Unit Two: The Benefits of Self Reflection in the Art Room
Return to: Unit One: What is Self Reflection
Go to: Unit Three: Types of Self Reflection and How it can be Utilized
Learning Objectives
The learner will understand the benefits of establishing self reflective processes in the classroom and understand what characteristics this type of instruction inspires.
Mini-Lecture
(You are encouraged to take notes while watching the videos in this unit to use for the activity that follows)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkFWbC91PXQ&t=21s
Hopefully this video helped to highlight a few of the ways that self assessment can be highly beneficial in the classroom. You should have seen students and teachers alike discussing why it was important and how it has helped. Now that we have the basics, lets dive a little deeper.
Todays' society values end products and test scores, and often pays little to no attention to how students get to these major milestones. In the art room especially, the process is every bit as important as the end result, especially when attempting to observe student growth and achievement. There are many benefits to practicing self reflection, some of which include:
- Encouraging self awareness and character development
- Enabling the identification of areas of strength and weakness
- Allowing the ability to determine what does and does not work for that learner
- Promotes dialogue between the teacher and student
- Allows students to take control of their own success
If you are a classroom teacher right now, really take the time to examine how each of the above could benefit your students. As teachers we all aim to have students who take control of their own learning, and self reflection can absolutely help them to get there. Blackboard.com states that reflective learners share these characteristics:
- They are motivated and know what they are trying to achieve and why.
- They are proactive in extending their understanding of new topics and subjects.
- They use their existing knowledge to help develop their understanding of new ideas.
- They understand new concepts by relating them to their previous experiences.
- They understand that additional research and reading improves their understanding.
- They develop their learning and thinking by building on the critical evaluation of their previous learning experiences.
- They are self-aware-able to identify, explain, and address their strengths and weaknesses.
Learning Activities
After having watched the video and read through some of the known benefits and the characteristics that it inspires in our students,
What are some ways that using reflective practices might help students in your discipline?
Respond to this question while thinking of the students in your classroom and how this might be applied across curriculums.
Conclusion
After watching the videos and reading the mini- lecture, I hope this gave you a more clear idea of the value that self reflective practices can bring to your classroom. In the following units we will examine what this actually looks like, the many ways it can be implemented, and how this idea can lead to the creation of lifelong learners.
Return to: Unit One: What is Self Reflection
Go to: Unit Three: Types of Self Reflection and How it can be Utilized
