Sunday, June 12, 2011

EDLD 5399, Week 4 Value of Reflection

Reflection is an important leadership skill because it helps us to analyze, understand, and gain meaning from our experiences.  It is more than just “thinking” about an activity or event; it is trying to come to a better understanding and learning from it.  I initially learned about reflection during my doctoral program at Lamar University.  In the beginning of my reflective thinking assignments in that program, my reflections were very limited in thought.  However, I soon realized the value in reflection and saw it as a way to dig deeper into the real meaning of the assignment. I think my prior experience with reflection worked to my advantage in this program.  

The most beneficial reflections for me were the reflections of course assignment activities.  I was always in such a mad rush to complete an assignment, that it was all process and work to complete it and meet the maximum rubric requirements. I typically saved the reflection portion of the course assignment activities until later in the week when I wasn’t worried so much about the rubric and the points, but when I could really think about the assignment and what I thought/learned from completing the assignment.  The reflections forced me to analyze and understand what I had really done which in turn provided me the opportunity to gain meaning from the assignments. 

I also benefited from reflections of other intern reflection experiences.  I continue to be amazed at how much thought and reflection was done by my peers and how well many could express those reflections through the written word!

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