If when studying the title, the primary phrase that got here to thoughts was “Chill out,” you might be lukewarm. Collocation clever, you might be appropriate. Nevertheless, as a instructor, I’m referring to “Mirror” — as in Time to Mirror. Don’t get me mistaken; lecturers want time to chill out, and I’ve been doing a few of that in my summer season break from educating, however as lecturers, we additionally want time to recharge for when courses restart. That’s the place reflection is available in.
Setting time for reflection that’s introspective and goes past making notes on the finish of every lesson requires time away from educating. Nevertheless, one of these self-reflection is tough to perform whereas educating, which is why summer season is likely to be the most effective time for it. However how can we begin the method?
Perret’s REFLECT Framework
Looking for a system, I got here throughout Katy Perret’s REFLECT framework. The framework which Perret (2023) pairs with Stanier’s (2016) “AWE (And What Else) query approach” is directed towards instructor trainers and coaches, however I discovered that it may very well be simply tailored for lecturers. First, Perret recommends discovering “a comfortable spot [to sit] with a pocket book or a digital gadget” to assist us get within the reflective temper. Then, Perret supplies the framework key phrases to contextualize the method.
Following Perret’s recommendation and whereas searching for my cozy nook, my intuition was to sit down at my desk in my makeshift house workplace/classroom, however I quickly realized that the area wanted fairly a little bit of reorganization earlier than it may really feel cozy! Fortunately, the duty of cleansing was cathartic. Dusting the bookshelves, placing away books, and studying over the sticky notes left on my pc display helped me to start to replicate about my work within the final 12 months. I started to really feel recharged. I even painted the room!
Sitting in my “now” cozy nook, I reread Perret’s framework and tailored it as a rubric to assist me to get began. The desk under outlines how you should use my adaptation of Perret’s REFLECT framework to start out your individual reflection:
Desk. Self-Reflection Rubric
|
Deep Pondering |
This Previous Yr |
AWE (And What Else) |
|
R |
Write down your ideas about on the job relationships, each with friends and college students. |
Think about your strengths and gaps and the best way to enhance if wanted. |
|
E |
Establish your effectiveness as a instructor. |
Look again at college students’ evaluations and discover patterns which may sign the necessity for development. |
|
F |
Consider your predominant skilled aim and whether or not your focus was on the right track. |
Establish methods to fulfill your skilled aim or rejoice your accomplishments! |
|
L |
Record the studying or PD that you’ve got accomplished within the final 12 months. |
Establish an space in want of additional growth. |
|
E |
From an fairness lens, take into consideration how your work impacted these round you. |
Consider methods to proceed honouring your apply from an fairness lens. |
|
C |
Describe how college tradition shapes your skilled apply. |
Establish features of tradition which might be altering or evolving. |
|
T |
Set a manageable and sensible goal as you look forward on the new college 12 months. |
Set a timeline to achieve your goal. (Revisit your “F” for focus) |
Supply: Tailored by Cecilia Aponte-de-Hanna from Perret’s (2023).
Final Phrases
My suggestion is to start out small. Reflecting shouldn’t be laborious. In spite of everything, it’s summer season!
What are you doing this summer season?
References
Perret, Ok. (2023, June). Use Summertime Reflection to Recharge Your Apply. The Studying Skilled, 44(3), 13-13,16. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/use-summertime-reflection-recharge-your-practice/docview/2831216012/se-2
Stanier, M.B. (2016). The Teaching Behavior: Say Much less, Ask Extra & Change the Method You Lead Perpetually. Field of Crayons Press.
Cecilia Aponte-de-Hanna
Hello, my title is Cecilia. I really like participating in good mind awakening discussions. Running a blog, I discover, lends itself for that. I additionally consider in sharing my abilities by scholarly apply, which is why I write often and have introduced at a number of conferences, together with TESL Ontario, TESL Toronto, CALL, and at Seneca Faculty. My M.A. in utilized linguistics together with my abilities and expertise have led me to my present place at Centennial Faculty, the place I train English and ESL within the Faculty of Development. I am actually obsessed with what I do: educating, writing, artistic expression, and serving to my college students (each L1 and L2) acquire company and take management of their very own studying. Thanks on your readership and I stay up for studying and answering your feedback. You’ll find me on Twitter @capontedehanna