What does it mean to be a reflective learner?

In my action research this year, I'm focussing on how to help my students be more reflective learners.  One of the key things I need to do this point in my research is to define what it means to be a reflective learner.  I'm interested in what people have to say (please post a quick comment!).

Here are some of my thoughts:

• When reflecting, there is a past, present, and future.  We look at our past thinking about where we came from, we look to the present examining where we are now, and we gaze into the future to see where we want to go. 
• Reflecting as readers means that we think about why we read something, what it says about the world around us, and what it means to us.  Reflective readers also evaluate why a book was interesting/boring.  They also have strategies for selecting books.
• Reflecting as writers means knowing what choices you made in your writing and being able to articulate them.  Reflective writers think about what they have written and how they have written it.

There's much more, no doubt.  I could probably sit here for hours brainstorming this and probably will at some point.  These are my initial thoughts and I'd really like to hear what people think - not just ELA teachers, teachers, or even educators. 

What does it mean to be a reflective learner?

Comments

[mrs ris]

I spent a long year and a half exploring how helping my students reflect on their learning improved their achievement and behavior (part of my grad program). The key to it, I found, was making reflection a very routine thing.... an accessible, easy tool really helped (for my early primary kids, it was a quick 4 question survey using smiley faces/ neutral faces/ sad faces).

The kids improved their work over time as the expectations on the survey became a part of their understanding about school and school work. Self-monitoring and reflection made for improved self esteem too (mostly anectdotal evidence).

Enjoy your exploration!

[mrs ris]

It's me again.

I spend alot of time helping new and preservice teachers become reflective, and sadly, it often feels like one comes to the profession with a reflective gene, OR one does not. Kind of like the argument about whether teaching is an innate talent one is predispositioned for, or if teaching can actually be taught. It's not black and white; the shades of gray hold the elusive answers....

The guiding question for my new teachers? Is my reflective thinking making for change/improvement in my teaching and in my students' learning?

[Gisele Bih]

Hi my name is Gisele.I have is assisment on how reflective can help me know and it the futuer. thanks to you explaination know I can understant what it means. Thank you

[Charlotte]

I am a university student struggling with the whole concept of being a reflective learner. Thank you for your explanation it has helped immensely.

I think being a reflective learner is about noting how, as an individual, one learns and what hinders that learning. For example lack of motivation or confidence in essay writing. When these issues are reflected upon they can then be addressed and therefore dealt with.

[carrie freedman]

I try to be very specific with my students as to what type of questions they need to ask themselves to become more reflective learners? When handing in writing assignments they reflect on the process of writing the assginemnet and also where they used various writing techniques as per the criteria. They then can self assess in looking at where they met or did not meet the cirteria.
You need to be able to answer the question-"why do we need to do a self reflectin?" - because I am often asked it and if they cant see the benefit for themselves then their learning is meaningless. They first and foremost must take ownership over their learning.

[John Oughton]

Thanks for this concise, but thought-provoking entry. I relate reflective learning to meta-congition: thinking about how we think. A reflective learner, rather than just "soaking up" knowledge, skills, and attitudes, seeks self-awareness: what I have learned? How does this fit (or not) with what I already knew? What do I not understand, or need to seek more help/information on?
If we can teach students to become reflective about their own learning, we have set on the path to becoming life-long and self-aware learners -- a great achievement.

[meshach]

hey my name is unarine mehack sivhidzho,,what does it mean to be a reflective practioner