Reflection Tips

REFLECTION IS REACTION WITH EMOTION AND THINKING

REFLECTION IS Responses to people, situations, events Teaching thinking made visible Reveals questions, wonderings as well as personal truths Show predictions and visions of your future as a teacher Can lead to discovery of beliefs and values that guide your decisions as a teacher

REFLECTION IS NOT ENTIRELY DESCRIPTION DISTANT

WRITING PROMPTS FOR PORTFOLIOS Introductions: Select 2 or more portfolio artifacts and write a paragraph or more to introduce a reader to the portfolio item. Items such as photos of teaching and learning projects, students’ work and responses, excerpts from teaching logs, notes from supervisor’s or cooperating teacher’s observations of teaching will be the best to use in writing introductions and reflections. Items that will not need introductions, conclusion – certificates, awards, resumes, cover letters, and similar items.

INTRODUCTION FOR CLASS ASSIGNMENTS: PERFORMANCE TASKS Delete Class Assignment details – name, date, professor, etc. Create a Unique Title Sign name at end of Project Create a unique introduction that describes the context of the assignment Invite the reader

TIPS FOR INTRODUCTIONS The introduction should: invite the reader to read or examine the artifact, provide the context of the artifact; the story behind the artifact. Explain when, who, where, and how the event or ‘snapshot’ of teaching, learning, or self-as-teacher occurred.

The introduction should: explain why this artifact is important and represents you or your strength or growth in teaching. provide an overview or highlights for the reader – so they can choose to see the capsule idea of the artifact or the richer portfolio artifact.

TIPS FOR REFLECTION The reflection should: include reflective thinking, stories help the reader see your growth, your strengths provide a projection of future goals related to the experience include surprises and wonderings

QUESTIONS WHEN WRITING REFLECTIONS What I enjoyed and found practical and helpful related to the artifact. What I was concerned about as I taught, worked, or communicated in relationship to this artifact. What I would do differently if I were to do this again.

MORE QUESTIONS Surprises that occurred as I was doing this writing, teaching, or interacting? What I learned about myself What I learned about students’ attitudes, values, strengths, skills, beliefs, responses to situations, life in school, life beyond school

MORE QUESTIONS What I learned about the politics of schools What I learned from students’ works What I learned about working with colleagues What I learned about myself as a planner, facilitator, or assessor? What I am most proud of related to this artifact/ project. Uniqueness of the item – how this item is different from what others might have.

WRITING REFLECTIONS: USING SENTENCE BEGINNINGS I wonder how. . . or why. . . The highlight of my week was when. . . I was most disappointed this week when. . . If I were to do ______ over again, I would. . . I think __________ is interesting. . . This situation reminds me of a similar situation. It happened when. . . At this point I am excited/bored with _____. . .

REFLECTIONS: MORE SENTENCE BEGINNINGS I really do not understand . . . If I were _______ (a teacher, mentor, colleague) in this situation I would . . . I find __________ (use a pseudonym) because. . . The student who really challenges me is ________ (pseudonym), and I think I might try . . . _____________ (Pseudonym of teacher or student) reminds me of _______. I admire . . . I have learned _________ about (classroom management, planning, learning, establishing relationship with students/and/or colleagues). . .

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING Discuss specific conversations you have had with colleagues about classroom management, lesson planning, students needing special accommodations. Write reflections about lessons. Include highlights of the lesson and don’t be afraid to be explicit about your strengths as a teacher. Write about your relationship with a student. Highlight lessons learned about students.

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: A CASE STUDY Case study: Write about a specific student and your work with him/her. Provide a context. Why did you choose to write about this student? Focus on your work with this student? What have you found challenging with him/her? What goals have you set in working with this particular student? Have you had private sessions with the student to learn more about his/her attitude or his/her way of learning? How have you accommodated his/her special needs and/or learning styles? What have you learned from him/her about attitude or aptitude?

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: TENSIONS and THE FUTURE Write about a tension or conflict that you experienced while teaching? What caused the tension? How was it resolved? What are your hopes in dealing with the issues if it was unresolved? Write about your future as a teacher. What are you most concerned about in the future? What do you look forward to most? What do you perceive as your strength now, and in the future? What do you think you will struggle with in working with students? In working with colleagues? In working with the administration? What do you think are your special strengths in working with students, colleagues and administrators?

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: THE SCHOOL Write about the resources in your school, including, but not limited to, people resources and material resources. How did you find them or establish a relationships? Write about the school curriculum? How does the school you are working in decide curriculum? What curriculum meetings have you attended? Have you participated? How?

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: COLLEAGUES AND OTHERS Write about the dynamics of working with school colleagues. Have you found a mentor? Who is that person and what drew you to him/her for professional support? Are there specific stories you might write about related to discussions with the mentor? What have you both found important to inquire about in thinking about teaching and learning? Write about relationships or connections you have had with school personnel who are not teachers or administrators.

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: PROFESSIONALISM Write about how you have invested time and energy beyond the classroom. What provides evidence of your professional commitment to teaching? What school activities have you found especially meaningful and why? How do you grow professionally? What professional reading do you do? What meetings do you attend? Membership in organizations? Ways you reflect about your practice? Collegial relationships for professional growth

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: SENTENCE BEGINNINGS If I were to recommend anything to future teachers I would recommend. . . (2 or 3 things) because. . . The person who I met while teaching who has been the most helpful to me is . . . Because of _____________(name) One time, I or he/she. . . . I would describe my teaching style as . . . (perhaps a metaphor – were you an orchestra leader, scientist, actor or actress, performer, others?) The student who really challenged me is _________ use pseudonym. What I have tried that has worked has been . . . Some false starts and other tries that have not been successful were . . . What I have learned in working with ______ Over the years I have learned _________ about classroom management, learning, planning, establishing relationships with students, establishing relationships with colleagues.

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: GENERATING LISTS (Any of these lists could be used as introduction to section of portfolio and with an added narrative could be the introduction to invite the reader. 5 beliefs about teaching and learning I acquired while teaching (explain) 3-5 Goals (related to teaching) I have set for myself in the next 2 years how I plan to accomplish them. 3-5 Things that helped me grow professionally while teaching. 3-5 Units special units that I have taught and what I learned in teaching them. 5 Management Strategies that have always worked for me

WRITING ABOUT TEACHING: GENERATING LISTS cont. 5 Discoveries I have made while teaching this year/ semester 5 Strengths I bring to teaching and how they were evident recently 5 Personal strengths that have enhanced my teaching 5 Ways I have changed as a teacher over the past 5 years 3-5 Extracurricular or service type activities in which I was involved

ADD PHOTOS TO ENHANCE REFLECTION Tong used this title, photo, and caption as an introduction of his practicum reflections for a tutoring experience at UWSP. Tong Xiong with Student at Pacelli High School, Oct. 2003 The Harmony of Learning Together

REFLECTION: Caption with Photo As I tutored I focused on note-taking skills for improvement in reading comprehension. Through working with these various students on their lessons I learned how important it is as a teacher to emphasize note-taking in my classroom. As a student I have learned various note-taking skills throughout the years, and this tutoring experience helped to reemphasize the important details and basics of what I had forgotten about note taking because it has become second nature for me as a college student

PHOTOS TIPS Create a photo essay. Use a collection of photos and show the process as well as the product. For example, take photographs as you begin an activity with students. Then take photos in the middle of the process. Take final photos as students display their work. Be sure that you are in some of the photographs. Many times we take photos of the students we want to remember or the projects they have created. In a teacher portfolio you will want to be visible in orchestrating the activity. Add text that will give a viewer the context for the photos. Often texts can describe your teacher thinking and reveal your strengths. Digital photos can be very useful in documenting teaching. Learn if your school has a digital camera that you may use for photos. Ask about the school’s or organization’s policy about using pictures of students or other individuals. Depending on the policy, ask students or parents/guardians whether you can use the pictures in your portfolio. Do not include names with the pictures.

THANK YOU A special thank you to Carrisa Towne, Tong Xiong, and Ashley Kirst for giving me permission to adapt and use their work as a models.

Reflection Tips

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Reflection Tips