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This image shows simple, general, co-created norms for choice seating.

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This is Responsive Classroom's Interactive Modeling process that can be used to model expectations.

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Interactive Modeling is a straightforward, quickly paced, seven-step process that's effective for teaching children any academic or social skill, routine, or procedure that you want them to do in a specific way (whether for safety, efficiency, or other reasons). One of the essential practices of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching elementary school children, Interactive Modeling can be used by any adult anywhere in school at any time of year.

How does Interactive Modeling differ from traditional modeling?

In traditional modeling, the teacher shows children how to do a skill, routine, or procedure, tells them what to notice, and expects that they will learn it immediately. Interactive Modeling also shows children how to do skills, routines, or procedures, but it goes well beyond that basic step. Students also:

Learn exactly why the skill, routine, or procedure is important to their learning and the respectful, smooth functioning of the classroom.

Are asked what they noticed about the teacher's modeling (rather than told by their teacher what to notice).

See a few classmates additionally model the routine or procedure after the teacher's initial modeling.

Practice the routine or procedure right away.

Receive immediate feedback and coaching from their teacher while they practice.

Why is Interactive Modeling more effective than traditional modeling?

The distinctive steps of Interactive Modeling incorporate key elements of effective teaching: modeling positive behaviors, engaging students in active learning, and immediately assessing their understanding. Research shows that when we teach in this way, children achieve greater, faster, and longer-lasting success in meeting expectations and mastering skills.

With Interactive Modeling, children create clear, positive mental images of what is expected of them. They do the noticing themselves, which builds up their powers of observation and their analysis and communication skills. In addition, because they get immediate practice, they gain quicker expertise and stronger mastery of the procedure or skill being taught.

What are the seven steps of Interactive Modeling?

1. Briefly state what you will model, and why.

2. Model the behavior exactly as you expect students to do it (the right way, not the wrong way, and without describing what you're doing unless you need to "show" a thinking process).

3. Ask students what they noticed. (You may need to do some prompting, but children soon notice every little detail, especially as they gain expertise with this practice.)

4. Invite one or more students to model the same way you did.

5. Again, ask students what they noticed the modelers doing.

6. Have all students model while you observe and coach them.

7. Provide feedback, naming specific, positive actions you notice and redirecting respectfully but clearly when students go off track.

What can I teach with Interactive Modeling?

Here are just a few examples:
Academic & Social Skills

Listening and responding to questions

Working with a partner or small group

Using technology and other resources

Taking part in a whole-group discussion

Test-prep procedures

Procedures & Routines

Arrival and dismissal routines

Cleaning up

Lunch, recess, and bathroom routines

Schoolwide assembly procedures

Transitions from one classroom/activity to another

How long does Interactive Modeling take?

An Interactive Modeling lesson to demonstrate lining up, for example, may take only three or four minutes. A more involved lesson, such as teaching children how to partner chat, might take twenty minutes.

This modest investment saves you time in the long run. That's because children gain mastery more quickly and are thus able to spend much more time on task. You'll have less confusion in the classroom and fewer interruptions because children will not need to ask you or peers over and over what to do. As a result, you'll have more time for teaching-and children will have more time to complete their work and to learn.

How much time could I gain with Interactive Modeling?

A little time spent on teaching students exactly how you want them to do things will pay big dividends throughout the year. Say you lose a few minutes every hour to repeating instructions and dealing with interruptions. That can add up to twenty or thirty minutes of lost instructional and work time each day-2½ hours each week. That's 100 lost hours every school year! Think of what you could do with that time. Think of what your students could do.

What does Interactive Modeling look and sound like in action?

In a fifth grade classroom, Mrs. K wants the students to understand how to work productively during independent work time. She teaches this Interactive Modeling lesson:

1. Say what you will model and why.
Mrs. K: "Our goal is for everyone to do high-quality work during independent work time. Watch how Carlos and I work hard on our assignment and let others do the same."

2. Model the behavior.
Mrs. K and Carlos (coached in advance) demonstrate how to work on a research assignment at the same table. They work quietly, but to show that it's okay to talk, they each exchange one fact from their research, briefly and in low voices. Then they get right back to work.

3. Ask students what they noticed.
Mrs. K: "What did you notice?" Her students note the key elements of the demonstration, such as how Carlos and Mrs. K stayed in their seats, worked quietly, and talked in low voices for only a short time. Mrs. K prompts students to name any key behaviors they missed. For example: "What did we do with our papers and other materials?"

4. Invite one or more students to model.
Mrs. K chooses four more students, who demonstrate how to work independently at the same table just as she and Carlos did.

5. Again, ask students what they noticed.
Mrs. K: "What did you notice this time?" Her students point out the key elements, just as they did in Step 3, helping to reinforce these behaviors for themselves. Again, she prompts them if they miss any key behaviors.

6. Have all students practice.
Mrs. K gives all her students a short survey to work on so she can observe and coach them.

7. Provide feedback.
Mrs. K: "I see everyone focused on the survey, working quietly. That kind of focus will help you and your classmates complete your assignments and learn a lot this year."

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What is Interactive Modeling? | Responsive Classroom

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Interactive Modeling is a straightforward, quickly paced, seven-step process that's effective for teaching children any academic or social skill, routine, or procedure that you want them to do in a specific way (whether for safety, efficiency, or other reasons).

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Observation form to use with buddies. We can determine frequency and process.

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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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Includes a checklist and description of what observers see in student centered classrooms.

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When you walk into a school, what do you look for? When envisioning what type of learning environment is ideal for your child or the students you work with, what are the most important characteristics? What are the most positive, memorable experiences from your own schooling?

I value many different learning models and environments and honestly do not feel it is my role to judge or evaluate what is "good." That said, from years of teaching in the classroom and countless visits and interactions with excellent educators worldwide, I've created a list of things I commonly observe in great student-centered learning environments. As the Nellie Mae Education Foundation describes, student-centered learning "engages students in their own success-and incorporates their interests and skills into the learning process." Student learning is personalized, competency-based, happens anytime and/or anywhere, and students have ownership in their learning.

I paired my personal list with thoughts from my teammates at Getting Smart to create a collection of "School Look Fors" based on our discussions and experiences in schools.

Download a copy of this graphic

Keep in mind, these Look Fors are not meant to evaluate a learning environment. Rather, they can serve as a springboard for creating talking and discussion points. Also, some of our favorite learning environments are places where educators are still working on addressing some of these Look Fors. It is obvious but still important to state this: every day is different in every school, and we don't know the on-going experiences and interactions of those teaching and learning in those spaces.

Amongst the fourteen School Look Fors above, there are eight in particular that really stand out when it comes to student-centered learning environments.

1) High degree of student engagement; challenge, enthusiasm, joy. One of the goals of creating a student-centered environment should be to make learning joyful, challenging and engaging. Thrive Public Schools is one of the most joyful places we have visited. Joyful learning coupled with purposeful challenge makes Thrive truly an incredible place. The laughter and engagement flows through every hall and classroom.

2) Students know what they are learning and why. Katherine Smith students, including the fourth-grade student (pictured in Quality Work + Project-Based Learning at Katherine Smith Elementary) who shared her writing project goals with us, know what they need to do to accomplish a project or a task. The project was personalized to her goals and she was working at her own pace to accomplish them. Educators from Katherine Smith share that this doesn't happen overnight, but with great PBL facilitation even kindergartners can have this level of focus and clarity.

3) Blend of individual, collaborative team and large group work. Intrinsic Schools in Chicago is literally designed, both in structure and in instruction, to be a blend of individual and team work. Students all work in big learning pods and rotate between groups or one-on-one instruction with their teachers.

4) Students use personalized technology to produce as well as consume. Student-centered learning demands students spend at least some portion of their day working on personalized learning tasks or projects. CICS Irving Park students in Chicago use the Summit platform during part of their school day, and staff now find that discipline issues are lower and engagement is skyrocketing. CICS Irving Park partners with LEAP Innovations in their personalized learning pursuit, working together to ensure the learning is not just individualized but that it is also meaningful and connected to the real-world.

5) Students have some opportunity to work at their own pace and explore their own interests. Exploring student interests (and interests that they may not even realize they have) is core to a great student-centered environment. Students also work on addressing competencies, or skills, and do so at their own pace. Da Vinci students ebb and flow in and out of group work and individual projects, which are usually designed based off of student interests. Many students at Da Vinci are working towards mastering competencies and earning SNHU credits for doing so. They get to choose focus areas for their learning, which may include learning about communities and causes that they are most passionate about. Students are often working on a similar set of goals, but not all on the same activity or task.

6) Students are doing the bulk of the work and the talking. Students ideas and voices are front and center in student-centered learning environments. Design39 students are confident communicators and collaborators. Learning Experience Designers (also known as teachers) get students started and guide their learning, but allow for lots of student discussion and work time. On our visit last spring, students were working on their own or in groups throughout the school. One group of third graders we chatted with were addressing this question: "How might we define ourselves within this world we live in?"

7) There are multiple forms of assessment, feedback and demonstrations of learning. Students in student-centered learning environments get lots of feedback. They get individual feedback, hopefully on both academic and social and emotional goals. They also get group or team feedback, maybe based on projects or a team activity. At Cougar New Tech in the El Paso Independent School District, students keep their projects up in an in-school museum. Whenever visitors come, they get to practice their presentations and receive feedback to improve their work.

8) Instruction, culture and environment reflect and include student and staff diversity. From the Secretary to the Vice Principal, C havez Multicultural Academic Center staff truly reflect the community and students served. The halls and walls are covered with student artwork, cultural displays and messages of empowerment around diversity as being a strength. Students see themselves in their learning space and their cultural strengths are highlighted throughout their learning day and in the physical school environment.

What else would you add? Above all else, there is no better sign than being in a school environment where educators, parents and students express they are joyful about their school and confident in the quality of teaching and learning.

For more, see:
Stay in-the-know with all things EdTech and innovations in learning by signing up to receive the weekly Smart Update . This post includes mentions of a Getting Smart partner. For a full list of partners, affiliate organizations and all other disclosures, please see our Partner page

Emily Liebtag is a Director at Getting Smart. Follow her on Twitter: @EmilyLiebtag.

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8 Things to Look For in a Student-Centered Learning Environment

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When you walk into a school, what do you look for? When envisioning what type of learning environment is ideal for your child or the students you work with, what are the most important characteristics? What are the most positive, memorable experiences from your own schooling?

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Resource that supports the Curious Classroom

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8 ways to support inquiry - simple, scalable, cultural shifts.

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Creating Classrooms We Need: 8 Ways Into Inquiry Learning | KQED

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If kids can access information from sources other than school, and if school is no longer the only place where information lives, what, then happens to the role of this institution? “Our whole reason for showing up for school has changed, but infrastructure has stayed behind,” said Diana Laufenberg, who taught history at the progressive

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Do we want to refer to this as Building Community rather than Managing Behavior?

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Excerpt from Inquiry Mindset

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How To Ease Students Into Independent Inquiry Projects | KQED

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Teachers Trevor MacKenzie and Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt share how they guide students to become independent learners.

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From Kids First

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4 attributes that can support community building

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From Kids First

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From Kids First, questions to help break down and teach social skills

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Remember, "blank slate, not masterpiece"

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Maybe something to teach kids about when you think through how to rearrange the space

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Think through these areas

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to make it their classroom

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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First Grade blog about introducing flexible seating and setting expectations

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First Grade blog about introducing flexible seating and setting expectations

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I did it, I made the jump and started Flexible Seating! I'm a week in and I love it! Let me share with you how it has worked in my classroom.

At the beginning of my career, I was a special education teacher and really embraced seating options then. So when I got into the classroom, I continued to allow for more flexible seating, although I still had name tags, tables and chairs. I have always allowed my students to move and work around the room as needed, standing at other tables or working on the floor, but they always had a table spot-UNTIL NOW!

I follow a lot of blogs and teachers on social media and really enjoyed seeing flexible seating become more popular. Angie from Lucky Little Learners and Kayla from Top Dog Teaching are two that I have loved following for flexible seating. As I watched other teachers implement it, I started thinking about how I could fully implement it with the things I had. Because of a Donor's Choose Project I had funded last fall, I already had 3 wobble stools and 3 wiggle cushions. Before spring break, I used some money that we get from our fabulous PTO and went to Walmart and bought 4 scoop rockers, 4 pillows, 8 small bathmats, 4 yoga mats and a big tub. I had everything I needed to implement, now I just needed to pull the plug.

I had a student teacher from January until before spring break, so I decided that right after spring break was when I was going to fully implement it. We also had conferences before spring break and I didn't want the new seating to be a focus for parents so I waited until after break.

When the students walked into the classroom on the Monday after break, they had quite the surprise. I had eluded to new changes that were coming, but I don't think they had any idea. Boy, were they surprised!

Student Seat Options

As for the seating, there are a lot of other options you could do, I just went with what I had and what was cheap. One thing I did at the very beginning of implementation was talk about appropriate and safe sitting at each spot.

In the classroom, the students have a lot of different seating options. I have also included where I got mine (or where you can find them).

The wobble stools are 14" and come in a lot of different colors. Since we have had these awhile, the students know our expectations. They know they cannot kneel or spin on them. My custodian gave me a couple carpet squares to put underneath so they don't ruin the tile. They also have to be careful when rocking or they will fall off.

Other stool options from Amazon:

Aren't these pillow just adorable? I love the gold color as it matched my bee themed classroom. They were only $9. I didn't want to spend a lot because I knew they would get a lot of wear and tear. There are already pen marks and they are definitely flatter than when we started a week ago, but I knew that would happen. Some of the expectations we have are no shoes on them and no heads! We've had lice going around the school so I'm extremely strict about this one. They are to sit on them at the table. If they want to lay down, they can grab a yoga mat.
3. Wiggle Cushions from Amazon
These are just your typical wiggle cushion that most OTs in schools have. These are nice and big with a pointy side and a flat side. Expectations are that students are careful with scissors around them But besides that, we don't have a lot of rules.

*Both the pillow and wiggle cushion tables are lower to the ground. My custodian was nice enough to lower them as far as they would go. And they actually weren't as low as I would have liked so he took off the whole bottom part of the leg. He put tennis balls on the bottom to protect the table and the tile.

This is just a regular table raised as high as it will go. I also have chairs there in case they feel like sitting.

I got mine from Walmart, but they aren't even online anymore, so I found these at Overstock. After another teacher saw mine, she went searching for others around our area and found some at Aldi. The rockers are definitely an ABSOLUTE FAVORITE. Because of this, we rotate through them. When it is a student's turn to have one they can choose to have it or not. They fit my little firsties well. They can rock or sit steady.

Other rocker options from Amazon
6. Yoga Mat on the Floor from Walmart
The yoga mats are the cheapest I could find. At the time they were under $4-perfect for my teacher budget. I had my custodian cut them in half. I didn't think there was room or that the students needed a full yoga mat. The half-size seems to be perfect for them. They say it feels like laying on a cloud and that it's so fluffy. I'm glad I didn't spend the extra money on thicker ones when these seem to work just fine.

How It Works in My Classroom

This is how it works in my first-grade classroom:

Every morning when my students come into the classroom, they drop off their homework and then grab their book box. This is where they keep most of their materials including: book bags, homework bag, writing folder, word work journal and daily work folder. They then make a choice on where they want to sit for the day. As of now, my students have decided they want to have a base spot for the day. They pick where they want to sit, grab everything they need and get started on their morning work. If they are on the floor, on a yoga mat or rocker, they grab a supply case and clipboard. In the supply case there are pencils, pens, crayons, scissors, glue sticks and sticky notes. If they choose to sit at one of the tables, there is a shared supply bin with everything they need. I always have shared supplies since we use tables, so this was not a new concept for my students.

They choose a base spot for the day, but if they want to move around during another activity, they still have that option. I don't want a student to be "stuck" in a spot for a certain activity if they feel they will work better somewhere else.

When I introduced it to my students, I had them be a HUGE part of figuring out expectations and rules. We talked about what it would look like to sit at each spot and we talked A LOT about choosing a good spot that will work for them. It's not about sitting by their friend, or where their friends are sitting, it's about where THEY learn best. We also talked about how flexible seating and choosing a spot is a privilege. The whole point of flexible seating if for them to have the power to choose and learn where they can be the best they can be. Since starting, we continue to have these conversations and reflect on our seating choices daily.

Going into the whole flexible seating thing, I had a lot of questions that I was trying to figure out. To answer some of these questions, I sat down with my principal. But in the end, we decided to let the students help figure out the answers. We wanted to EMPOWER them and have them feel more responsible for it in our classroom. So, on those first couple days, as problems arose, we figured things out and came up with answers together. If something didn't work, we brainstormed and tried something else.

We will see how it works for the rest of the year, but overall I am extremely happy with my decision. I had complete support from my principal and was ready to do this for my students because I knew it what was best for them.

OK, I think this post is long enough for now, but I want to know YOUR questions about flexible seating. Do you do it in your classroom? Are you unsure of how to get started? Are you looking for ways to get supplies for flexible seating? Whatever questions you have, I'd love to hear them. Then in my next post about flexible seating I will answer some of those questions. I'd love to hear from you. Please comment below.

Until next time, happy teaching.

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase.

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Flexible Seating in the Primary Classroom: Part 1

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I did it, I made the jump and started Flexible Seating! I'm a week in and I love it! Let me share with you how it has worked in my classroom. At the beginning of my career, I was a special education teacher and really embraced seating options then.

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Kinder Blog about introducing work spaces

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Kinder Blog about introducing work spaces

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Someone asked me how I roll out alternative seating at the beginning of the school year. Great question! Let me share my top tips on introducing and implementing alternative seating starting the first day of school. Let me also remind you that when I first started because I got rid of my teacher desk, that I practiced on my kinders at the end of a school year, with 3 weeks left to go.

The following year, I knew that I wanted to keep my alternative seating setup. I had fallen in love with how it worked, how much freedom it gave my kinders {and me} while building their ability to start learning how they best learn. {Big stuff for five year olds - don'tcha think?}

The tricky part came when roughly 2-3 days before school was going to start that I hadn't really considered how I was going to roll out the use of these spaces with my new kiddos... let alone explain it to parents {who I anticipated could be wary} on our back to school night.

My plan was to keep it simple. Just the way I do most everything in my classroom...

I was going to teach, model, edify and release.

1. Teach

I did "assign" a spot to the names on my class list. I have no clue who they are based on their names {unless I've had a sibling} until our back to school night. So, I don't assign based on anything. It's truly very random. I did this using something very temporary - on purpose. I used very sticky sticky notes and placed them around the room. I specifically chose a number of standing spaces, sitting spaces, ball chairs, kneeling spaces - but opted for no floor spaces at this time.

I also chose to leave sitting spaces open. This was to make it a point that not every child is assigned a traditional space to those parents whose child did receive one.

I placed their art folders/space mats on top of the post it note. The post-it was so that the name would still be there on the first day of school after I picked up their mats.

If parents asked at our back to school night, I tried to explain in an elevator pitch that their child would get to explore all seating options since our classroom runs based on choice for each activity we do... after they've learned how to appropriately use their assigned space.

2. Model

When teaching any activity the first day of school {and week really} I specifically chose to model said activity or work throughout the day at each of the different kind of spaces. I mentioned the type of space, when it's a useful type of space (like, "sometimes when we're working hard it's easier for our bodies to stand instead of sit") and explain that they may want to try that kind of space in a few days.

The first time I mention the floor spaces using clipboards - they are all about it!

3. Edify

Every time I can I mention how someone is using their space appropriately. Es-pec-ia-ll-y with the ball chairs. Positive praise is all it takes to help other kinders see how to use the different kinds of spaces and is simultaneously encouragement for them to try a variety of spaces.

I also take time to ask students {while there is a random lull} what type of space they'd like to try when they get to choose. The whole time they are assigned spaces, I'm building up expectations and anticipation for when they get to choose. I also reinforce that choosing their space is always a privilege. If they choose a space and can't choose to get work done there, then it may not be the right kind of space {or person} to choose, and I'll have to choose for them.

4. Release

You'll notice reading the steps above that I mentioned that I assign spaces. {Yep, I do} It varies from year to year how long they stay assigned, but usually within the first full week of school I announce that they can start choosing spaces. I prep them the day before... and the day of...

Normally, on the day when we begin choosing it's my transition to any independent activity... I ask them what type of space they'll choose before they leave the group.

The following day, I can do this less often.

The third day, I barely say anything at all other than helping them make wiser choices if necessary.

I try to really be open minded here. Kinders are very creative and often think of using a work space {or creating a completely new work space} in a way I wouldn't - nor would have thought of.

How to Help Them Make Wise Choices

So, I try to hang back and let them attempt using it in the way they desire. If it begins to impede on their work or ability to focus, that's when I try to intervene with a tweak, solution or suggestion to change the type of space. That simply reinforces that while choosing a space is indeed fun, it's choosing the right type of space for your what your body needs while getting to learning that is important.

My motto concerning this really has become, "Sit, kneel, stand... just learn!" I try to remember that as we get our year started out right. From there on out, it's full speed ahead and students get to choose their spaces each time during every independent activity during the day.

If you were wondering how to give it a go with your students, I hope this really helps! You can try it any point in the school year!

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.

Get the scoop on other must-know things related to alternative seating in our classroom.

So What's Next?

You may want to get this tip and 5 others sent directly to your email over the next week with my free Alternative Seating Bootcamp course. You'll get my best on making the most of your classroom and be on your way to making it happen!

More Alternative Seating

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How to Roll Out Student Work Spaces {alternative seating}

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Someone asked me how I roll out alternative seating at the beginning of the school year. Great question! Let me share my top tips on introducing and implementing alternative seating starting the first day of school.

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Three options for teacher reflection are provided: building it into lesson plans, peer observations, and student input

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According to Cathryn Berger Kaye, in her article Meaningful Reflection, a Practical Approach, reflection can be informative, generative, or at its most powerful, transformative. Her work here focuses on how to integrate meaningful reflection into your classroom for your students. Reflection does play an important role in student learning and should be a integral part of all classrooms, I also believe that these ideas apply equally to the reflection that teachers need do to improve their own practices.

Like many teachers, reflection is a natural and regular part of my life. I spend a lot of time and energy reflecting (often it feels like too much time and energy!); I think about Student A on my walk home from work, Lesson B while laying down going to sleep, Colleague C as I take my dogs around the block at night, Meeting D over a bowl of cereal at breakfast. While there are many meaningful benefits of this natural and routine reflection, I often do it without planned purpose.

Reflection should occur naturally but should also be planned and purposeful. Here are 3 ways I incorporate reflection purposefully to improve my teacher and my students' learning.
Make It A Part of Your Lesson Plans
This year I began adding a blank Reflection section at the bottom of each of my lesson plans. I still print my lesson plan to have them near by during a lesson in order to stay organized and use planned questions or prompts. At the end of each lesson I then have a space to write down my reflections of the lesson. This is a generative process. I look back on my lesson to see what I will do differently in the future. Sometimes the reflections are specific to a particular lesson, like adding extra time to a think-pair-share activity or to reword directions of an assignment. Other times I draw larger conclusions that apply to the unit or my teaching in general, like to incorporate more cold call discussions or design a tracking system for which students I worked with during that particular day. This helps my lessons and my teaching to evolve and become more focused towards student learning.
Peer Observations and Reflections
Like the Beatles said, "I am going to try with a little help from my friends." Reflection is great alone but can be even more powerful when done with others. Over the last two years my middle school social studies colleagues, including HighFiveHistory's own Jason Deehan, and I have set up peer observations. Our group, led by department head Marlene Perez, created a schedule and a protocol to follow. We decided on a technique of having the observing peer write down a series of clarifying and probing questions based on their observations of the lesson. Then after the class, we sit down and discuss the questions - with no unsolicited advice or judgement.

The reflection that came about was informative. It is amazing to "see" your class from another person's viewpoint and to reflect about details from the class you don't always notice with your own eyes. I have come away with many aha moments from these reflective discussions - how I lead discussions, who I call on, how I move about the classroom, how the class flows. What makes this peer-led reflection so powerful for me is the safe space that my peers and I have created between us. By focusing on questions, and not feedback or judgement, we have allowed ourselves the room to reflect, with a little help from our friends.
Seek Out Student Input
I have always been open and honest with my students, and I try my best to create a trusting relationship with them. This means at times pulling back the curtain on my teaching and showing them what I do and why I do it. It also means seeking out their opinions of lessons and activities, to get a feel of the class from their perspective. I do this informally by talking with small groups of students who happen to stay a little late or I discuss it with the entire class at the end of a unit or project. I also do it formally by creating student surveys. I use surveys at the end of certain units, especially when I am trying something new, and in the middle and end of the year as a general look back. What started out as paper and pencil feedback forms has turned digital with the use of Google Forms. What hasn't changed is the valuable feedback, and opportunity to reflect, that comes of seeking out student input.

Some of the most transformative moments of my teaching have come out of these student feedback surveys. What I have come to learn, especially with middle school adolescent students, is what you think you do as a teacher and how you intend to be, is not always as important as how the students interpret what you do and construct who you are. Similar to the shift in teaching and learning, it's not what a teacher teaches as much as what did the students learn. To reflect, or to look back, as a teacher is not just looking back at yourself in the mirror but looking back at yourself from the eyes of your students.

Do you purposely reflect? If so, how? We love to hear from fellow educators - please share your own ideas and experiences in the comments below.

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According to Cathryn Berger Kaye, in her article Meaningful Reflection, a Practical Approach, reflection can be informative, generative, or at its most powerful, transformative. Her work here focuses on how to integrate meaningful reflection into your classroom for your students.

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A book on Habits of Mind with a chapter on the value of reflection and how to guide students in self-reflection, specifically includes information on interviews, questioning, and modeling

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Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind: 16 Essential Characteristics for Success

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In Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind, noted educators Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick present a comprehensive guide to shaping schools around Habits of Mind. The habits are a repertoire of beh

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Blog provides tips for improving routines if flexible seating isn't going well

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Flexible seating may be all the rage and supported by research, but what happens when it is not working in your classroom? What do you do? Do you pack it all up and send it back to the donors with thank you notes for the gifts, but sorry this just isn't working for us right now in the fine print? Or do you grit your teeth and move forward despite being miserable with the current situation? These options are a bit extreme, so don't wait until you feel that strongly to make some changes. Try the ideas below early! You won't find them in the instruction manuals that come with your class's new seating choices. And you'll feel even worse if you start comparing yourself and your classroom to all of the success stories, images, and posts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Already late in the school year? Just like any other issue that crops up in the classroom, it is never too late to hit the restart button!

Why did you embrace Flexible Seating in your classroom?

Was it thrust upon you or did you choose it? If you chose it, then revisiting your "why?" for doing so is always helpful. Take a moment to reflect on those reasons now.

Make a list of all of the things that are going well with Flexible Seating.

In other words, focus on any positives you have noticed since first implementing. If you can only list one thing, then be sure to write that one thing down.

Revisit how you introduced Flexible Seating to your students.

Did you follow a process or did it just happen? If students rotated through the seating choices and learned about their preferences, make notes of any changes that occurred once you allowed them to freely choose their seat each day.

Evaluate student understanding and/or appreciation of Flexible Seating.

Consider any comments/criticisms they may have shared with you. If you don't feel like you have a strong handle on this, initiate a group meeting on the topic and/or have students fill out a survey via paper or a Google feedback form. Don't be afraid to reach out to families and ask what their little ones are sharing at home.

Can students restate the rules for correctly using Flexible Seating? Can they easily locate those rules if they forget? Are you consistently holding kids accountable?

Whether you have ten students or 30+, Flexible Seating adds another layer to any Classroom Management system. Permanently displaying an anchor chart with the rules clearly stated is helpful for everyone to refer to as needed. Consider picture support for younger elementary students. After a few reminders to use the seating appropriately, refer to Rule #4 and move the child to another seat.

Invite feedback from observers and visitors.

Having a third party observe the use of the Flexible Seating during different learning situations can provide helpful insight. This is a great way to find out if certain students or certain seating choices or both together are more problematic than other combinations. Maybe everyone is handling the seating fine during group work but some students are using their seats to avoid an independent task instead of using it to help them focus. For example, the fervent but quiet bouncer at table group 3: He/she looks on task from your small-group table but the outside observer can make you aware that the student isn't on task at all. Don't use the feedback as an opportunity to beat yourself down for not noticing! There is literally a lot of movement happening in a Flexible Seating classroom particularly if you allow students to choose their seat each day and/or you have more than 5 students in your room.

Pinpoint where the "breakdown", if any, is occurring and make changes.

Flexible Seating isn't a "fix all": Inattentive children will still be inattentive. Impulsive children will still be impulsive. Children struggling to control their zones of regulation will still struggle to control their zones of regulation. Likewise, worksheets will still be boring and Teacher direct-instruction all day long will still put almost every single student to sleep.

If you're certain instructional practices and tasks aren't contributing factors, consider:

Matching students with their preferred seating choice or the seating you've noticed them to be most productive. Assign them that seating at that certain spot while allowing others to choose daily.

Having traditional school chairs available to switch out a child's seating when reminders aren't helping.

Moving a child to a standing desk or standing table to finish out an assignment. Some children just need a temporary change and others find they actually prefer and do their best work while standing.

Setting up table groups according to behaviors, partners that support each other well, etc. first and then have groups rotate through the seating choices weekly or even daily. Sometimes classroom dynamics contribute in ways that can never be predicted: Despite the illusion of control, returning to rows of desks won't be a "fix all" for this either.

Keeping a table group made of 4 to 8 traditional desks and chairs. Wobbly discs can be used by students if/when they prefer them. Have students continue to use the storage system in place (that houses everything that used to go inside of the desk). Some students just prefer the traditional desk and chair.

To recap:

1. Why did you embrace Flexible Seating in your classroom?

2. Make a list of all of the things that are going well.

3. Revisit how you introduced Flexible Seating to your students.

4. Evaluate student understanding of Flexible Seating.

5. Can students restate the rules/guidelines for the seating choices?

6. Invite feedback.

7. Pinpoint the "breakdown".

8. Make changes.

Want a sheet to guide you through the steps?

Want an editable survey to get student feedback?

Have ideas and/or tools that you've found useful for managing Flexible Seating in your classroom?

Please share them in the comments below so that we can learn together! Thanks so much for reading!

Visit the Flexible Seating page for more articles to help guide your journey.

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When Flexible Seating Isn't Working | Elizabeth Chapman

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Flexible seating may be all the rage and supported by research, but what happens when it is not working in your classroom? What do you do? Do you pack it all up and send it back to the donors with thank you notes for the gifts, but sorry this just isn't working for us right ...

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speaks for itself

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Something to think about for all community supplies.

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What are some strategies for reflection activities?

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What are some strategies for reflection activities?

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Written for college students but could easily be adapted for our littles. Lots of written reflection ideas provided.

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Find more faculty resources
Reflection strategies for classroom activities
(Compiled by Professor Diane Sloan, Miami Dade College, and based on the work of Julie Hatcher and Robert Bringle's "Reflection Activities for the College Classroom": Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis )

It is clear that the power in learning is in the action of doing the activity. Reflection provides the same power through the action of articulating thoughts. Reflection is the necessary bridge in the learning process that takes place when a student is involved in a service-learning experience. There are the traditional strategies such as writing in journals, reporting orally in front of the class, or writing an essay describing the experience. The following examples will include and also move ahead of the tried and true, giving the facilitator a variety of other methods that he/she might like to incorporate in the classroom.

1. Personal Journals
2. Dialogue Journals
3. Highlighted Journals
4. Key Phrase Journals
5. Double-entry Journals
6. Critical Incident Journals
7. Three-part Journals
8. Free Association Brainstorming
9. Quotes
10. Quotes in Songs
11. Reflective Essays
12. Directed Writings
13. Experiential Research Paper
14. Service-Learning Contracts and Logs
15. Directed Readings
16. Ethical Case Studies
17. Class Discussion
18. Truth is Stranger than Fiction
19. Student Portfolios
20. It's My Bag
21. It's Your Thing/Express Yourself
22. Small Group Week
23. Email Discussion Groups
24. Class Presentations

( A note about reflection journals: a common tendency is for journal entries to become a mere log of events rather than a reflective activity in which students consider the service experience in the context of learning objectives. Guidance is needed to help students link personal learning with course content.)

1. Personal Journal - Students will write freely about their experience. This is usually done weekly. These personal journals may be submitted periodically to the instructor, or kept as a reference to use at the end of the experience when putting together an academic essay reflecting their experience. (Hatcher 1996)

2. Dialogue Journal - Students submit loose-leaf pages from a dialogue journal bi-weekly (or otherwise at appropriate intervals) for the instructor to read and comment on. While labor intensive for the instructor, this can provide continual feedback to students and prompt new questions for students to consider during the semester. (Goldsmith, 1995)

3. Highlighted Journal - Before students submit the reflective journal, they reread personal entries and, using a highlighter, mark sections of the journal that directly relate to concepts discussed in the text or in class. This makes it easier for the instructor to identify the student to reflect on their experience in light of course content. (Gary Hesser, Augsberg College )

4. Key Phrase Journal - In this type of journal, students are asked to integrate terms and key phrases within their journal entries. The instructor can provide a list of terms at the beginning of the semester or for a certain portion of the text. Students could also create their own list of key phrases to include. Journal entries are written within the framework of the course content and become an observation of how course content is evident in the service experience. (Hatcher 1996)

5. Double-entry Journal - When using a double-entry journal, students are asked to write one-page entries each week: Students describe their personal thoughts and reactions to the service experience on the left page of the journal, and write about key issues from class discussions or readings on the right page of the journal. Students then draw arrows indicating relationships between their personal experiences and course content. This type of journal is a compilation of personal data and a summary of course content in preparation of a more formal reflection paper at the end of the semester. (Angelo and Cross 1993)

6. Critical Incident Journal - This type of journal entry focuses the student on analysis of a particular event that occurred during the week. By answering one of the following sets of prompts, students are asked to consider their thoughts and reactions and articulate the action they plan to take in the future: Describe a significant event that occurred as a part of the service-learning experience. Why was this significant to you? What underlying issues (societal, interpersonal) surfaced as a result of this experience? How will this incident influence your future behavior? Another set of questions for a critical incident journal includes the following prompts: Describe an incident or situation that created a dilemma for you in terms of what to say or do. What is the first thing you thought of to say or do? List three other actions you might have taken. Which of the above seems best to you now and why do you think this is the best response? (Hatcher 1996)

7. Three-part Journal - Students are asked to divide each page of their journal into thirds, and write weekly entries during the semester. In the top section, students describe some aspect of the service experience. In the middle of the page, they are asked to analyze how course content relates to the service experience. And finally, an application section prompts students to comment on how the experience and course content can be applied to their personal or professional life. (Bringle 1996)

8. Free Association Brainstorming - (This reflection session should take place no earlier than the end of the first 1/3 of the project experience.) Give each student 10-20 "postits" and ask them to write down all the feelings they had when they first heard about their service-learning requirement. After they finish the first question, have them write down all of the feelings they had when they experienced their first "field encounter." After finishing question two completely, have them write down all of the feelings they are having "right now" regarding their service-learning experience. Encourage them to write down as many different brainstormed thoughts as possible (one for each card). Have three newsprint papers strategically located and taped to the walls around the classroom. Have one with a large happy face, one with a sad face, and one with a bewildered face. Ask students to now place their words on the newsprint paper that closest fits their brainstormed feelings. Then have them stand next to the newsprint that has most of their feelings. This exercise involves both writing and speaking and is seen as non-threatening in an oral presentation sense. (Sloan 1996)

9. Quotes - Using quotes can be a useful way to initiate reflection because there is an ample supply of them, and they are often brief and inspiring. Here are some quotes as examples you might want to use:

"If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without insight." ---Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I believe that serving and being served are reciprocal and that one cannot really be one without the other." ---Robert Greenleaf, educator and writer

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." ---Margaret Mead

"Unless you choose to do great things with it, it makes no difference how much you are rewarded, or how much power you have." ---Oprah Winfrey

Quotes may be used in a variety of ways. You might give each student a page of quotes and ask them to pick one that fits his/her feelings about the service-learning project. Then you could ask them to explain why this quote represents his/her feelings. The best results seem to be when the students are given the sheet one session before the reflection class. This gives them time to put their thoughts together. The students could also do it as a one-minute paper that might then be read and explained to the rest of the class. (Diane Sloan, Miami Dade College )

10. Quotes in Songs - Ask the students to find a song where the singer uses lyrics that describe what he/she feels about the service-learning project. Emphasize that it does not need to be a whole song but a lyric in a song. If they have access to the song, tell them to bring it to play at the end of the reflection session. Even if they do not have the song, ask them to "say" the lyric that describes their feelings. This usually proves to be "fun" in a sense that it creates a casual atmosphere and bonds the group together. Many times others will help by trying to sing it with them. Playing the songs usually creates a celebratory atmosphere. You might also bring a bag of Hershey's kisses, or something similar to keep the festive spirit going. (adapted from Prof. Gwen Stewart's song speech, Miami Dade College )

11. Reflective Essays - Reflective essays are a more formal example of journal entries. Essay questions are provided at the beginning of the semester and students are expected to submit two to three essays during the term. Reflective essays can focus on personal development, academic connections to the course content, or ideas and recommendations for future action. As with any essay, criteria can be clearly stated to guide the work of the students. (Chris Koliba, Georgetown University )

12. Directed Writings - Directed writings ask students to consider the service experience within the framework of course content. The instructor identifies a section from the textbook or class readings (i.e., quotes, statistics, concepts) and structures a question for students to answer. For example, "William Gray has identified five stages of a mentor-protégé relationship. At what stage is your mentoring relationship with your protégé at this point in the semester? What evidence do you have to support this statement? In the following weeks, what specific action can you take to facilitate the development of your mentoring relationship to the next stage on Gray's continuum?" A list of directed writings can be provided at the beginning of the semester, or given to students as the semester progresses. Students may also create their own directed writing questions from the text. Directed writings provide opportunity for application and critical analysis of the course content.

13. Experiential Research Paper - An experiential research paper, based on Kolb's experiential learning cycle, is a formal paper that asks students to identify a particular experience at the service site and analyzes that experience within the broader context in order to make recommendations for change. Mid-semester, students are asked to identify an underlying social issue they have encountered at the service site. Students then research the social issue and read three to five articles on the topic. Based on their experience and library research, students make recommendations for future action. This reflection activity is useful in inter-disciplinary courses and provides students flexibility within their disciplinary interests and expertise to pursue issues experienced at the service site. Class presentations of the experiential research paper can culminate semester work. (Julie Hatcher, IUPUI).

14. Service-Learning Contracts and Logs - Service-learning contracts formalize the learning and service objectives for the course. Students, in collaboration with their instructor and agency supervisor, identify learning and service objectives and identify the range of tasks to be completed during the service experience. Oftentimes, a service-learning contract cannot be completed until the student is at the agency for a couple of weeks and has a clear idea of how their skills and expertise can be of service. A service log is a continuous summary of specific activities completed and progress towards accomplishing the service-learning goals. The contract and the log can become the basis for reflection when students are asked to assess their progress towards meeting the identified objectives and identify the obstacles and supports that had an impact on their ability to achieve the service-learning objectives. These items can also be submitted in a service-learning portfolio as evidence of the activities completed.

15. Directed Readings - Directed readings are a way to prompt students to consider their service experience within a broader context of social responsibility and civic literacy. Since textbooks rarely challenge students to consider how knowledge within a discipline can be applied to current social needs, additional readings must be added if this is a learning objective of the course. Directed readings can become the basis for class discussion or a directed writing.

16. Ethical Case Studies - Ethical case studies give students the opportunity to analyze a situation and gain practice in ethical decision making as they choose a course of action. This reflection strategy can foster the exploration and clarification of values. Students write a case study of an ethical dilemma they have confronted at the service site, including a description of the context, the individuals involved, and the controversy or event that created an ethical dilemma. Case studies are read in class and students discuss the situation and identify how they would respond. (David Lisman, Colorado College )

17. Structured Class Discussions - Structured reflection sessions can be facilitated during regular class time if all students are involved in service. It is helpful for students to hear stories of success from one another. They can also offer advice and collaborate to identify solutions to problems encountered at the service site. The following exercise is an example of structured reflection discussion: list phrases that describe your senses/feelings at the service site. List phrases that describe your actions at the service site. List phrases that describe your thoughts at the service site. What contradictions did you sense at the service site? What connections can you make between your service and the course content? (Nadinne Cruz, Stanford University )

18. Truth is Stranger than Fiction - (This is an exercise that is best used toward the middle or end of the student's experience). Have the students break into groups of three (no more). Ask them to share the most unusual story that happened to them during their service-learning experience. Some students will be hesitant at first. If they really can't think of one, don't let them off the hook. Tell them to take the assignment home, write it and submit it at the next session. This usually motivates them to think of one rather quickly. In fact, most classes come up with some really interesting stories. Then have the class come together as a whole and share them. It is surprising how animated all of the students get. Even if it's not their own story, they feel some ownership if the person was in their group. Usually everyone ends up sharing a story. As you move through the exercise, even the reticent ones usually find themselves sharing something. Be prepared to prod these students a little. If you happen to have a class that's filled with interesting stories, you might want to save these stories and submit them to the Service-learning Program for future use. (Diane Sloan, Miami Dade College )

19. Student Portfolios - This type of documentation has become a vital way for students to keep records and learn organizational skills. Encourage them to take photographs of themselves doing their project, short explanations (like business reports), time logs, evaluations by supervisors or any other appropriate "proof" which could be used in an interview. Require them to make this professional. Keep reminding them that submitting it at the end of the term is only one reason for doing this. "The real reason is to have documentation to present at future interviews. This could be a major factor in distinguishing them from other candidates." Student portfolios could contain any of the following: service-learning contract, weekly log, personal journal, impact statement, directed writings, photo essay. Also, any products completed during the service experience (i.e., agency brochures, lesson plans, advocacy letters) should be submitted for review. Finally, a written evaluation essay providing a self-assessment of how effectively they met the learning objectives of the course is suggested for the portfolio.

20. It's My Bag - Tell the students to find a bag at home (any bag). Then tell them to fill it with one (or two-depending on time) item(s) that remind them of how they feel about their service-learning project. Tell them to bring this bag with the item(s) to the reflection session, and have them explain their items to the rest of the class. The items that they bring usually turn out to be inspiring visual aids that bring out some great comments. (adapted through a speech exercise provided by Prof. James Wolf 1998)

21. It's Your Thing/Express Yourself - This reflection exercise takes a long time in preparation (probably several weeks, if you want them to use lots of creativity). You can use a solo version or group. Both usually turn out to be very rewarding for the individual performers and the class. Tell the students that they will have the opportunity to create their own version of their feelings toward the service-learning project. Examples could include poetry, visual art, (paintings, drawings, sculptures) music, (rap is a rather popular choice for this exercise), individually created games or puzzles, any form of creative outlet that gives the student the chance to perform or explain in front of the class is what you are looking for. Be sure to require that it must be some kind of individual work that he/she has created. This type of reflection works well if you have each student create something. However, if you are limited for class time, ask them to form groups and give them the same directions explaining that at least one of each group member's feelings must be included in their creation. You will be amazed at the kind of creativity that surfaces either way you do it. (adapted from Multiple Intelligence exercises created by Profs. Michael and Donna Lenaghan, Miami Dade College )

22. Small Group Week - This is a simple alternative to full-class reflection sessions when you really want students to have a maximum amount of time to talk individually. Schedule the reflection sessions so that only a small number of students need to attend. The group should consist of no more than 10-12, if possible. The rest of the class will be scheduled to attend other class periods, using this period for whatever you want them to be doing outside of class. The students will feel more like sharing when you form the group in a small intimate circle and spend the period asking them questions related to their service-learning experience that encourage self-expression. (Prof. Dave Johnson, Miami Dade College )

23 . E-mail Discussion Groups - Through e-mail, students can create a dialogue with the instructor and peers involved in service projects. Students write weekly summaries and identify critical incidents that occurred at the service site. Students can rotate as a moderator of the discussion every two weeks. Instructors can post questions for consideration and topics for directed writings. A log can be printed to provide data about group learnings that occurred from the service experience.

24. Class Presentations - A way for students to share their service-learning experience with peers is to make a class presentation through a video, slide show, bulletin board, panel discussion, or a persuasive speech. This is an opportunity for students to display their work in a public format. A similar presentation can be offered to the community agency as a final recognition of the students' involvement.

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What Are Some Strategies For Reflection Activities?

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Find more faculty resources Reflection strategies for classroom activities (Compiled by Professor Diane Sloan, Miami Dade College, and based on the work of Julie Hatcher and Robert Bringle's "Reflection Activities for the College Classroom": Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis ) It is clear that the power in learning is in the action of doing the activity.

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10 Unique and Creative Reflection Techniques and Lessons

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10 Unique and Creative Reflection Techniques and Lessons

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Another list of ideas targeted at secondary students but easily adapted for younger students. Love the vlog and scrapbook ideas.

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One of my favorite reflection lessons is the Reflect 'n' Sketch activity. When I began teaching, I only saw my students as readers and writers. I could see their struggles and successes within my subject alone. Then, after teaching tone and mood to a group of eighth graders, I asked students to draw a picture of the mood of a poem. Through this activity, I saw my struggling readers excel with beautiful artwork. I realized that my subject, English, is not the only skill to be had. Many of my students excelled in other areas, especially those who struggled in my class. This experience inspired my Reflect 'n' Sketch activity. This gives students the option to draw their reflections on a project or activity. Guiding questions guide their artwork, and students can still deliver deep reflections with a medium that inspires them.

5. Reflection Vlog

I tried this for the first time this past fall, and my students absolutely rave about the Reflection Vlog. I gave students the guiding questions found within the Reflect 'n' Sketch activity, and asked them to create a personal Vlog. After each major project or assessment, I asked students to add to their Vlog. Some students chose to upload their videos to YouTube, and others preferred the privacy of simply creating an iMovie or Windows Moviemaker video. With this medium of reflection, students were free to speak about their work, display their work, or add videos and pictures of the process of creating their work. Not only did students find this engaging, but they found that they were able speak freely about their learning. They have commented that they did not feel bound by words, grammar, structure, and organization within the reflection, so they felt that they were better able to express their truest feelings. I can attest to this as I watched their Vlog videos. They opened up more through this 'on camera' experience, than in any other reflection technique!

6. Analyze your work from the teacher's perspective.

When introducing a writing assignment, I would often provide exemplars, or mentor texts, and ask students to assess these using the rubric that would assess their own work. Not only did students better understand the rubric, they better understood the expectations for the writing. This inspired me to have students assess their own work in a similar manner. I ask students to assess their own work from my perspective. This can be via rubric or by simply providing feedback that they believe I would give. Once students get to know me, this feedback can be eerily correct! This helps students to see their work from a new perspective, and often will encourage students to make revisions before they submit their final work!

7. Scrapbook

I have asked my students to create a scrapbook reflection on larger projects; this is especially effective for group work. Students take pictures of the process of their work, students working in their group roles, and of their final project. Each group member can showcase their own pictures or drawings of the groups work. Then students can reflect on their roles within the group, the process of collaboration, their impact on the groups success/failures, and on the learning that was derived from the project's completion. Some students get very creative with this process, and truly enjoy this as much (or more) than the project itself!

8. The Cube of Reflection

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10 Unique and Creative Reflection Techniques & Lessons for the Secondary Student - TeachWriting.org

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As educators, we know how critical reflection is to the learning process. Getting students to reflect- deeply and meaningfully- is often one of the most challenging lessons we teach. I have found that both my middle school and high school students will often scoff at these reflection activities, pro

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15 ways to spark student reflection in your classroom

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15 ways to spark student reflection in your classroom

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Idea #3 (Roll the Dice with QR codes) and #4 (Teach a Parent) are unique approaches

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Additional information on teacher reflection including bullet journals and daily reflection app called DayGram (99 cents)

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Anne Guarnera recently received her PhD in Spanish at the University of Virginia. You can find her discussing teaching and learning on Twitter as @aguarnera and learn more about her work on her website.
If you've ever taken an education seminar or attended a workshop on improving your pedagogical skills, you've likely heard the term "reflective teaching."

In case that term is new to you, however, allow me to provide a brief definition. Simply put, reflective teaching is the practice of setting aside time to analyze your own teaching effectiveness, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and make plans for improving your performance in the classroom.

With the spring semester wrapping up, now is a natural point at which to pause and reflect on this year's successes and failures in the classroom. What teaching methodologies worked well this semester? Were there any lessons that truly flopped? What personal productivity habits helped facilitate your success in the classroom? What technology helped/hindered your work with students? Are you comfortable with your teaching persona, or do you want to change how you relate to those that you teach? How was the class dynamic in your sections this semester, and what might you need to do (or refrain from doing) to improve it in the future? All of these are great questions to ask yourself-and record the answers to-as you wrap up the semester and look to the future.

"But HOW!?" you ask. I hear you, GradHackers. Deluged by seminar papers to be written, student exams to be graded, and summer plans to be made, most graduate students would find it difficult to retreat to a coffeehouse for an afternoon of leisurely journaling. So "How?" is a legitimate question.

As an answer, I'd like to suggest three (relatively) low-commitment ways that you can implement reflective teaching practices-right now, at the end of the semester, and in the future. With these streamlined methods, you can ease into reflective practice and begin reaping the benefits of this important pedagogical habit.

1. Start a reflective teaching #BuJo. The bullet journal -popularly known as the #bujo-is one of today's most fashionable personal productivity tools. Thousands of Pinterest pins and Instagram pics exist to inspire your journal design and teach you to organize your life through color-coded lists and cutesy icons. Although the cult following of these glorified to-do lists is a little too much for me, I admit that the #bujo has the potential to be a great tool for succinct reflections on teaching. One page could be devoted to recording your most successful classroom moments, another could be a list of resources that you want to incorporate into your future classes, and yet another could be a place to file reminders about what not to do next semester.

2. Use the DayGram app (or something like it) for daily reflections. With an app like this, you can quickly record the day's highs and lows in a single sentence. By simply answering these two questions-"What went well in your class?" and "What should be improved for next time?"-you will be well on your way to the kind of reflection that actually improves your teaching skills.

3. Synthesize student evaluations into an end-of-semester summary. Student evaluations are not the ultimate tool for measuring your teaching effectiveness, but they can provide helpful feedback that you can use to shape your pedagogy. You can maximize that feedback by synthesizing it: take note of any suggestions from students that are repeated across evaluations, compare your performance to others in your department (if that data is available), and write out any take-aways that you want to apply to future courses.
Do you have any other suggestions for incorporating reflective teaching practices into a busy schedule? Share in the comments!

[Image courtesy of Flickr user Pain Chaud and used under a Creative Commons license]

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Reflective Teaching Three Ways | GradHacker

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Anne Guarnera recently received her PhD in Spanish at the University of Virginia. You can find her discussing teaching and learning on Twitter as @aguarnera and learn more about her work on her website. If you've ever taken an education seminar or attended a workshop on improving your pedagogical skills, you've likely heard the term "reflective teaching."