Mid-Year Teacher Check-In: How are we doing?

The middle of the school year is the perfect time to check in and see how you, your students, and your colleagues are doing so far. Reflection isn’t just about surfacing the things that need course correcting. It’s also about identifying and celebrating the good and figuring out how to grow upon those areas of strength. Throughout the months, it may be easy to slip into habits of mind and work practices that merely get us through the challenges of teaching, but chances are you’re also doing some seriously amazing work that deserves some recognition and reflection. Use this set of questions in professional development with your colleagues — or just in reflection with yourself —  to reawaken your sense of purpose and self-awareness. Your students, your school, and your teaching practice will thank you!

“We often act on our thoughts and feelings. Reflection allows us to decide where they come from and whether those thoughts and feelings are worth following or not.” –Nick Mather

Mental Health

• What is the most rewarding part of my job right now?
• What is the most stressful part of my job right now?
• What am I doing now to maintain my work/life balance? What can I work on to achieve more balance?
• What am I doing to support the social-emotional well-being of my colleagues and students?  What can I do better to support this work?

“I believe that self-reflection is a much kinder teacher than regret can ever be; prioritise yourself by making a habit of it.” –Tim Dingle

School Culture

• How are my relationships with students improving or disrupting their learning and growth?
• Are my students happy, safe, and loved in my classroom?
• How am I contributing to the school culture outside my classroom?
• Do students have a voice in my classroom and my school? How can offer more opportunities for choice?

“Find me someone who settles for average in teaching, & I’ll show you someone who doesn’t understand the magnitude of the mission. If you remember to bring your why to the work every day, you’ll inevitably bring your best self to the work as well. Your why will sustain & fuel you.” –Amy Fast, EdD

Classroom Practice

• Are students engaged in my class? What evidence do I have to support this?
• What evidence do I have that students are learning and growing in my classroom?
• Are my assignments and assessments reflective of my students’ abilities and needs?
• Am I challenging and supporting my students and continually evaluating their needs?
• Are there any gaps in my content or skills instruction that I can address moving forward?
• Are there any new strategies I can try?

“It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the strengths of others, especially at those times when they are having difficulty seeing it in themselves.”–Josh Stock

Personal Growth

• In the next six months, what would I like to change in my classroom and/or my school?
• In the next six months, what work habits would I like to continue, disrupt, or practice?
• What new skills or strategies would I like to try, employ, or learn about in the coming months?
• What professional development opportunities or conferences would I like to attend?
• How would I like to grow as an educator, a leader, a colleague, and as a person?