It’s easy to put off your reflection until August, when you are gearing up for next year. But, by then you will be in that post-vacation dreamland where your brain, courtesy of cognitive dissonance, will have misremembered all of those details you wanted to work on.

So, before you crack open a cold one, crack open your laptop and start reviewing the year – as it actually happened:

• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• What behaviors drove you crazy?
• What routines need tweaking?
• What new anchor charts do you need to hang up in your classroom?
• What new desk configurations should you consider?

Even if you don’t really come up with definitive and fully-developed solutions/changes, it is valuable to note down the issues that plagued you and some rough possible ideas.

Here’s what I did: a few months back I created a running list on Google Drive. And, whenever I come up with something I need to reconsider or revise, I added it to the list. Then, during the summer, when the new school year gets closer (and those annoying “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” commercials start running) I will relook at my ideas and flesh them out when the urgency of the new year increases.

Remember, there are two yous: current you and past you. Current you usually is really annoyed with past you, because past you got lazy – leaving current you with a mess to deal with. Be good to current you. Before totally collapsing into your vacay routine, set aside some time to reflect on your freshly finished year, while it is still fresh in your mind.

Ed X!