Reflective practices

My woodworking workshop is a place full of action and excitement. There is much happening and projects and ideas run wild at all times.

But The Craft Caravan believes that the core of all learning needs to be one of deeper meaning, of building relationships and respect for tools and learning to view making by hand as an act of deep focus. Sadly for us, the woodworking classes are intermittent ( twice a month) it becomes important for keeping the memory of the freedom in making alive. To aid this need, I indulge in reflective journaling is an activity that is undertaken by each class. 

Reflective learning is such a useful metacognitive tool. When students become reflective about the teaching and learning process, they are strengthening their own capacity to learn. Through reflection, students are aware of and can describe their thinking in a way that allows them to "close the gap" between what they know and what they need to learn. I think this process goes a long way in allowing learners to assimilate new learning and adapt it to their own purposes over time. 

Samples for reflection from student journals done over the past few months. 

Reflection as a tool for self-assessment 

Through reflection, my students have become aware of their own thinking processes and are able to make it visible to others. When we routinely reflect we discuss:

1. what are we intending to learn
2. what is the learning process
3. what  will we do next

This activity has tremendously improved the learning culture in the classroom as the students feel heard and own their learning much more dearly.