CAS Reflections

Understanding reflection

One way to explain reflection is to clarify what reflection is and what it is not. A helpful way to initiate discussion of the reflective process is for students to collaborate with their peers and draw up their own comparison table. This chart shows examples of what students may list and discuss.

Examples of good reflections from the International School of Panama

Volunteer at the Minneapolis Children’s Hospital – Service“… The children were very open in accepting me. They were always the ones who made this brief interaction between two strangers seem comfortable. Through the compassion I constantly saw in these very sick children I was exposed to an amazing outlook on life. One of the false assumptions I made about working at Children’s was that as a result of my work I would feel good about myself for giving my time to these children. In fact, I did feel good about myself but it was not because of what I had given. Instead it was the children who gave to me. From them I learned how positive and selfless people can be…

”Volunteer at Walker Methodist Centre – Service“ I have seen first-hand the harshness of the aging process. People who were once vibrant,bustling human beings are now confined and subdued by their deteriorating health. Jane has Parkinson’s Disease and is inhibited by her soft speech and inability to use her hands. I know from the time we have spent together that she has so much to say and many interests, but is slowed and sometimes stopped by her illness. Anne’s only disease is effects of time and how it has affected her memory and hearing. Although she always recognizes me, Anne does not remember my name or hear much of what people say to her. As time went by, I began to realize that they had wonderful lives. Both have successful and large families, with interesting experiences throughout their lives. Now they are slowed down, but maybe because its time for them to rest. I have learned a lot from them, about many things, but mostly about how to live with what you are given… I hope when I am their age and in their situation like theirs that I can have their attitude – life is what it is and the best thing to do is accept it and be happy.

”Writing poetry –Creative“ For the past two years I have kept a journal of poetry and stream of consciousness pieces that I have written. It now contains about 30 works. I write in it rather sporadically, either aside as come to me that I feel would make good poems, or I feel the need to vent my emotion on paper. I have shown this journal to certain teachers and friends, and I have submitted several of them to Mosaic. For me this journal is a way to stay sane, sort of catharsis for my soul. By writing poetry about situations that I am in I can think through my options and how best to deal with them. Similarly, it helps me to understand better what I am feeling. And if someone else can benefit from my writing through Mosaic, all the better. After all, art is not only beneficial for the artist, but also for the observer of that art.

”Service Activity“As one of my service activities I wanted to help an elderly person as I realized that their problems are sometimes neglected or forgotten. That is why I turned to an environmental nurse so that she could find a person in need of help and willing to be helped. I stayed in contact with the nurse and after a while she gave me the name and address of an old lady whom she described as lonely and having problems with walking. I was happy that I found the opportunity to offer my help to a person in need.

On one day the nurse and I visited the elderly lady in her flat. Beforehand, the nurse informed me that the lady used to work physically and retired early (at the age of 45 due to health problems). I got acquainted with her and from that day on I started visiting her regularly once a week.

I went for walks with the lady and every week we went shopping to the nearest supermarket.However, the most important task turned out to be far more difficult than I had expected. I made the greatest effort to make the woman cheerful, to create a friendly warm atmosphere,but I noticed how reserved and depressed she was. She mentioned the fact that she had been lonely for a long time and it stuck in my memory. It made me realize how loneliness affects human psyche. At the beginning I found it very difficult to make her smile, because she was only saying how miserable her life was and complained about the problems that she faced. I tried to show my understanding and convince her that life is worth living regardless of the difficulties one faces, but it seemed to me that it did not speak to her. Sometimes I wondered if my visits and help were bringing her anything good. Surprisingly, as time was passing by and we came to know each other better, I noticed a change in her and a change in the character of our interaction. I was very happy when on one day she confessed to me how grateful she was for my help. The activity gave me fulfillment and made me conceive how serious is the problem of loneliness in life and I realized the importance of attention that needs to be paid to lonely people.”

Examples of poor reflections

“Today I got to the nursing home at 2:00. Talked to some ladies. Passed out popcorn at the movie. Went home at 4:00. When you volunteer at the nursing home, the residents really make you feel appreciated. It makes it all worthwhile.”

Whether it was for a long period or short, this student reflecting on their social service missed the point. This student was surrounded by human drama. On every side were loneliness, love, struggle, joy, death, dignity, injustice, need and concern. There were more than a dozen health-related, trades-related,professional-related careers to observe and experiment with. There were people with wisdom to draw upon and pains to ease. From their observations and reflections, these students experienced nothing.

It’s not supposed to be that way. People can learn from experience. In fact, it is not only a possibility but also a necessity. Aldous Huxley says,

“Experience is not what happens to a person; it is what aperson does with what happens to him or her.”

A necessary part of turning what you experience into what you know isreflection – time to sit down and consider:

What you saw and didn’t see

Who needed you and why you were there?

What did you learn and what did you teach?Reflection involves observation, asking questions, putting facts, ideas and experiences together to come up with new meaning. Reflection on experience can give you the following abilities:

Taking charge

: Being able to learn from experience gives us the power toinfluence themeaning and impact of things that we do or that happen to us.

Increasing your problem solving ability

: Being able to analyze problems,generate alternatives, and anticipate consequences are critical skills.

Power to assess your personal impact

: Ongoing reflection helps reveal and even determine what personal changes are occurring in self-image, new skills, and ideas about a career. It can give you the self-confidence to take on a bigger project or to use more of your skills.