Mission & Academics Blog
The Power of Pause
Follow effective action with quiet reflection, from the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.
- Peter F. Drucker
Our busy world does not lend itself to regular self-reflection. Somehow it almost seems lazy to take time to reflect when we can be getting something else done. But the truth is, there is nothing lazy about reflection. Sure, we learn by experiences and from our mistakes in action. But, unless we take the time to think about these experiences and carefully study our mistakes and identify the lessons we might learn, we won’t actually make the needed changes. We won’t grow and improve. Self-reflection enables a person to go further than just experiencing, and step more deeply into understanding and ultimately change. It is true that we all do, in fact, self-reflect to some extent, but to do it well and fruitfully, we need to take time - uninterrupted and quiet time.
At Brookfield Academy, we value reflection and we know well that it takes time - real dedicated time. A dear teacher friend of mine always said - you can’t change the tire when the car is moving. Likewise, in teaching, you need to stop in order to think clearly about your lessons, review the curriculum, evaluate your assessments, look squarely and honestly at the students’ needs and their progress with the material. This important work cannot happen on the fly. That is why each year we choose a discipline and we ask all involved in that department to do the important self-reflection necessary to maintain a truly excellent program. We encourage them to take a day here and there away from the classroom to ask the important questions about their work together…to identify areas that need improvement, celebrate what is working well, review curriculum from Level A-Level 12 for cohesiveness and appropriateness. They have the summer as well to meet together and go more deeply into this work. Some years a few from the department will travel to visit other schools to see what they might learn from others. We call this year a Focus Year and right now, our History Department is the one going through this self-reflection process. Alongside all of their work and meetings, we have chosen this year to bring in some speakers on various history topics and curricula. Parents are able to learn along with us, and we are all enriched. The power of taking time to study and learn is incredible…and an important ingredient toward creating a place where young people flourish.
Back
