Written and verbal reflections are the most common ways students reflect. These are important methods; however, keep in mind that meaningful reflection can be expressed in various ways. Often, written reflection cannot express the depth of an experience in the way that visual, auditory or kinesthetic means of reflection can.
Visual reflection can be accomplished through:
Kinesthetic reflection can be accomplished through:
Auditory reflection can be accomplished through:
By engaging in diverse forms of reflection, students may discover their preferred ways to reflect and integrate reflection by choice into their daily lives.
Reflection is central to building a deep and rich experience in CAS. It leads to improved problem-solving, higher cognitive processes and greater depth of understanding. Reflection is a dynamic means for self-knowing, learning and decision-making and can take many forms.
Here are four:
• Describing what happened: Students retell their memorable moments, identifying what was important or influential, what went well or was difficult, obstacles and successes.
• Expressing feelings: Students articulate emotional responses to their experiences.
• Generating ideas: Rethinking or re-examining choices and actions increases awareness about self and situations.
• Asking questions: Questions about people, processes or issues prompt further thinking and ongoing inquiry.
REMEMBER!
1. Students should not postpone reflections on a particular activity. Before, during and after an activity are all good times to reflect.
2. Reflection can appear in countless forms. For example:
Take photographs while hiking and reflect on them later.
Compose a song with a friend.
Write a poem.
Produce a short video summarizing a CAS experience
A group of students create a poster highlighting aspects of a shared experience.
Write a paragraph or a letter.
ALSO REMEMBER!
1. Reflecting should be enjoyable.
2. Reflections can be included in the portfolio.
3. Reflection is not right or wrong.
• Some students organize an impromptu ‘flash mob’ to commemorate their attendance at an annual Youth Leaders symposium. One of the art students then followed this up with a cartoon depiction of the event, which included 9 caricatures of each student who had participated, accompanied by speech bubbles with their individual comments on the flash mob experience and the symposium.
• A student created a magic show as his choice for expressive, meaningful reflection. Challenges and surprises were represented by objects appearing out of hats, from behind ears and magically out of thin air. Similarly, items disappeared within an instant, representing challenges successfully met along with his CAS journey. The magic show demonstrated the student’s passion for magic – his distinct talent – as well as a compilation of numerous skills and knowledge acquired during his time in the DP.
• Following his involvement in a CAS project focusing on improving social justice, a student wrote two songs that acted as a culminating reflection. The student performed these songs in the school cafeteria, with an accompanying visual presentation that gave further details on his reflections and overall experience.
• One student decided to take one photograph a week throughout her CAS experience that captured what she was feeling, thinking, seeing or learning. She combed through her photographs to create a gallery without a single caption to present to the community. She wanted to see if what she saw through her camera lens would reflect the story accurately.
• A student turned in a basketball to represent his reflection in Activity. All over the basketball he wrote phrases, attached photos, and adhered articles to repurpose the ball as a road map to his experience and represent his reflections.
• A student decided to make a drawing on his growth process through CAS. Just with drawings it was understood how his experiences developed his self-identity