I have spent a great deal of time this summer thinking about ways to help my students to think deeper about what they are learning and why they are learning it. Reflection is something that I think most teachers do instinctively as we look at each lesson and see what worked and didn't work. How did that lesson fit into the greater unit plan and how did it go beyond just the content to teach skills or even (hopefully) make them look beyond the classroom. I spend much of my summer often engaged in contemplation about my year and how to make next year better. The last week of summer vacation often goes by with me doing even more thinking (and perhaps missing soaking in those last glorious days of sunshine) and reading to make the new year better than the last. This reflection is something I have spent much of my adult life doing, whether it is for my professional life or my personal life. I believe the ability to think reflectively (and critically) about ideas, concepts and actions is a crucial life skill. The question I have been focused on lately though is how to help my student achieve the ability to think reflectively in a meaningful manner.
Students are often so worried about learning the content that they really don't reflect on what or why they have learned. They want the 'right' answer and don't always want to look at how this lesson fits into a greater narrative or how it might link into their lives. At the same time, many students don't know how to be reflective. To be fair, I'm not sure I've always left enough time to properly teach or foster the skills in that kind of deeper thinking. We get caught up in getting through the curriculum and often lose sight of what is really important. Reflection is a crucial skill that will serve students long after they've forgotten about who the Big 3 were at the Treaty of Versailles or the events of the French Revolution.
I came across a blog post yesterday after looking at fouroclockfaculty.com/2016/08/7-ideas-for-student-reflection-2/ which I was directed to by following @gcouros (who's tweets are brilliant by the way...if you don't follow George Couros you should). Some really simple ways to get the students to look at material. My goal for the first week is try and incorporate a couple of these strategies just to start.
Students are often so worried about learning the content that they really don't reflect on what or why they have learned. They want the 'right' answer and don't always want to look at how this lesson fits into a greater narrative or how it might link into their lives. At the same time, many students don't know how to be reflective. To be fair, I'm not sure I've always left enough time to properly teach or foster the skills in that kind of deeper thinking. We get caught up in getting through the curriculum and often lose sight of what is really important. Reflection is a crucial skill that will serve students long after they've forgotten about who the Big 3 were at the Treaty of Versailles or the events of the French Revolution.
I came across a blog post yesterday after looking at fouroclockfaculty.com/2016/08/7-ideas-for-student-reflection-2/ which I was directed to by following @gcouros (who's tweets are brilliant by the way...if you don't follow George Couros you should). Some really simple ways to get the students to look at material. My goal for the first week is try and incorporate a couple of these strategies just to start.