December draws its name from the root word “decem” which means ten. Early Roman calendars were only 10 months long, running from March to December, making December the 10th and final month of each Roman year. The span of days that passed from the last day of December until the calendar began again in March were originally unassigned on the Roman calendar because these months saw very little in the way of military, agriculture or civic life; they were later included and named January and February. (Almanac.com)
Though the calendar has changed over time, one thing remains the same; December draws the year to a close, making it the perfect time for reflection. Each year, as a tree grows, the trunk of the tree forms a new ring, growing out from the center. When studied, each ring of the trunk reveals a yearly historical record of a tree’s life. Dendrologists can tell how much rain fell that year and can determine the temperature ranges of the climate that supported that tree (www.climate.gov). In short, the rings tell a tree’s story, year after year. When you reflect back on your year, what story of abundance, perseverance and growth does your year reflect? What moments shine brightest and what experiences taught lasting lessons? Where did this past year stretch you or stir you to action? Where this past year did you find the most balance or the most peace?
Students Need Practice Reflecting
As adults, we may engage in moments of reflection often. These may be moments of reflection on personal or professional experiences. Students, however, may be much less accustomed to reflecting, particularly in the area of structured self-reflection on academic growth or areas of challenge. In Leading Reflective Practices, authors Damore and Rieckhoff of DePaul University's School of Education define self-reflection in the academic sense as “the evaluation or judgment of one’s performance and the identification of one’s strengths and weaknesses with a view to improving one’s learning outcomes” (2021).
In a classroom setting, reflection ‘in’ and ‘on’ learning helps learners:
become more aware of the knowledge and skills they have developed,
identify strengths and areas for development,
develop future learning goals,
gain greater understanding of themselves and how they learn, and
Take more responsibility for their learning.
From the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Focus on Learning
Reflection activities strategically embedded in course activities allow students to evaluate their learning immediately following the activities themselves. Feedback from student reflections also gives instructors the opportunity to revise activities to optimize the instructions and provide needed redirection or reinforcement. In John Hattie’s review of 900 studies in Visible Learning, one of the highest indicators of positively impacting student learning was reflection. A.J Juliani, author of Empower and Launch, shares several ways Reflection Gives Students Ownership of their Learning. When students reflect on learning experiences, they begin to connect different ideas and solutions together, becoming more innovative. Reflection opportunities also invite learners to think about what they might have done differently, increasing their sense of curiosity. Ultimately, through reflection, students consider “what is working (and what is not) and then pivot, tweak, and modify how they are learning and creating” (Juliani, 2020).
Self-Reflection in Leadership
Self-reflection, at its simplest, means taking time to slow down and think about you and your experiences. Taking the time to consider lessons learned from experiences is an act of self-care. Self-reflection is also critical for your leadership development. This involves taking time to intentionally think on recent actions and decisions as a leader, evaluating your strengths, areas for growth, behavioral patterns you see over time and reflecting on how you seek to influence others through your behaviors, decisions and actions (Why You Should Make Time for Self-Reflection, Harvard Business Review, 2017). Leadership self-reflection also often serves to help you clarify your values, goals and ambitions. Choosing to make time for self-reflection elevates your leadership skills and practice and enables you to better understand others by increasing your self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. Ultimately, it creates a space where you can invest in YOU and grow your most authentic, best self! You’re worth it!
