Best Practices

Best for: Deepening critical thinking and allowing introverted students to process complex concepts without social pressure.

• Materials Needed: Journals, laptops, or loose-leaf paper.

• Time Needed: 10–15 Minutes.

• For Who: Individual.

• Instructions:

  • Find a quiet space where you won't be distracted.

  • Provide a specific, open-ended prompt (e.g., "How did your thinking change from the start of this project to the end?").

  • Set a timer for specific duration (sustainment is key).

  • Rule: The "Stream of Consciousness"—students must keep writing the entire time, even if they are just writing "I am thinking..." until a new thought arrives.

• Variations: 

  • "The Letter to Self": Have students write a letter to themselves about what they want to remember from this lesson to read before the final exam.

  • Think-Pair-Share: What is written can be the basis for sharing with others (see Reflective Toolkit for options for doing so)

It's easy to make common mistakes that can hinder the effectiveness of your reflective writing. Here are some common mistakes to avoid and best practices to follow.

Avoid vague fillers like "I learned a lot" or "it was a good experience." Instead, zoom in on the exact moment, action, or reaction that mattered. You cannot replicate a success (or fix a failure) if you haven't identified exactly what caused it.