Reflecting. It seems like it is the only thing I ever do anymore. To be quite honest, I’m getting a little tired of it. This is probably why my blog has been pretty slow in recent months.
It’s not that I don’t like reflecting. I have found it to be extremely awarding and beneficial to my own learning, just as I’m sure you have. The problem is, it has become a chore. In a certain class I take right now, we are required to write a full reflection, following an outline given to us, after every single class, reading, lab, and field experience. They also get handed in and evaluated, which is frustrating for me because I don’t feel any reflection is subject to marking of any sort. Sure suggestions and comments are great, but in this case they always come from the same individual. It’s not that I don’t like my teacher or what he has to say, but maybe I’ve became a little spoiled by blogging and getting great comments and insights from readers like yourself.
I don’t think reflection is something that can or should be forced. As soon as you tell someone they must reflect, they are no longer reflecting for themselves. They’re reflecting for whoever told them too. Surely some direction and guidance never hurt anyone, but to force reflection defeats the purpose.
I want to reflect for me. Not for my teacher.
I guess that’s me reflecting about reflecting. Time to get back to reflecting…