#304 End of the 2023-2024 school year reflection
When reflecting on the year, it is often easy to think in very binary terms: things that went well (successes) and things that did not go well (often termed as “areas for growth”).
In recent months I have (thanks to my Grade Two colleagues) become aware of the terms glow and grow which have been used with students when reflecting on their learning following a Unit of Inquiry. Aside from avoiding words associated with shortcomings or deficits, I appreciate the alliteration and rhyme rendering it fun and non-threatening.
With the 2023-2024 academic year having ended a few days ago, I am - drawing on this End of Year Reflection for Teachers (recently shared on Edutopia, see image above) - choosing to reflect upon this last academic year using the easy to remember ABCD prompts:
What did I Accomplish this year?
What Boundary did I keep?
How was I Creative?
What will I continue to Do next year?
In terms of accomplishments, the following successes comes to mind:
Transitioning to a new rôle for the 2023-2024 academic year and successfully collaborating with fellow educators, parents and - as applicable - external service providers to best support student learning. Our students have, thanks to this collaborative practice, made substantial progress over the last academic year.
Expanding my skills, knowledge and understanding through informal and formal PD opportunities including and not limited to completing the ISS Identity Matters: Fostering Inclusive Learning Environments (October 2023), Making the PYP Happen: Implementing Agency (March 2024) and Google Certified Educator Level 2 (June 2024).
Delivering a well received workshop, Learning Support: Perspectives, Possibilities and Potential, at Modern School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, India (February 2024).
In my role as the ISP Global Alliance Coordinator, setting up this new programme and executing our first student exchange with Windhoek International School, Namibia (Spring 2024).
Continuing to develop my skills in French: I passed my level B2.2 exam (February 2024) and level C1.1 exam (June 2024).
As to boundaries, I am mindful of the following:
The importance of finding balance. This is to ensure that I can bring my best version to my work and my non-work life. This image recently posted by David Maclean on Linkedin resonates.
My perfectionist tendency (including wordsmithing this reflection!) means it often takes me longer than it should to complete activities. Allocating a set amount of time (not during the weekend) and using timers helps me. It is also important for me to keep uppermost in mind Brené Brown’s quote "I'm a recovering perfectionist and an aspiring "good-enoughist" as well as this recently found quote from John W. Gardner, "Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well".
Connected to creative practice, I strive:
To continue to design creative lessons so as to not only meet student needs (academically and socially emotionally), but ones that are also within their Zone of Proximal Development and - most importantly as I want to develop students who are #lifelonglearners - are fun.
With regard to things to continue to do in the coming academic year, the following come to mind:
To continue to be mindful of the Squiggly Swaps (see image below) with regards to possibilities, moves, talents, direction and progression.
To continue to prioritize balance and wellbeing.
To continue to be a #lifelonglearner: I want to continue to expand my skills, knowledge and understanding and am keen to pursue these online courses, Overcoming Dyslexia (offered by Yale) and Learn Mental Health Literacy (offered by UBC) as well as to learn more about the rôle of play in education by following Press Play and some other pertinent sites. In addition, I want to continue to take advantage of the privilege I have of working across various grades levels and with a wide range of teachers. This enables me - by virtue of working within the classroom setting - to see, at close quarters, the way in which skilled educators build community within the individual classrooms and creatively embed various elements of the curriculum in their daily practice.
To continue with French classes.
Using the ABCD prompts, how would you reflect on your 2023-2024 school year?
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