Up until this year, I did reflection sporadically with students, but there was no specific format or routine to it. Although students completed the questions, I don't know if they were really doing much purposeful reflection. I realized that in order to make the reflection worthwhile for students, I needed to devote time to it each week. I also need to give students some instruction in setting goals that they can work towards and reflect on. Each summer I pick one thing to create or totally revamp for the following year. This past summer I created a student Learning Journal for students to work in for more purposeful reflection during the entire school year.
As I was creating the Learning Journal and looking at my year-long planning, I realized that there are 3 perfect times to reflect on the progress that are the most meaningful times: end of the week, end of the unit and end of the marking period. I created 3 different templates to be used, with different but connected purposes. At the beginning of the unit, students are given time to create a marking period long goal and an action plan. It can be related to science or any other classes but needs to be academic in nature. We follow the SMART goal design, which I talk about at the beginning of the year with students.
Periodically students reflect on their progress towards meeting this goal during Friday reflection time. I created a place in the back of the journal to reflect on a question or two each week. I don't grade this, but I walk around and do check-ins and pick random journals to read each week and give feedback.
At the end of the Marking Period, students go back and reflect on whether or not they met their goal, and what they can do differently in the future. I think this is the most important part because if students don't meet their goal, they need to think about WHY they didn't meet it and what they should do next.
At the beginning of each Unit, students are asked to create a specific goal for that unit. They have to identify roadblocks to their success and how to overcome those obstacles. I try not to steer them too much in a specific direction, but if they get stuck I suggest they consider homework completion, test and quiz grades, or quality of work. These 3 issues seem to be the biggest hindrances to success for many students.
Some Fridays I have them go back and reflect on their Unit Goal, assess their progress, and what they still need to do to reach their goal. At the end of a Unit, when they get their tests back, they complete the end of Unit Reflection which is formatted as a "3-2-1" and bring the journal home to have it signed by parents.
As with anything new that you implement, I have already discovered things I will change for next year. Overall I think I accomplished my goal of being more purposeful and organized in the manner in which I have students reflect. Goal setting is a skill that ALL people should be doing, and middle school is a great time to start that process. Students need to know that any goal you set needs to have a plan behind it in order to increase the chance of success.
I tell my students that a goal without a plan is just a wish, and I am not a fairy godmother. I am instead a teacher who wants students to set their own goals and then work hard to reach them. My job is to do what I can to remove roadblocks and give them a boost when needed. The path to reaching goals is not always easy, but in the end it should be worth it.