End of another long school year. Tired, stressed, and anxiously awaiting summer vacation. Anticipation of graduation in the air. Teachers administering finals and administrators…well administrators are running around trying to keep everyone in class.
The end cannot come soon enough!
Time to think about end of year reflection and review. Why do we always wait until the very last minute and take a few minutes at the final staff meeting or end of year party?
Is the above scenario all too familiar?
End of year celebratory events often replace end of year reflection and review. Don’t give up hope! It is never too late to begin a new tradition.
One well crafted and well structured reflection and/or review session goes a long way.
Reflection and review activities are process oriented. Unattended reflection time will turn into a gripe session. This is a scenario no one wants to witness especially at the end of the school year.
Celebration is needed in all organizations. Be cautious. Celebration mirrors spontaneous feelings at a particular moment. It is misleading to use celebration feedback to analyze self growth and examine school progress.
Change this pattern.
- Create a trusting climate and culture that is receptive to feedback. Reflection is designed to be qualitative and descriptive.
- Conduct activities that engage individuals, small groups, and school wide staff in discussion.
- Review quantitative information that can be measured. Model techniques and ways to interpret data.
- Connect reflection and review outcomes to school site plan, department goals, and individual growth plans.
End of year reflection and review findings set the stage for the next school year.
- Organize a team to oversee the coordination and facilitation of work sessions to increase the collaboration, buy in, and credibility of reflection process.
- Embrace staff with consistent end of year and on-going reflection and review and set the stage for more formal assessments and an inquiry based approach to professional development.
