Originally published September 2018, updated spring 2020.
I miss my classroom.
I imagine many of you do too.
Weeks into remote teaching, I miss the familiar rhythms and tools of classroom teaching.
As we approach the end of the school year, socially distanced, I miss the big celebrations and rituals.
And, I miss some small things, like this reflection.
But, it’s also one of the small things that’s giving me comfort:
Because I have years’ worth of good advice and touching reflections to read through. And they warm my heart every time.
Because next year we’ll be back to sticky notes and normal, and I hope I remember this year, and appreciate what I have (Because, Joni Mitchell was right)
Because, reading these questions: What helped? What advice would I give for next year? What did I learn? helps me make my missing, productive and proactive and grateful.
What helped: Taking action, letting go of expectations.
What did I learn: How to use all the video conferencing. What’s important. What I value in teaching.
Advice: Its too soon for advice, I think, beyond ‘enjoy’ and ‘be grateful’. Maybe next year.
This reflection is available in my Metacognition Bundle (along with some of my other favorite reflective tools)
I’ve done the same reflection at the end of each of the last three years.
I post some questions (best thing I learned; what helped me this year; and always ‘advice for next year’s students’.) and give students 3, 4, 5 sticky notes each. One note per answer, on whichever questions move them.
The number of notes depends on the class (read: how willing I think they will be to participate, how long it will take them to fill their post its, my willingness to push them to be reflective)
There is a bit of confusion, and some grumbling from my resident curmudgeon, and then there are answers. Some are prosaic “the best thing I learned is fractions” some are philosophical “The love of math” The are all stuck on the wall by the appropriate prompt, and we do a gallery walk reading and adding stars of agreement (and giving me an easy assessment of points of consensus) I think we all get a much needed boost from so much positivity.
Sometime between graduation and the arrival of new students, their post its are transformed. Typed large in a pretty font and colored paper, I tape them carefully to the wall. Three years in, I have a happy word-cloud of student advice and wisdom hovering over us at all
Three years in, I love cycling them this way – the end of the year to the beginning, old students to new.
And, three years, in, I see themes.
The biggest, most consistent theme: grit.
“Even if you’re feeling overwhelmed, trying to call it quits. Don’t!! it will pay off in the end.”
“Keep striving and never give up”
But also, general wisdom
“Love yourself” and “Don’t be hard on yourself! Give yourself credit!”
And, notes to melt a teachers’ heart
[The best thing I learned is] That I’m actually smarter than I thought.
(That one actually lives on the bulletin board right above my computer, a constant reminder of why I love this work)
So, as the new school year starts, I’m taking energy and wisdom from last years’ students. <3
