To reflect is to look back to bring clarity in moving forward

~ Teach4Endurance

At this point in the semester, our energy may start to lag. To help keep up our motivation and our students, check in with support available. These FORWARD steps can help re-establish connection and priorities.

Check yourself and your students

Feelings. How am I feeling? Am I motivated to teach?
Outcomes. What are my goals for this class? Am I meeting my goals? What evidence do I have that students are learning?
Relationships. Are you connecting with your students? Am I making content relevant?
Workload. Did I accurately gauge my workload? The students? How is the class pace?
Actions. How are students behaving in class? Are they overwhelmed, motivated, interested?
Reach out. Do my students need additional support? Do they feel like they belong? Have I developed my own community for support?
Direction. Am I using strategies to help students learn? Am I creating barriers?

Things to remember

• Reflection now can make the next class smoother (see 15 Minutes to Improve Next Semester: Teaching Tip)
• Remind students about academic well-being resources and personal well-being resources
• Help students understand your grading policies
• Check important academic calendar dates, and prompt students to do the same. Remind all students of the last day to withdraw (for full-semester courses)
• Watch attendance and participation at key points in the semester, such as mid-semester and right after break weeks
• Be ready for last-minute questions on final grades, exams, extra credit

Check these out

• Small reflections can bring about big changes (e.g. How I Learned to Embrace the Awkward Silences to Promote Class Participation). When there is silence in discussion, you can prompt students to pause and write.
• Asking students to reflect mid semester can give you additional insight. Christina Moore and other OU colleagues have used this simple midsemester journal activity.

Save and adapt a Google Doc version of this teaching tip.

About the Author

Sarah Hosch is the Faculty Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and a Special Instructor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Oakland University. She teaches all levels of biology coursework and her interests include evidence-based teaching practices to improve student learning gains and reduce equity gaps in gateway course success. Sarah loves exploring nature, cooking, and exercising. 

Others may share and adapt under Creative Commons License CC BY-NC.

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