The #1 Skill in Lifelong Learners
The Power of Reflection
What is reflection, and why is it important?
Research underscores the strong connection between being self-reflective and becoming a lifelong learner. Reflection is a process of reviewing experiences to find new understandings. In our school, teaching students to reflect on their work, activities, and behaviors and correcting their own mistakes is a vital part of the learning experience.
Tina Payne Bryson's Explains
Reflection is also an important tool for developing emotional intelligence and empathy. It allows students to practice identifying feelings and emotions in themselves and others.
Reflection as part of the WHPS Program
It Starts with Goal-Setting
At the beginning of the year, students and teachers create their Hopes and Dreams for the year ahead and reflect on what they would like to accomplish at school. Each child and teacher shares their goals, which remain up in the classroom all year long.
Personal & Academic Goals
Students also set personal and academic goals each trimester that become part of their leadership notebook. Teachers work with each student to identify and list the steps necessary to complete each goal, and they continually revisit and reflect on their progress. Teachers help students focus on their goals while occasionally adjusting the timeline or process if something is not going exactly as planned.
Reflecting on Progress & Work Habits
Self-reflection is a powerful skill that kids (and adults) can benefit from. Our students reflect on how they are doing socially, academically, and in terms of work habits. In upper elementary, students complete written self-reflections, including a rating scale, to prepare for their Student-Led Conference. These tools often lead to wonderful conversations to calibrate the student's understanding and set further growth and improvement goals.
Morning Meeting
Building a strong, cohesive classroom community also supports this process. Morning Meeting provides structured and meaningful opportunities for students to share feedback and collaborate. When we reflect together as a classroom community, we strengthen individual abilities to listen and understand each other. Reflection takes place both when something great happens and when there is a problem to solve.
When things are going well, a teacher might ask:
“What went well for us today?”
“How does it feel to be successful? Why?”
“What are some ways you worked together?”
When an activity doesn’t go as planned, teachers might ask:
“What made this difficult to accomplish?”
“What could we do or try next time?”
Behavioral reflections
At our school, we help students learn from their mistakes through private conferences with their teacher, guided by a "Think Sheet." This tool encourages students to reflect on what happened, how they felt, what they will do differently next time, and how they can fix what went wrong. The Think Sheet documents the incident and plan for improvement while fostering communication between students, teachers, and families. This process helps students take responsibility for their actions and emphasizes the importance of making the best possible choices in the future.
Using reflection in the classroom is a valuable tool that can promote deeper understanding, critical thinking, and personal growth in our students. Your child may share some examples of reflection at their SLC later this month. Our emphasis on self-reflection and personal development is one of the ways we equip our students with the skills they will need in middle school and beyond.
