when the last student leaves your classroom, you are done being a teacher. However, just as there was planning before class, there should also be critical thinking after class. It is crucial to reflect on your recent teaching experience and find meaning in it. There are three rounds of reflection you should use:
- What? Describe what happened. Jot down quick notes during or after class. I often write these notes on a printout of my lesson plan so I can point out where the lesson deviated from the plan. “What happened” can also involve your feelings and reactions to things that were said or done.
- So what? Explain why the experience was significant and the lesson you learned from it. It could be something as simple as “Students did not know how to answer the discussion questions I asked” or “My example research topic did not work very well in the demonstration.” It could also address bigger issues like, “I want to feel authentic when I teach; today I felt inauthentic and the students noticed.”
- Now what? Decide how you will use that lesson to inform your next teaching experience. Is there something you can adjust to get a different result? Is there something you can remove from or add to your lesson plan?
Driscoll Model of Reflection
Driscoll, J. (ed.) (2007). Practicing Clinical Supervision: A Reflective Approach for Healthcare Professionals. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
Class Reflection
It is extremely beneficial to reflect on how each class goes, ideally immediately after the class, but at least within the next day or two. Reflection can help you record what you did leading up to and in the class, and also help you evaluate what things went well and what you wish you did differently. This will help you remember what you want to do again the next time and what you might want to change.
You can reflect in any way that is helpful to you. Here is a suggested outline to get you thinking.
What I did before class:
What I did in class:
What went well:
What I wish went differently:
In the future, I will: