Reflective Writing for Student Behavior

Study Notes

Reflective writing can help students think about the problematic behaviors and come up with solutions.
Students answer questions regarding the incident. What happened? Why did I do it? How did my actions affect others? What can I do to correct the situation?
Then, they use their answers to create a well-written essay. I find it helpful to keep graphic organizers handy for students who need help with structuring their responses.
Students also follow a rubric that holds them accountable for including a topic sentence, supporting sentences, a conclusion, and a paper free of grammatical errors. Our teachers use these essays to teach concepts such as word choice and sentence structure.
These reflective essays are not about punishment: They help students sort through their emotions and provide valuable insight into the true cause of their actions.
An added bonus of this strategy is that it can provide effective documentation for parent-teacher conferences and for Student Assistance Teams.
Using reflective writing not only strengthens writing skills but also affords students the opportunity to grow from their mistakes.
Teachers need to be aware of how their students are behaving and take appropriate action when necessary.
Students should be respectful and responsible in order to maintain good relationships with their teachers.
It is important to have a clear understanding of what is expected of students in order to maintain a positive classroom environment.
Examples of positive conduct can be found in the text.
By responding to undesirable behavior logically and speaking with kindness, teachers can keep their students in the classroom and protect their relationships with them.

Description

This quiz focuses on the use of reflective writing as a tool for students to analyze their behavior, understand its impact, and find solutions. It also discusses the role of teachers in guiding students through this process and using the essays for educational purposes.