Intellectual character

There are many ways in which educators can incorporate opportunities for reflection into their classrooms, from having students write in journals, to completing “exit tickets” or simply discussing how an assignment or activity went. Reflection with colleagues in teaching teams, departmental or school-wide meetings, or in professional learning communities can provide opportunities to reflect on teacher practice through personal and group reflection and planning. In all of these cases, an important part of reflection in the Principled Innovation framework is connecting what we learn to our next decisions and actions. Group settings — which provide opportunities for sharing learning and enhance creativity through interactions with others who introduce us to new perspectives and possibilities — enable us to optimize these transformational connections.

In schools, school systems, and other organizations, opportunities for reflection can be built into the daily operations and organizational culture, such that it becomes the norm to reflect and apply our learnings going forward. This can be accomplished through a mix of methods, from events that foster deeper reflection such as retreats or monthly meetings, to regular opportunities for staff to share their work and learn from one another. It can also be valuable to gather feedback and get perspectives from a wide range of stakeholders, such as through surveys, focus groups, and other forms of community engagement and perspective taking, and use this information as the basis for critical reflection within the organization. Undertaking these activities in collaboration with colleagues will strengthen organizational cultu