Reflection

This past week during #IMMOOC Live Dwight Carter left me processing the word reflection.

Dwight stated that, “Reflection is at the heart of our practice. Always reflect on how you impact a situation. Our response becomes another person’s event.”

After mulling this over on Wednesday evening, I began processing how much reflection should be at the heart of our daily classroom life.

As we wrapped up the first nine weeks this week, it was natural that many students were beginning to really process what was going to be shown on their report card. I could hear the chatter throughout the day and decided that we needed a circle to discuss reflection.

As we sat in a SEL circle, something my students are very accustomed to, I told them this circle was going to be different. I sat on the floor with the students. I am a critical part in their learning and they needed to see my on their level. This circle was going to focus on the students and I having a real conversation about grades and learning outcomes.

As I sat there I expressed to the students that grades are not my focus, knowing that students have a difficult time getting past the grade. We discussed how being a great student isn't about the grade, it is about the process of forming, adapting, molding, adjusting, failing, and taking risks to become the student you want to be. We are a work in progress. Effort and attitude are greater than the grade.

As I spoke, many students were nodding their heads and many shared how they feel when they have failed at a task, test, or situation. I needed my students to know that learning is so much more than the grade that goes on the paper. I needed them to see that I was proud of their progress. I was going to be their cheerleader through it all. They needed someone in this moment to give them strategies on what to do when you are disappointed and angry. We reflected together on what we could do going forward to learn from our mistakes. We brainstormed strategies. They were real with me and I was real with them.

On this day I realized that I had the chance to impact a situation just as Dwight Carter stated. The way I responded to this event in particular was going to affect my students’ reactions to learning. I reflected on my ability to impact how learning is viewed and how my students can reflect on all learning experiences. We can all use reflection to gain insight from our small setbacks and our successes. I hope that my response to my students in this circle will affect their future events.

-LL