Benefits of Self Reflection A Journey to Discovering the Benefits of Self Reflection February 2013 Denise Curry and Terry Wiedemann Denise: Introduce ourselves and thank them for selecting our workshop. Give a few moments for each person to introduce themselves and the grade-level they teach. Have them find Compass Partners

If an apparently simple phrase like ‘camping trip evokes a huge range of responses, how much more will this be so when concepts to do with learning and teaching are presented. All of us have been ‘learners’ affected by ‘teachers’ for many years; these experiences have combined to give each of us a quite well elaborated set of ideas about good (and bad) teaching and good learning. We bring this with us, often quite unwittingly, when we become teachers ourselves. Camping VIDEO

Reflect Today’s session will be focused solely on reflection. Why do we reflect? How does this help us as teachers? Why is it beneficial to reflect with a coworker? We want you to leave here today understanding how important yet beneficial it is to reflect on a regular basis. We also want you to leave understand something new about your teaching.

Research Do a summary for the teachers on the article. Explain the activity. 5 min per mode of thinking.- post-it activity Fostering Reflection_Educational Leadership Article

You will now be partnered with another participant to exchange and watch parts of each other’s lessons. This activity will you step-outside of the teacher role  In a profession as challenging as teaching, honest self-reflection is key. That means that we must regularly examine what has worked and what hasn't in the classroom, despite how painful it can sometimes be to look in the mirror. Take a look at the reflection sheet together. Talk about how they can use this with their partner and as they are watching the lesson. Set the timer for 20 minutes. Allow the teachers to watch 20 minutes of a lesson and have them take notes as they watch: Virtual timer on the board http://www.online-stopwatch.com/eggtimer-countdown/full-screen/

Collaborate Have the partners stop and collaborate together on what they saw. Make sure to take any negative or concerns that you see and give concrete goals on how to focus your efforts moving forward. Be honest with each other  and allow the teacher who taught the lesson to respond first. Repeat with the second teacher’s recording. Set the timer for 20 minutes and allow them to collaborate afterwards for about 10 min.

What are your thoughts about this activity? Did you find it helpful to do with other teachers?

Journal Reflection Write in your journal about your thoughts on the workshop.