While reading through studies regarding Summer Learning Loss, I came across another dimension of approaching the summer. And that dimension is taking time for reflection over the summer for teachers and students. This article by Nina Portugal in edutopia is amazing. It basically invites all teachers to reflect on the passing year, their accomplishments, areas of strengths, and future learnings for the year to com.
Here’s a quick glimpse of the article; “The end of the school year is a good time to celebrate your accomplishments and revisit your challenges. Most teachers end the school year with a reflective activity with their students. In some classrooms, students work on portfolios or posters to reflect on what they have learned that school year. Other classrooms hold individual conferences with students and their families or have students reflect in small-group conversations. This act of reflection, regardless of the structure, is a crucial step in the learning process to make visible all that has happened, and so much has happened.
This crucial step is essential for teachers, too. When May and June roll around, everyone is exhausted—there is no disputing that—but taking just a few minutes to pause and reflect and create your own version of a “portfolio” or “poster” can help you see and feel success, especially after the unique and challenging school year teachers just had.