Learning Through Reflection

We don't learn from experience.  We learn from reflecting on experience.

- John Dewey

We know that teaching students to reflect on learning is one of the most powerful things we can do to improve learning outcomes and to instill habits that will help students become critical and evaluative thinkers in all aspects of their lives.

At York Middle School, our student-led conferences provide an opportunity for students to share the reflective process with their parents.  The conference itself, is a culmination of months of reflective work.  Our student-led conferences immerse students in the process of goal setting and reflection as an integral part of their school experience.  

The conferences provide students with the opportunity to talk with adults about their
progress. Student-led conferences reflect the belief that students should be actively involved in their learning and assume responsibility for the learning process.   The conferences are facilitated by students and follow an agenda that has been developed prior to the meeting.  During the meeting, students share examples of evidence that show their strengths and weaknesses for the purpose of goal setting and continuous improvement.  This process helps students to become more motivated, reflective, and evaluative learners.  They also become more critical in their approach to learning and self-diagnostic. Research strongly supports the connection between these practices and improved learning outcomes.

At York Middle School, we have shifted our focus from merely covering curriculum to ensuring that students have learned it. Reflection is no longer optional - it's an essential component of a student-centered environment in which students are empowered to take ownership over their own learning.

The following link is an except from Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick's Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind. The authors write about the importance of learning through meaningful and active reflection (for both teachers and students).

Enjoy the article!

Learning Through Reflection