How to Reflect Effectively at the End of the School Year
As the summer holidays come to fruition, and the school year draws to a close, I find this is beneficial time for personal reflection and growth.
When I was teaching, I found the transition from school to holidays remarkably difficult. I like to have structure despite not enjoying being told what to do! I do thrive when there is routine, habit and busyness to keep me occupied.
All of that suddenly disappears when the summer holiday starts. And maybe you are like me: you don’t think about what you are going to do with your holiday time until suddenly, it is here! And then this can become a type of pressure: this is the only summer holiday you are going to get this year so you have to make sure you use it to the best of your ability.
Whilst colleagues may begin to share their holiday pics on social media, you may be feeling lost and uninspired in how you will spend the holidays.
First of all, please may I encourage you to remember,
“Whatever your summer holiday, it is completely yours. You are worthy and how you spend your time is worthy too.”
But, before you dive into the summer holidays, I encourage you to take some time to bring the year that has been to a close.
It helps to put events to bed and begin afresh when September does come along.
Follow these reflection prompts to achieve a mindful closure to the school year. You can ponder or journal as you wish. Personally, I love to write or walk and talk my thoughts out with my partner or accountability buddy.
1) What do you think, feel or want to say?
I love this question from Nancy Kline’s The Promise That Changes Everything and it is one I regularly use in my own journaling as well as with my clients. It opens your mind up to consider the school year, your role in your students’ learning and the progress both you and them have made.
Photo by Aaron Burden
It may also bring up some additional areas of reflection for you that you may wish to carry forward.
2) What would you like to stop, start and continue?
Photo by Maxim Abramov
The beauty of this question is that it helps you to reflect on what has gone well for you in the past year and the habits that may no longer serve you. It invites you to consider the negative impacts on your wellbeing and professional practice and make the choice to stop them. Not only that, it helps you recognise the good that you do and how you can maintain this good practice, both in your professional working but also in your boundaries, going forward.
3) I forgive you. I thank you. I am sorry and I love you
Teaching is an all-rounder. It uses your physical energy but more significantly, your mental and emotional energy too. Where you have experienced a mental or emotional drain, do take time to reflect on these. Where a particular class, student, colleague or even parent has been a source of mental or emotional drainage, do explore what happened, what influence you had on the situation and what you would like to do differently next time.
Once you have done that, use this mantra, based on the Hawaiian practice of Ho’oponopono, to release any mental or emotional burdens you have been experiencing. Offer forgiveness, gratitude, sincere apology and love to that person or group.
Remember to also use this mantra for yourself too. You are worthy of forgiveness, gratitude, apology and love for any mistakes or errors you have made too. Please remember to give yourself this gift.
What next?
Now, you are ready to begin your summer holiday in earnest. Look out for future articles, giving you tips on how to make the most of your summer holidays.