Reflect This
It’s May, and the theme of the month for COCC’s Teaching and Learning Center (CAFE) is “Reflection.” It seemed like a great theme for the end of the year when we picked it. At the end of last year. But now that May is upon us again, it feels poorly timed. This has been a disorienting year — both at the college and in the world. In times of crisis, change, and challenge, time distorts, and the effort to keep up with the day-to-day doesn’t leave a lot of time for leisurely introspection.
But it is in these times that reflection is most crucially needed. Taking time to step away from our busy days (and nights) to take stock, think back, and plan for the future is a way to stay sane and grounded. It also prepares us for what is to come. We can’t know what next fall will bring us, or even next week (heck, I’m in hour-to-hour mode most of the time right now), but reflecting on where we’ve been and where we want to be will benefit us in the future regardless of what unfolds.
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In the spirit of this year of blog musings, I’m going to offer some ideas for ways to reflect. But I want to also acknowledge that reflective practice is a human endeavor, natural and unavoidable, to some extent. You know what works for you, so honor your instincts as another year comes to its end.
- Write! At my house, you can’t walk more than about three feet without tripping over a journal or notebook. If you are lucky enough to not have an unhealthy stationary habit, purchase yourself something to write in. Find something that brings you joy — do you enjoy smooth paper? Gridded paper? A spiral notebook with a cat on the cover? Consider your writing implement as well. Color? Juicy ink? Pencil? Comfort and enjoyment matter. (And if you aren’t analog, curl up with your favorite keyboard.) Start by writing about your day. (An easy way to do this is to reflect your “Roses and Thorns” — the best and worst parts of the day.) When you’ve made progress with that, move on to writing about a specific assignment or class. What worked well? What do you need to remember to repeat? What didn’t work? And, finally, when your contemplative skills feel strong, write about this year. The high points. The low points. The students you’ll remember. The moments with colleagues that you appreciate.
- Have a conversation with someone outside of teaching, preferably over good food and drink. I recently had an evening I got to spend reconnecting with a friend. She asked me “catching up” kinds of questions, and, as we talked, I realized that my thinking on the topics we were discussing has actually changed a lot this year, without my even noticing. At the end, I could recognize growth in myself. It was a helpful realization.
- Listen to a good podcast or two. Inside Higher Ed’s Weekly Wisdom or Tea for Teaching from the TLC at SUNY Oswego are good places to start if you want to engage with thoughtful, relevant topics on Higher Ed. For teaching, The Cult of Pedagogy is always great, and I also like Truth for Teachers. Consider podcasts that engage with topics related to your teaching field as well. Listening to the BBC’s In Our Time always brings me back to why I love teaching in the Humanities, reminds me of things I want to bring into my classes, and feeds my curiosity.
- Find a meditative space. Whether it be in a pool doing laps, taking a walk or hike, listening to music, sitting in your most comfortable chair at home, participating in yoga or group meditation, put yourself in those places where meditation and reflection come naturally to you.
This month, as a bonus (!), look for a mid-month blog post on the other side of the topic of reflection: techniques for student reflection and metacognition.
