Looking Back to Move Forward: Reflecting on the Year

No matter what kind of program you are a part of the month of May brings a feeling of conclusion. With warmer weather (at least in the Northern Hemisphere!), our minds and spirits turn to a more relaxed and casual state of mind. As summer begins, some programs close for a break, others add school age children to their mix. Still others may see the addition of more outside time, more water experiences, more family opportunities or other changes in design. Vacation schedules of families and staff cause changes in groups and participants. So as May winds down and daily differences begin to occur, we have a chance to think about the year that has finished. We have a chance to evaluate and examine the work we did, the experiences the children had, the ways we partnered with families, the collaborative work with our peers.

“We do not learn from experience… 
we learn from reflecting on experience.”

JOHN DEWEY

Reflection is one of the most meaningful and beneficial steps at the end of the year. What are some things we can gain from taking the time to look back?

• Increasing self-awareness: Looking at the way we managed situations, worked with challenges and accomplished great things, we become better at noticing our own thoughts, feelings and actions and how we can grow as we move forward.
• Improving our practice: Taking the time to examine how things worked—from routines to new experiences to social-emotional skills to daily life in our classroom or center—gives us the opportunity to identify skills or needs so that we can make improvements in our practice and the way we serve children.
• Facilitating strong outcomes: Learning tailored to individual strengths and needs is the most effective way to ensure appropriate development and growth. Looking back gives us insight into what works best for children and how we can replicate great strategies in the future.

As you plan your reflection opportunity, remember to take care of yourself first! Let’s make this as productive and pleasant as possible for you. Select a quiet place and plan some uninterrupted time. Make yourself comfortable in clothing or surroundings. (I get my best work done under a soft throw curled up in the corner of my couch!) Collect colored pens, a special pencil, your legal pad or laptop…whatever works best to record your thoughts and ideas. Schedule time for some careful thought for sure, but also keep paper and pen handy for sudden or brainstorm ideas that occur as you are doing other chores. You never know when a great thought will strike! When you mark off some time to actually think about your year, your children, the experiences that occurred in your space, it is a good idea to have a plan for taking notes or keeping your ideas organized in a way that you can use them later to improve or change things for the new year. The questions below are designed to help with your reflections.

Now that you are ready to start, write or print the questions out, leaving space for brainstorming. Read through all the questions first then begin to consider your year. As inspiration and images occur to you, jot them down  wherever they fit best.

Here are questions to consider as you begin to relive the highlights of your year as well as think through the tougher situations. While most are focused on specific classroom settings, they can also be used to evaluate a school or center. Remember, your goal is to survey your year positively and proactively…no blame, no guilt, no remorse. This is a problem-solving and celebration opportunity! Ready, set, GO!

LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD:

• How has play been experienced in your classroom, center or school?
• What was the best play experience you observed this year?
• Has your play philosophy grown or changed?
• What surprised you about the children’s reactions to any of the play experiences offered?
• What important learnings took place in your spaces?
• Was one area more popular than another? Why do you think that occurred?
• Was one area more ignored or overlooked? Why do you think that occurred?
• Are there materials or experiences that you would like to add to encourage or facilitate more play among your children?
• How were you able to bring in the community or other people to contribute to the play in your classroom?
• How were families involved in their children’s play opportunities?
• Did the children lead learning in an area that you didn’t expect?
• What kinds of growth did you observe among your children?
• Did you find areas where the growth you expected did not occur?
• How did you see conflict resolved during play experiences?
• How were literacy and math experiences involved in play?
• What would you like to change in the set-up of your classroom, center or school to encourage more growing play experiences?
• Will there be the same schedule next year or will it be different somehow? How will this impact the routines in your classroom?

Now that you have taken the time and effort to assess your year, think about how you would like to move forward. Is there one area that needs the most attention? Can you take a “bright spot” from an area or experience that worked well and use it for one that needs help? Do you need additional support or learning perhaps from a course, a mentor or some professional reading? Can you summarize or categorize the results of your examination so that you can set two or three goals for the new year? Focus on what you believe can be accomplished and be realistic about your time, your stamina and other things that take time and energy in your life. List your goals in writing and determine the action steps that are necessary to make them happen. Talk about them with your director, your supervisor, your peers. Print them off and post them where you will see them every day…that gives you built in accountability.

Now celebrate…you did it! You took the time to set up your classroom, your children and yourself for an even better next year!

Congratulations…we’d love to hear about your plans!