more fluent with their writing skills, they were able to represent their
reflective thoughts more easily.
Teaching Students How to Reflect
Initially the students at Croton Elementary often offered stereotypical
comments such as “This was fun!” or “I chose this piece of work because
it is my best.” Teachers realized that they needed to spend time teaching
students how to reflect. They asked students, “What does a reflection
look like when it really tells you something about the experience?” After
considerable discussion—and after considering models of reflection from
students and published authors—the students began to understand what
was called for. Reflection was not a time for testimonials about how good
or bad the experience was. Instead, reflection was the time to consider
what was learned from the experience. Reflection was a time to describe
what students saw in their own work that changed, needed to change, or
might need to be described so another person might understand its
meaning.
Figure 12.1 shows how teachers characterized student work as stu-
dents acquired the capacity for reflection. The teachers then summarized
key statements that students made about their work when asked the ques-
tion “What would I change to make my work better?” Students from
kindergarten through 2nd grade made comments such as these:
•I would add to the picture.
•I would use what I know to show more in the picture.
•I would add what is missing.
•I would be more careful.Students in 3rd and 4th grade made comments like these:
- I would correct.
•I would proofread.
•I would pay attention to conventions.
•I would extend more.
•I would stay to the subject.
230 Learning and Leading with Habits of Mind