Reflection: Time to Think

Reflection is perhaps the most critical component to the thinking process, stimulating both curiosity and analytical ability.  To reflect is to go beyond the limited rubric of the classroom and arrange new ideas within larger contexts.  It is the ability to ask more questions, to discern what is useful, and apply that information to our growing knowledge of the world.

In education we do not often let our students ask questions.  When a student asks, "How is this useful?" we usually snap off a reply and continue the lesson.  But perhaps we should reply in the spirit of the question.  How is it useful?  Why are we learning this?  We shouldn't just expect students to trust our judgment, we should make them curious about their own education.  Too often we confine students to the material that will appear on the test, encouraging them to memorize and regurgitate rather than compose their own thoughts and reflections on the material.  Perhaps students find it difficult to reflect because we do not allow them to.  We discourage questions by driving the material forward to the exam.  In some cases this seems unavoidable.  The amount of information necessary to get across in mathematics and the sciences makes reflection seem near impossible.  The courses are stream-lined to deliver such information, but they hardly ever allow students to reflect on why the material is important or what they like and dislike about the subject. 

These are important questions in respect of student autonomy.  If we do not allow them to reflect we risk turning out students who simply take part in the world rather than shape it.  We lose curiosity and creativity because they are not stimulated by further reflection.  We see the effects in the classroom where teachers can drive themselves into the ground with the same lessons year after year.  There is no incentive to reflect on or deviate from established formulas that produce good test scores.  Teachers are not given the time or authority to make such reflections or suggestions. 

Reflection is ultimately triggered by curiosity but can be tremendously affected by pressures of time and expectations.  The most effective reflections occur when people are curious about a subject, have time to think about it, and expect to achieve something valuable from it.  In an environment where individual reflection is not encouraged or valued, there is little chance such reflects will be effective or even attempted.  I reflect best when I am allowed to pace without the distractions of homework and people around me.  But that reflection must be sparked by a question that is puzzling or interesting to me.  These questions, however, are hardly ever stimulated by the classroom environment.  The classroom gives me the tools to reflect more effectively, but only time and curiosity will allow me to actually do it.  Can schools give students that time and curiosity?  Are they expected to reflect on academic subjects outside of the classroom?  How much time can we allow them in the school day to think about the questions that are really important to them?