As we enter the last few weeks of the school year, it’s natural to become reflective. Consider your year from two perspectives: a zoom lens and a wide-angle lens.
First, zoom in to a random day. Think of those ongoing, seemingly small interactions with individual students. Consider some of your lessons and the routines you put in place.
- How did you show you care in those regular day-to-day interactions? Think of your words, your actions, your mannerisms…
- Consider a moment when you recognized that a student’s emotional or social well-being was more important than academics. What did you do?
- Did you give up part of your lunch: your literal lunch to a hungry student, or your time at lunch to help a student?
- What lesson are you most proud of? Why does it stand out?
Now, put on your wide-angle lens. Think of the year as a whole. It wasn’t all smooth sailing; there were certainly bumps along the way. But consider the many positives…
- What are you most proud of this year?
- Knowing that you had an impact on all of your students, who might you especially have had an impact on this year? Why do you think that is?
- What is it that your students are leaving your classroom with: more compassion, more patience, a love of books, excitement about learning? (Remember, this is no accident. This is YOU.)
Zoom in and step back. How might these reflections inform how you approach next year?
Thanks Karen <3 It's easy to get caught up in other outcome measures at this time of year. These are perfect questions to reflect on what matters most!
Typically I find that we are hard on ourselves as teachers. And yet, we have an incredible impact on our students.