Taking time to reflect wasn’t something I did at the beginning of my career because…

As time went on though, I started to take 5 minutes on my prep, on the way to lunch, or any other short piece of time to think about what was happening in that day. As a result, I became more mindful of my teaching practice and how I was showing up for my students.

Let’s look at six habits of a reflective teacher. This list is by no means exhaustive, but these are some characteristics I started to notice in myself and other teachers I’ve worked with over the years. I’ve included a graphic below with each trait for you!

1. A reflective teacher knows what they want students to leave with everyday. This comes from planning intentionally and having an end goal for the lesson.

2. A reflective teacher uses data to inform instruction. Our students are the largest indicator for if what we’re doing is working! Students’ exit tickets, questions, and peer discussions, among other things, provide objective data for how they’re doing. Do you need to reteach to everyone? Do you need to pull a small group? Are students good and ready to move on? By collecting data and reflecting on it, you’ll have clear next steps. Read this post for more about this!

3. A reflective teacher looks for and checks internal biases. Look, we all have them. Our experiences color the way in which we see the world, our classroom, and our students. We have to constantly check these biases so that they do not hinder how we are showing up in our roles. Learn more about bias here.

4. A reflective teacher seeks out feedback from trusted colleagues. They are always seeking to improve. Debriefing conversations with colleagues allow you to process your thoughts and walk away with next steps. Try inviting that colleague in to watch your lesson and give you feedback, even better!

5. A reflective teacher seeks feedback from students. The feedback isn’t always pretty, but it is very necessary. We may think we appear one to students, but we are coming across completely different to them. Ask them what they feel about your class. Take their suggestions. This creates buy-in! They know you trust their voices to create a shared experience for all. The classroom shouldn’t just be your domain that you’re inviting them into, invite them to create a community alongside you.

6. The reflective educator remains curious. They are learning through books, podcasts, and through others around them. They self-reflect on how things could improve and what things they would love to stay exactly the same. They love to learn new things!

What else might you add to this list? Add your comments below!

Thanks for reading 🙂