The end of the year marks a key opportunity for self-reflection. This is the perfect time to look back and acknowledge the victories, and challenges, we faced over the past year. Reflecting on what hasn’t been working for us and why, reflecting on what has been working for us and why, identifying areas in our lives where change is needed, and adjusting our approach to meet our goals are all necessary steps for us to start moving towards them.
Studies show that self-reflection is associated with resilience and well-being[1]. It makes us more self-aware, allowing us to identify the underlying causes of our emotions and behaviors, develop better coping strategies for managing stress, and make informed decisions that benefit us in the future, all leading to personal and professional growth.
Whether you are a teacher, social worker, administrator, or leader, you know all too well that finding time for introspection can be a challenge. It may even be a process that you actively avoid or aren’t sure how to start on your own. However, self-reflection is a beneficial tool for fostering understanding, improvement, and growth – not just for teachers and school leaders, but for the children and families you serve.
For young learners, self-reflection lays the foundation for emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Children learn best through relationships and from the modeling, guidance, and responsiveness of significant adults in their world. Guiding children to reflect on their emotional experiences – their feelings and what caused them, their behavior in the heat-of-the-moment, how their behavior impacted others, and what helped them feel better – fosters key emotion regulation, problem-solving, and social skills.
Teachers have one of the most important jobs of supporting children’s development. Self-reflection allows teachers to provide the highest level of care for the children and families they serve. Reflecting on interactions with children, challenging experiences, and which strategies did and did not work helps teachers adjust their approach and improve their teaching practices. Engaging in regular reflection improves well-being, prevents burnout, and helps educators identify their triggers and stressors, put coping strategies in place, and become their best selves for children.
Self-reflection is necessary for school leaders, who shape the culture, program quality, and the support that children, families, teachers, and staff receive. Reflecting on one’s past decisions and leadership style allows leaders to improve their own emotional intelligence, model self-awareness for their team, and adjust their approach to improve outcomes for the entire community. Reflection also helps leaders assess their impact on staff morale and school culture, allowing them to identify strategies for making a more collaborative and supportive environment for all.
Explore strategies for placing self-reflection at the heart of your school community using Housman Institute’s The Power of Self-Reflection in Early Education Tip Guide by submitting the pop-up box!
For self-reflection to become a school-wide practice, it must be embedded into the culture. Reflective Practice, Housman Institute’s adaptation of Reflective Supervision, focuses on empowering each member of the school community to reflect, learn, grow, and thrive. During regular one-on-one Reflective Practice sessions, leaders guide teachers to reflect, explore challenging experiences, question their current practices, find more beneficial strategies, set goals, and take actionable steps to achieve them. As a result, all staff are given the space and support to grow personally and professionally.
Encourage staff to complete the My End-of-Year Reflections Handout as a school-wide activity!
Your end-of-year reflections shouldn’t end there. Use your reflections to set goals for the future.
In early education settings where every moment shapes the future, self-reflection is not only a tool for personal growth, but for collective improvement and success. When self-reflection becomes a shared value, learning and growth are encouraged and celebrated at every level, leading to more empathetic and brighter future years for us all.
1. Falon, S. L., Hoare, S., Kangas, M., & Crane, M. F. (2022). The coping insights evident through self‐reflection on stressful military training events: Qualitative evidence from self‐reflection journals. Stress and Health, 38(5), 902-918.
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