Blogging as a Reflection

When I graduated teachers college I was given a workbook for first year teachers.  In it was a reflection page to photocopy and put into your day plans at the end of every week.  Reflecting on your plans, lessons, students.... what went well and what didn't.  This was something I did every week without fail.  For my first LTO.

As an educator I feel like we reflect all the time on how a lesson went - for us and for our students - but in an informal way (chatting with friends, thinking, etc.)  But what do we do after that?  If something went poorly we think about different strategies to put in place or different resources.... maybe sometimes we give up on the concept and try something else.  If it went well we might tell someone about it.  But then it's gone, hopefully to be remembered the following year when we teach that same curriculum again.  But it could really be gone forever.  Reflection

Maybe regular reflecting is done with staff or team members.  I love unpacking a days activities with my grade 7 team after the school day ends.  Going into their rooms and seeing what went well and supporting each other when things don't. 

What I love about this idea of blogging is what George Couros says about tagging your posts.  If I'm reflecting on a math strategy I can tag it and find it next year.  Or an amazing art lesson or language activity.  Or when something goes wrong I can see what strategies have worked in the past.  I think tagging is a brilliant way to organize materials.

I look forward to using this blog to reflect on new concepts that I am learning this year.  What might work, what might not work, but still, reflect on the learning that happens none-the-less.  Even if it's just for me personally.

I hope George's book is as thought provoking as his blog, it's up next on my reading list.

M

Comments

  1. Your post is very honest and I was smiling as I read it because I love "unpacking" the day with my colleagues too.
    I find myself sometimes reflecting on the effectiveness of my lesson, while I am still in the middle of it. If I have the resources available, I often tweak things on the fly, if I feel that I can improve the instruction or task.
    Thanks for your post and good luck on your reflective journey.

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  2. I too, found your post very honest. I can relate with you regarding the reflection that you did without fail during your first LTO. I feel that I still reflect on my teaching on a regular basis but don't necessarily write it down. So, I am hoping that blogging will push me to account for and invest in my own reflection, if that makes any sense at all.

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