The Power Of Positive Reflection

Research has shown that reflecting positively on things that happen during the day, and the causes of those things can significantly improve long-term happiness.

In 1996 Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues carried out a unique experiment to demonstrate what they called the peak-end rule – bear with me on this. Essentially our memory of an event is influenced by the most emotional part of the event and the end of the event. Two groups of patients were given a colonoscopy but for one group, the procedure ended with a few minutes of the scope not being moved (less painful) as opposed to the other group who just had it removed. The patients’ memory of the event, when they reported the discomfort of the procedure, was correlated to the intensity of the pain at its worst (peak) and the final (end) moments.

So what has this got to do with school? The way we reflect on our experience of school will affect how we feel about school. Unlike a colonoscopy, school is something that we experience day in and day out, when children come home from school the first thing they are asked is ‘how was school?’ They are likely to then recall the most emotional incident – and this is more than likely going to be a negative emotion such as when they were pushed in the playground, or someone said something unkind, or the last moment when they are tired and hungry and keen to get home. This isn’t going to be positive.

As teachers and parents we can create peaks and ends that are positive, and ask questions that enable children to reflect positively on their daily school experience. By scaffolding these thinking patterns adults will enable children to build resilience. It is also worth remembering that school offers lots of ends: end of a lesson, end of a day, end of a week, end of term, end of the year. As a teacher you can use all of these to create opportunities for positive reflection.

The Peak-End Opportunities in the Classroom

End on a high: Finish the lesson with something really positive or fun.

Hot Chocolate Fridays: hot chocolate/cake/treat for your class or form group on a Friday afternoon.

Celebration moments: at the end of term celebrate all the good things your students have done by telling them, or getting them to tell each other (write a note to each student; each student puts their name on a piece of paper that gets passed around a group and get everyone to write down positive things about the other students; share achievements; – with all of these don’t leave anyone out!)

Celebrate the end of term with a tutor group party or quiz.

Creating Peaks

Create a positive emotion: it doesn’t have to be warm or fluffy, but they may remember a story that you might tell or fascinating fact (that may deviate from the curriculum), it may well be praise or acknowledgement, make them laugh – tell a really bad joke, show a silly film clip, I even heard of one teacher teaching a lesson on memory with all the students sitting under the desk – they didn’t forget that lesson in a hurry!

How to build positive reflection into lessons

Firstly it is important to allow children to have a positive experience in the classroom, so good planning and preparation should enable that. The lesson ends with a plenary, so think about the plenary that you do and how you could allow students to reflect positively on the progress they have made during the lesson. Some ideas include:

Share positive experiences: ask students to share the thing they enjoyed most about the lesson and explain why.
A Twitter Wall: at the end of the lesson they have to write a ‘tweet’ about the ‘most interesting thing they learned’ or ‘the most exciting part of the lesson’.
Positive reflection: either written down or verbally get them to recall at the beginning of one lesson the most interesting/exciting/positive thing they did last lesson (you may want to prime them to think of something at the end of the previous lesson).

How to build positive reflection into tutor time

Memory Jar: At the end of every week get students to write down a positive memory from the week and why it is positive, place them in a jar, at the end of the term take out the memories and read them as a class (always helps to have cake at this point).

Positive reflection journal: Set aside time each week for every student to write down 3 positive things that have happened and why they are good at the end of term the student can reflect on all the good things that they have done at school. The research of Martin Seligman is worth looking at on this.

Things to ask instead of ‘how was school?’

This is really for parents but equally could apply to anyone enquiring after a young person’s experience of school:

‘What was the most interesting thing you learned today?’
‘What was the most exciting thing you did today?’
‘Who was kind to you today?’
‘Did you do something special today?’
‘Did you do something kind today?’

On a personal note

I have done many of these things with my tutees and family. Sometimes finding positive things is really hard, it takes practice. It is really important that adults model this and I have always given my positive reflections when we do group activities like these. Students can see that sometimes life is tricky and that small things can make a difference.

Questions to encourage positive reflection

I bought a positive reflection journal for a friend who struggles with depression, when I asked how it was going the reply was: ‘I am too worried I will make a mistake so I haven’t started’. In response I wrote a list of questions that might prompt positive reflections when the going is tough, so if you are struggling for ideas these might help:

What has made me happy/smile/laugh/proud/hopeful/thoughtful today?
What has made me feel loved today?
What have I seen that was beautiful?
What have I heard that was beautiful?
What am I thankful for?
What am I looking forward to?
What have I reflected on today that has made me feel positive?
Have you read something that has made you think?
What do you plan to do to make things more positive?
What have you done that is indulgent?
How do you know you are loved today?
Who are the special people in your life and why?
What good deeds have you done today/will you do this week/month/year?
How have you shown love towards others today?
Who gave you a hug today, how did it make you feel?
What music did you listen to today that made you feel happy?
What plans do you have that you are excited about?
What have you read/heard that has made you think differently?
Have you learned something new today? How did it make you feel?
What have you achieved today?
Have you had some time to reflect on your day?
Did you have a mindfulness moment?
What is the most beautiful thing about the season?
Did you exercise today?
Is there one problem you are thankful you don’t have?
Can you give someone or something forgiveness today?
What compliments have you received – accept them gracefully!
What are you really great at?
What would you do differently if you knew no one would judge you?
What mistake are you going to learn from today and what are you going to learn?
What surprised you today?
What did you do that scared you today? Was it as bad as you thought it might be?
Did you notice how your body felt today?
Who or what did you enjoy spending time with today?
What does happiness mean to you?
What activities made you lose track of time?
What is most important in your life (e.g. love, money, happiness)? How did you see it today?
What compliment would you pay yourself today?
What would make you smile right now?
What’s something you disliked when you were younger that you truly enjoy today?
What makes you feel comfortable?
What’s something that used to scare you, but no longer does?