Reflection & Discussion Questions
Reflective writing may be new to some of you, at least in the academic context, and that is okay! The Writing Center is a great place to visit if you need extra guidance from experts, but there are also a few guideposts that might help you out along the way.
Bain et al. (2002) use the five 'R's' to illustrate levels of reflection that we can pay attention to in our reflective writing: Reporting, Responding, Relating, Reasoning, and Reconstructing. Below are specific questions tied to each of these concepts, which you can ask yourself as you consider what to write in your journals and reflection papers. Note, while the table below uses the term "incident or issue" as a key jumping off point for reflection, you can choose any idea, topic, or concept from the reading to write about.
Figure from: Mary Ryan (2013) The pedagogical balancing act: teaching reflection in higher education, Teaching in Higher Education, 18:2, 144-155, DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2012.694104
Note: It's okay if you don't cover all of the 'R's' in your reflections and discussion questions. This practice is about finding balance and being mindful. Try to reflect about how you are connecting to the materials that you cover in class and look for opportunities to bring depth to your thinking. Your thoughts and experiences will likely change throughout the course, which is an interesting thing to notice, too!
Other sources:
Bain, J.D., R. Ballantyne, C. Mills, and N.C. Lester. 2002. Reflecting on practice: Student teachers’ perspectives. Flaxton: Post Pressed.
