A Teaching Minute: Critical Reflection

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Critical Reflection

11/22/24

Thanksgiving approaches, and the semester is in the final stretch! As you help students work to cross the finish line, this can be a good time to think about your teaching practices.

This week, we're focusing on critical reflection, the fifth principle in An Evolving Framework for Inclusive and Equitable Pedagogy. As we all know, teaching is more than delivering content. As Stephen Brookfield reminds us in Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher, reflection helps us test our assumptions and use those insights to improve our teaching.

Reflection in Action

Take a moment to step back and assess what’s working and what could improve, and consider how you can best support students during this busy time.

  • Gather Student Feedback: 
    Ask students for quick, informal feedback to guide the remainder of the semester. Consider asking questions that are not included on their formal course evaluations. (he Brightspace survey tool can be handy for this. Explore a variety of reflection prompts in this resource from UC Denver.
  • Review Your Own Practices:
    • Have expectations and deadlines been clearly communicated?
    • Are there ways to simplify or streamline your course for the remainder of the semester?
  • Revisit Goals for Equity:
    • Do all students have an equitable opportunity to succeed? View resources we've provided in the framework.
    • Were course materials, assignments, and assessments inclusive and accessible? See Accessible Course Materials on the UVM Knowledge Base.
  • Celebrate Teaching Wins:
    • Reflecting on a successful teaching moment, ask yourself what made it work? How can you build on it in future courses?
  • Plan for What’s Next: 
    Note one or two adjustments for your spring class(es) based on this semester’s experiences. These could include new strategies for engagement, adjustments to course policies, or rethinking assessments to better support learning.

Look Ahead

The Center for Teaching and Learning is here to guide as you reflect, recharge, and prepare for the next semester.

  • Connect 1:1 – Schedule a consultation with the CTL to discuss your goals and challenges.
  • CTL/WID Teaching Resources – Explore a variety of options from both the CTL and WID to support your teaching.
  • Reflect on your Course Evaluations – If you're considering reviewing your course evaluations with us, we'd be happy to help you explore them and discuss what you can learn from the feedback. While student feedback is valuable, structured evaluations can vary in their usefulness or clarity, and a confidential consultation with the CTL may offer additional, supportive context for interpreting the results.