Reflection is challenging! When was the last time you sat yourself down and unpacked your day? You probably headed for a glass of wine instead. "Oh what a day!", you groan as you pour some of that red stuff into any glass or small jar you can find, hoping to forget about what went down.
Yes we can sprout the theory to our emerging student professionals about how important it is to reflect. What happened? What could you do better? What have you learnt?
But how often do we set aside some time to reflect ourselves?
"Pleeeese!" I hear you groan. I think I can even hear your eyes rolling into the back of your head as you throw down that wine.
I was watching Emergency RMH and listening to Dr Emma West unpack a case she had just dealt with. Emma has become my super hero! An emergency doctor of 20 years and she admits that she still gets nervous. So, how do we walk a mile in our students shoes (practice a bit of empathy please design thinkers) and co-design assessments with our academics that help them (students) emerge as reflective practitioners, not just survivors of the assessment?
As Peter Pappas of Copy/Past reminds us: "At best, students can narrate what they did, but have trouble thinking abstractly about their learning – patterns, connections and progress."
Perhaps they also need the permission as undergraduates to celebrate their mistakes!
Isn't that what we are (should) be about – celebrating those epiphany moments?
Selah!