I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice how funny I am.
I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice how much I struggle with math.
I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice that I am running out of books to read.
I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice how hard I am working.
All statements taken from my September reflection sheet that I asked students to do today. All statements that made me pause and think, reflect, and know that although I feel I do notice these things, I am not communicating it well enough to students. See often I take note of many great things that they do every day but we get so busy with all that we need to do that I forget to tell them. I forget to show them. So I get home and I tell my husband about something and then realize that I didn’t say thanks, good job, or how can I help? I didn’t beam or praise, I just smiled and moved on.
So on this sheet today, what was meant to be a reflection for the students to share with their parents, once again turned into a reflection of how I am doing as a teacher. Even how I am doing as a person in their lives. And I know I can do more, I know I can do better, I only have to notice and then do something about it. Try it, ask you students the same question and let me know what you learn. I cannot wait to get back tomorrow and notice all of these things and more. I cannot wait to tell them I notice. I cannot wait to show them I notice. I cannot wait.
I am a passionate (female) 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.
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Pernille Ripp 
I absolutely love this question.
A true example of the power of reflection. Lesson learned. Steps to make change in place! Congrats.
I am a parent, not an educator. This post hit home for me as a mom. Every day, I ask my children what they learned or what they did, but I don’t ask them how they felt. I haven’t been guiding them to be reflective. Thank you for helping me to realize this. I have some work to do.
Love the idea of self-reflection! As always, thank you for all the wonderful ideas you share!
Not only does this make you a more noticeful teacher, it begins to make your students better communicators. As adults, we all struggle to express our feelings. You’re asking your students to start practicing it now.
I just discovered this post via Katherine Sokolowski and I absolutely LOVE this idea. I have my students do brief personal reflection each morning as a journal-writing assignment, but I think that this monthly reflection is a fantastic idea and one that I am going to start using tomorrow! (Perfectly timed with the end of September!) Thanks! I’ve bookmarked your blog and, with your permission, would like to add it to my list of recommended sites on my blog.
Student reflection is so important. And the fact that students are willing to share these things with you is a testament to the positive environment you have in your classroom.
Great post. As a Dad (not an educator) I have to remind myself to stop being hard on my boys for things they didn’t do / haven’t done, but praise them for the things they have done.
While they are too young to verbalise these thoughts like you have outlined above, I know I must make a more concerted effort to praise them more often.
Pernille Ripp, I started to follow you a while back and wanted to let you know that I wish that Miss Ripp would know that many other lovers of children appreciate that she takes time to blog! Accolades are not why we do our work here, but it’s nice to get a nod once in a while! Hope I hit you on a day it means something to you!