A Reflection on "Reflection"

I recently visited a classroom where the children were asked to do a common fall activity. In all the years I have been observing students I have never seen this activity work, and yet every fall, I see it practiced again and again in classroom after classroom. I cannot help but wonder: why? "Reflection" is a current buzzword in early childhood education, and I hope it's buzzword status doesn't keep teachers from actually doing it. When we have respect for children, we respect their time. Is the activity worthy of their time?

Here are the 3 weakest reasons for doing an activity:

1. We have always done it.

2. It's cute and the parents will like it.

3. I found it in a book and it goes with our theme.

How will you know? Here are 3 signs that an activity might not be worth doing:

1. It's too quick-The children are finished in less than a minute and there is little or no engagement.

2. Children cannot do it- you have to repeatedly help them or do it for them.

3. It doesn't work.


Take a few minutes every day to reflect on the activities you have done and ask your self: Are the children getting anything out of this? Am I bored?

Debra G Murphy
www.classroomtoclassroom.com

Interested in more about this topic?
Read The Intentional Teacher, Ann S. Epstein, NAEYC, 2007.