The Power of Reflection
As a social worker and educator, I have found reflection to be one of the most important tools for professional learning and growth. As important as this skill is, it can be hard to find the time needed to build it. Recently, I had the privilege of attending the New York State School Social Work Association annual conference. I have been spending a lot of time teaching and presenting, and while I did present at the conference, I also had the opportunity to be an attendee myself and learn from some amazing professionals.
Over the years, I have put considerable energy into building my “reflective muscle,” so that now during professional development sessions, I listen and take notes through a reflective lens. If you’re wondering how I do this, read on for a few simple approaches.
Tip 1: A Strategy I Want to Try
Make note of any practical, actionable strategies throughout the session. Consider, what would that look like in my context? When can I try it? Set a reminder to try one strategy within the next week or share what you learned with a colleague and discuss how and when you will implement it. After trying the strategy, consider: How did it go? Was it successful? What might I change if I were to try that strategy again?
Tip 2: A Quote That Resonated
I love a good quote. One semester I created a document for my graduating students entitled, “There’s a Quote for That…A Zinn Collection.” Reflecting on quotes can reinforce key ideas and help us integrate new learning. During a workshop, write down any quotes that resonate with you. After, reflect on what these quotes mean to you in the scope of your practice. How does the quote help you think about a particular issue?
Tip 3: I’m Still Thinking About…
A day or so after a presentation, take stock of what’s sticking with you. Was a resource shared? Take a few minutes to check it out. Often, I’ll open a new tab on my phone or computer during a workshop and search for a resource. Instead of letting it pull my attention away from the presentation, I’ll leave the tab open to revisit at another time.
Tip 4: What, So What, Now What? (Borton, 1970)
Years ago I was at the Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools conference and a presenter shared the What? So What? Now What? framework for reflective thinking. I have been using it ever since. I find this framework so helpful because it focuses on what you are learning, what it means in your context, and what you can do with this knowledge.
Tip 5: Make Time
Time is really the key to all of these strategies - in order to truly incorporate what you have learned into your regular practices, you need to spend time in reflection. Of course, time is the one thing we never have enough of, but consider where in your day and week you can carve out small pockets of reflection - even 5 or 10 minutes, practiced a few times a week, will make a huge difference.
So many times we attend a workshop and leave feeling inspired and energized, only to file away the slide deck and never revisit it. Reflection is the key to translating the energy from a workshop into action. If this resonates and you’d like to keep the conversation going, follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn, or send me a message - I’d love to connect!
