Aug. 23, 2026: Productive Reflection

Here in Central Florida, we have just completed three weeks of the new school year. This is when I meet with our new teachers and interns to take a moment and reflect on how things are going in the classroom.  While it ends up being a very productive discussion session, it is not focused on curriculum and instruction, (that session is in a couple of weeks) but the discussion focuses on something much more important.  

How is the classroom community shaping up?

Every teacher knows those classroom relationships and connections are vital to the foundation of the classroom community.  Relationships form the scaffolding on which learning takes place. Not just the relationships between the teacher and each student, but between the students as well.

I like to start the conversation with a series of questions that may help to bring into focus the strengths and needs of the current classroom community.

-       Can you tell me something about each and every student in your class that is not in their school records?

-       Are there any students in your class who seem isolated or withdrawn?

-       Are there any students who seem to be avoiding you or trying to keep their distance?

-       Are there any students who seem uncomfortable trying new things?

-       Does every student appear to have a connection to at least one other student in the class?

-       At recess or other unstructured times, are there any students who seem lost or adrift socially?

This is now the time to think about any changes you can make in the organization of the classroom to address any concerns.  Changing seat assignments seems to only happen in many classrooms when teachers need to address behavior issues, but it can also help to address those social issues.  Place the student who appears isolated next to your most big-hearted student.  Place your student who has no confidence in a group with the most supportive student in the class.

This is also the time to assess those instructional strategies you are currently using.  Are they meeting the needs of this group of students? Do you need to include more or less group work? Pair activities?  Do you need to get this group up and moving more, or do you need to adopt a more calming and quiet approach?

Look around the classroom at this point as well.  Are your procedures working for the skill level of this group of students? Are the supplies and materials in the best spot?  Our vision of how things should work is not always in sync with the reality of how things play out.  Setting up our classroom before students arrive is a necessity, but now that we are a couple of weeks into the school year, is it working?  If not, what can/should be adjusted?

This is also the time I encourage our new teachers to make sure they are noticing all the wins each day!  Teaching is hard, expectations are high, students have varied needs, and educators often feel they are falling short. But the truth is that there are successes every day in every classroom.  They may be small victories.  It may be hints of magic.  We may only see the whisper of progress.  But it is there.  As teachers, we need to start training ourselves to notice and celebrate every tiny step forward.  

Just a couple weeks into this school year is the perfect time for this very productive reflection!

Sending virtual hugs to every teacher out there.