Reflection: The Forgotten Step

Reflection is often the forgotten piece of the learning process.  It is what comes after the teaching.  Reflecting upon a concept is sometimes viewed as difficult to do because some students (and even some teachers) are not worried about actually retaining information.  Some only learn information for a test just to earn a good grade.  There are teachers who only teach in order for the students in this short-term manner, as well.  Reflection requires legitimate thinking; there are no short-cuts involved.  Even the teachers who do believe reflection is important fail to incorporate it into their lessons because they fear the students will not comply.  I believe students will not refuse to reflect, as long as the process is set up properly.  Simply asking students what they have learned will not add up to a worthwhile conversation.  Approaching reflection in the same way as actually learning information is what works -- CREATIVITY is necessary!  Have students write about what they have learned and how it might be useful.  Have the students blog about their learning experiences! A good way to ensure that reflection will indeed occur is to have everyone fill out a K-W-L chart.  By first figuring out what students know and want to know about a topic, they become more conscious and alert while they are actually learning, leading to a better "reflective conversation" at the end of the process.  This reflection is key -- students are more likely to remember what they have learned if they are given the chance to look back and reflect upon it.   

When the Learning Light is Extinguished

Generally speaking, when a teacher displays genuine passion for the subject that is being taught, the students can sense that passion.  Because they can feel that their teacher is truly enjoying themselves, they are more likely to develop a similar passion.  Learning becomes fun.  Sometimes, it is obvious that the instructor has a deep passion but for something other than what they are teaching.  I witnessed this in the eighth grade.


I developed a love for American history in the fifth grade.  I loved everything about my history class: listening to my teacher lecture, taking notes, participating in activities, and working on group projects.  When it came time to take the class again in eighth grade, I was ecstatic.  I couldn't wait to learn even more about our country's history.  After the first day of that class, however, I knew it was going to be a completely different experience than the one I had imagined.


As the coach of the junior high boys' basketball, high school boys' baseball, and high school boys' golf teams, my eighth grade history teacher could be summed up in one word -- coach.  He sported a jersey of some kind everyday, and even had some of his sports equipment at the front of the room, just in case he felt like practicing.  As someone who wasn't interested in sports at all, I wasn't too thrilled to be in this environment.  I did give him the benefit of the doubt, though.  I thought that perhaps the man might have two passions in life: athletics and American history.  Boy, was I wrong.

Did we ever open the textbook?  Hardly.  Did we go into detail about anything that might have been in that textbook?  Nope.  Did we learn how to swing a golf club? Certainly.  Of course.  Why would we not learn about the game of golf in American history class?  I was heated for the entirety of the school year.  The only academic tasks we did were the random projects he assigned.  If we did the project, we received an A.  If we chose not to, we received an F.  At the end of the year, when the eighth graders were expected to pass the Constitution test, he "prepared" us in the way he believed was best.  He simply gave us the answers a few days prior to the test and told us to memorize them.  He really should have received some sort of Teacher of the Year award for his effort.

My eighth grade American history teacher did obviously have a deep passion, but it wasn't for history.  Because of this, I really didn't enjoy the class at all.  In fact, I temporarily lost my love for history.  It wasn't until I was a senior in high school that this passion was rekindled.  How did I uncover this lost love?  My teacher displayed a passion for the subject.  That was all it took.