Sometimes synthesizing information and trying to make connections and deepen learning feels clinical or distant. I resonated with the following idea from Zull (2002) “Even if we experience something that has happened to us before, it is hard to make meaning of it unless it engages our emotions” (p.166). He also points out that reflection is a search for connections and suggests that we have to seriously consider the role of emotion if we want to foster deep learning (Zull, 2002). I am an emotional person and like the idea that I can integrate my emotional connections within my professional thoughts. I find it too difficult to separate the two anyway.
One learning strategy that I use in my professional learning events is reflection. During a full day event I am giving attendees a lot of information, so reflection is a great way to ensure that attendees pull out information that stuck or felt important to them. In Moon’s book Reflection in Learning and Professional Development (1999), she identifies the conditions for reflection: time and space, a good facilitator, a supportive curricular or institutional environment, and an emotionally supportive environment.
Today I facilitated a professional learning event for educators who are working with students in grades 4-12 who need intervention in reading. They were engaged and looking for ways to improve the way that they teach their students to read. During the reflection time every attendee was physically writing down their connection to the material. I work hard to create a learning environment that allows for the important conditions for reflection, including an emotionally supportive environment. Attendees have to have some trust that their ideas are emotionally “safe” in the learning environment. As a facilitator it is my job to foster that kind of environment. When I’m successful there is a different, more unified, feel to the discussions and connection between attendees. Making space for emotions in professional learning can mean the difference between simply sharing information and making actual connections to the learning and the other humans you are experiencing the learning with.
References:
Barrett, H. (n.d.). Why reflect? – reflection4learning. Google Sites: Sign-in. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://sites.google.com/site/reflection4learning/why-reflect
Moon, J. (1999) Reflection in Learning and Professional Development. London: Kogan Page.
Zull, J. (2002) The Art of Changing the Brain. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing
Facilitation Innovation 
One response to “Reflection from the Heart”
[…] about in the courses and my day-to-day tasks. I was able to apply concepts of FEEDFORWARD and REFLECTION in my professional development and coaching […]
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