Community with Character: Reflective

re·flec·tive

rəˈflektiv/

Reflective: relating to or characterized by deep thought; thoughtful.

As we approach the end of our school year, it is important to be reflective in where we were and how far we have come. Be thoughtful in your reflections; look for things you can change, improve upon and areas of growth. Take a moment to breathe, reflect and move on.

Self-Reflection Questions for Learning

Now that it’s over, what are my first thoughts about this overall experience, project, class, etc? Are they mostly positive or negative?
If positive, what comes to mind specifically? Negative?
What were some of the most interesting discoveries I made while working on this project, class, etc? About the problem? About myself? About others?
What were some of my most challenging moments and what made them so?
What were some of my most powerful learning moments and what made them so?
What is the most important thing I learned personally?

Reflective listening is also an important skill to develop. Be like a mirror - reflect back what you think, feel and sense that the speaker is saying and feeling.

Work to clear the mirror so that you can reflect more clearly.

Research on high school students’ reflective thinking.

The different types of listening skills used in human communication: (Wikipedia)

1. Active listening

2. Appreciative listening

3. Dialogic listening

4. Informative listening

5. Reflective listening

6. Workplace listening

Why is Reflective Listening important?

Show that feelings matter
Show that it is possible to talk about uncomfortable or complicated feelings
Show that we care about the child’s feelings
Teach the child that all feelings are acceptable, even though certain behavior is not
Defuse an uncomfortable situation
Reduce a child’s urge to act out because the child feels heard
Teach the child a vocabulary for articulating how they feel
Reduce whining, anger and frustration

How do I use the skill of Reflective Listening?

Listen quietly and attentively
Verbally acknowledge the child’s feelings with a word
Give the child his wishes in a fantasy
Set aside your own feelings temporarily
Refrain from interrupting, arguing reasoning or justifying
Give the feeling a name

What can be done to help develop the critical, constructive and creative thinking that is necessary for reflective practice? Neil Thompson, in his book People Skills, suggests that there are six steps:

Read - around the topics you are learning about or want to learn about and develop
Ask - others about the way they do things and why
Watch - what is going on around you
Feel - pay attention to your emotions, what prompts them, and how you deal with negative ones
Talk - share your views and experiences with others in your organisation
Think - learn to value time spent thinking about your work

Skills You Need- Reflective Practice

The mere act of daily writing is a keystone habit that can improve every area of your life, because it increases your self-awareness. Journaling helps you record all the minutiae that, gathered together, reveal the meaning in your life and help you take the next best step.

Practice self-evaluation and reflection.

Keep a journal and track your progress. How would you rate your current level of self-awareness out of ten? Think about how often you say regretful things; repeat bad habits; make absent-minded decisions; and have erratic thoughts.

Set regular goals, break big goals down into smaller milestones. Ask yourself at the end of each day, “What did I do well today?” And, “How can I improve on this tomorrow?”

“The mere act of daily writing is a keystone habit that can improve every other area of your life, because it increases your self awareness. Check out these Apps!

Day One (Mac, iOS, Android)—best for writing quick journal entries in a simple, intuitive interface; free/$3.99 per month for premium features
Diarium (Windows, Android)—best for dictating journal entries and seamless integration with Windows; free/$2.99 for premium features on Android, $19.99 on Windows 10
Glimpses (Windows)—best for free journaling on Windows; free
Journey (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Web)—best for seamless journaling and syncing on any platform; free on Web and Android, $14.99 on Mac, $17.99 on Windows, $4.99 for premium Android features
Penzu (Web, iOS, Android)—best for journaling in a blog-like environment while keeping your entries secure; free/$19.99 per year for premium features
Dabble.me (Email)—best for journaling by email; free/$3 per month for premium features
Momento (iOS)—best for automated journaling from your social media feeds; free/$3.99 for premium features
Grid Diary (iOS)—best for templated journaling; free/$4.99 for premium features
Five Minute Journal (iOS, Android)—best for quick morning and evening reflections; $4.99
Intend (iOS)- free App--- Best for raising awareness and changing behavior.
Emotion Wheel (iOS)---Best for tracking your emotions and developing self awareness
Recap: Video Response and Reflection for Education--Recap is a video response and reflection app that allows students to record short videos (or typed text) in response to teacher prompts. Recap is designed for formative assessment, but it feels very informal and conversational — which is an asset. Video reflections offer teachers a new way to check for understanding, personalizing questions for students and assessing their reflections, and give students a perhaps more engaging mode for demonstrating learning.