Have you ever had a day or week where you look at the calendar and you are sure time has stopped. There is no way that it is only Wednesday, someone is pulling a real life ground hog day and you want off the train… This is a key indicator it’s time to run a very hot bath with your favourite cup of tea and pour into that reflection. There is almost always just some minor adjustments that will lead to dividens if I just slow down for a moment and think about where my students are struggling, my reactions to that struggle and where we both can change. When stress feels high it’s time to search for my Ah ha moment.

Find the source of your problem and start the reflection there.

For example: if you have a particularly chatty class. They are really sweet and eager learners but they can’t stop talking long enough to hear your instructions. It’s time for some reflection. I remember one day in years past I was looking at my class wondering how I can redirect this energy that I love so much, to listen while I am trying to give them instructions.

I had implemented a slow start something that has worked very well in the past. Students arrive, they can eat if they haven’t been able to do that yet. They have a variety of free choice activities that allows freedom for about ten minutes until our Anthem plays and then they know to tidy up. A few of my students were really struggling with regulation during this time so I knew I needed to make some changes for their sake.

I decided to try and have them go directly to my carpet instead first to do a morning message with me. This calmed the energy in the room and then I did a slow release to the slow start. My slow release looked like quietest kids will get to pick first. I say their name, they tell me where they are going. They put away their scoop chair and off they go with reminders we are quiet or we are done. Minor tweak but what a difference it made in the room. This is the magic of reflection. It doesn’t have to mean a bunch of prep and planning just some minor reflections and tweaks will often get you to where you want to go.

Reflections that meet the needs of your students.

Being in the classroom today takes some serious hats. You must take into account what your students may have encountered holistically before they even step foot in your classroom that day. At home, on the bus, in the yard, in the hall, going to the washroom. So many antecedents (things that happen before the behaviour) that will depict how they enter your room and what mindset they are in. This is where creating safe spaces that students can decompress and feel at home becomes so important. I have two quiet corners in my room and implement the soft start because I am conscious of the fact my students need this incorporated to feel safe at school. Building classroom communities where kindness grows is more important than ever.

It’s the Maslow before the Bloom. Students basic needs must be met before they are able to engage in higher levels of learning. Imagine trying to settle down and take a test or focus on a conversation with someone with car horns blaring, your phone’s alarm going off, a toddler screaming in the backseat, some guy just cut you off for your exit and you have just spilled your coffee in an attempt to recover. Oh heck no, slow. it. all. down. Calm those nervous systems, bring it back in order and then, maybe, we can talk. It is really just the delicate dance of being aware and being kind that makes this possible for us to provide what our students need.

Reflection helps you to lead with Confidence.

Often it is not the lesson that is the problem, most of the time engagement comes from the energy of the teacher not the content of the material. If we believe the lesson is essential to their learning, they will believe it too. This is not to imply that all students will be fully engaged for each and every lesson but even the hesitant ones will follow suit 98% of the time if you carry yourself like it is important. I recognize that this confidence in our teaching practice grows over time. It, like anything else that we do consistency makes us stronger and more sure of ourselves. Just keep going. Reflect for short periods on the minor tweaks put them in your pocket for the next time and carry on. You got this.

With Love C.