“Through learning how to lead and guide someone else's learning I found that I had a lot to learn as well, so I think my knowledge and understanding of how to teach, listen, ask questions to help make connections, and be patient all while working with a group or team (more than one person at a time) has improved.”
- Former 8th grade student.
Reflections are powerful tools for personal, social, and academic development. I ask my students to reflect on their learning and behavior at least once a week. By reflecting often, they strengthen their capacity to identify their strengths, acknowledge their areas for growth, plan ahead, develop empathy, and improve their metacognition. My students reflect at the end of each chapter, on every assessment, and at the end of the period.
My students’ first extensive reflection is done after working with the same group members for an entire chapter (typically 2~3 weeks long). I ask my students to reflect on their learning, their individual performance, their peers’ performance, and their group’s overall performance. Before they fill out their reflection on a Google Form, I remind my students to think deeply by saying “Those who reflect the most, grow the most.”
The questions and prompts I ask include:
- 2 Stars and 1 Wish: Write two positive notes about yourself and one wish for yourself. Write two positive notes about your group member and one wish for your group member.
- What did you learn in this chapter? Did you deepen your understanding of any concepts?
- What are some concepts or procedures you would like help understanding? How can I help you improve your understanding?
- What are some ideas you are curious about what you would like to learn more about?
- What are some strengths of your group?
- What are some areas of growth for your group?
- What are some problems that arose that were resolved?
- If you worked with this group again, what would you do differently?
In addition to reflecting after each chapter, my students reflect on assessment days. My chapter assessment is a two day process. After students complete their assessment on the first day, I go through and highlight any mistakes or explanations that require further justification. On the second day, I provide an additional sheet that has prompts or questions to help students understand and fix their mistakes. After students go through their assessment, answer the questions or prompts, and fix their mistakes, they reflect on their strengths and areas of growth. Before my students hand in their reflections, I ask them “Is it thoughtful?” This helps to keep students from writing bullet points or incomplete sentences. The following quote is a reflection on the most recent assessment from a current student.
“I need to slow down during the whole test. I need to check my answers so I do not have to correct myself as much in the end and make it easier on myself in the long run.” - Current 8th grade student.
The last reflective routine my students experience occurs during the last few minutes of class. I ask the class “What is going well with your group, or what can be improved?” This elicits thoughtful responses such as “Everyone is contributing,” “We should check each others work more,” “We could improve on staying on task,” and “We are helping each other when someone is stuck”. Their responses provide great commentary on effective group work.
Reflecting is an integral component of learning and personal development, so I ask my students to reflect deeply and often. By incorporating reflections as a classroom routine, I provide the foundation for students to develop into reflective learners.
#MiddleSchool #blog #learn #reflection
My path meanders
With each turn, I find wisdom
Reflect, learn, and grow