Ah, the countdown begins! Those weeks after Thanksgiving but before Winter Break? It’s like time hits the slow-motion button for students itching for freedom and teachers hoping for a fast-forward. The struggle is real. Students are daydreaming of endless days off, while teachers juggle keeping everyone focused without losing their sanity in the process. It’s a challenge worthy of a superhero storyline!
One of the best ways I found to make those last weeks meaningful was to slow down and reflect, both for my students and for me. Here are the three mid-year reflection activities I use with middle school students before Winter Break, and how they changed the second half of my school year.
Why Mid-Year Reflections Work
A few years ago, when I first implemented student data folders in my classroom, I knew I wanted my students to do some type of mid-year reflection on their progress before we left for Winter Break. It would help them think about their successes and focus on the areas they still needed to work on during the second half of the school year. Their reflections would also give me more insight into how my students were thinking about their own progress.
Activity #1: Reflecting on My Journey
I created a self-reflection guide that focused on three things:
- student success stories and memories
- areas for improvement
- a long-term goal for the second half of the school year
Since this was my first time trying it, and I gave it to students on a Monday during our last week before Winter Break, I was bracing for struggles. I even had a speech ready for any student who wasn’t taking it seriously. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by how little resistance I got. Once I explained the WHY behind the activity, and how it was important to our ongoing growth, most of my students eagerly got to work. That trend continued through the rest of my classes that day.
When I sat down to read the reflections, I was amazed at the level of thinking most students had done. Many of them identified the same strengths and weaknesses I had already noticed in my daily tracking, and I made sure to tell them so in my written feedback. Writing feedback on every reflection took time, but I felt it was necessary. I wanted my students to know I had read their reflections and took them seriously. The last thing you want students to feel is that they completed something this important only for it to be tossed aside or filed away.
Activity #2: The Mid-Year Reflections Survey
I wasn’t even halfway through the self-reflections when I had an idea. If my students did such a great job assessing their own progress, what could I learn from them to grow as a teacher? I’m not ashamed to admit I spent a good part of every Winter Break thinking about what I could do differently in the second half of the year. Usually, that meant reflecting on what I thought worked and didn’t work. I had never really asked my students.
So I created a short, simple survey that would keep students engaged and give me the information I needed most. It asks students for:
- A favorite lesson. This helps me spot trends and figure out what made those lessons successful.
- A least favorite lesson. This shows me what made certain lessons less popular or effective.
- What helped them grow. These are the specific things we did in class that helped them succeed.
- What could be improved. These are the specific things students felt could be revamped.
Just like with the self-reflections, I explained WHY the survey mattered and how I would use their answers to reflect on my own teaching. I asked them to be honest and not worry about hurting my feelings. Most importantly, students did not put their names on the survey. I didn’t want anyone to feel they’d be held accountable or that I’d be upset by honest feedback. Keeping it anonymous is one of the biggest keys to making this activity work.
To say this activity was an eye-opener is an understatement. Any doubts I had about whether students would take it seriously disappeared after reading the surveys from my morning classes. It confirmed some of my own thoughts about what was working, and it showed me things I needed to adjust. For example, many students felt their opinions were valued and that they were comfortable sharing them. They also said they didn’t have enough chances to discuss their ideas with anyone beyond their shoulder partner or group. Without this survey, I probably never would have reflected on that part of my instruction.
Activity #3: Letter to My Teacher
The third activity gives students a more personal way to share their thoughts. Instead of answering survey questions, students write a letter to me about their first half of the year. It’s a great option for students who express themselves better in writing than in a list, and it often brings out details that a survey misses. It also doubles as a meaningful writing activity during a week when it can be hard to keep students focused.
Tips for Making Mid-Year Reflections Meaningful
- Explain the WHY first. Students take reflection seriously when they understand how it helps their growth and how you’ll use what they share.
- Keep teacher feedback anonymous. Students give their most honest and useful answers when their names aren’t attached.
- Respond to student reflections. A short written comment shows students you read their work and value their thinking.
- Look for trends. As you read the surveys, make a T-chart of what’s working and what needs improvement. Repeated comments are where you’ll find your biggest insights.
- Use the results when you plan. Bring your list to your second-semester planning, whether you plan on your own or with a co-teacher.
What Happened in the Second Half of the Year
During Winter Break, my co-teacher and I used that T-chart to map out a long-range plan for the second half of the school year. We brainstormed how to bring student ideas into our lessons and which skills and strategies we needed to keep using. Planning was so much easier with both our own reflections and our students’ wise words.
The success we saw in the second half of the year was incredible. By using our students’ suggestions and giving them more ownership of their learning, student engagement became less of a problem, behavior issues decreased, and our students showed gradual but consistent growth. This activity was a true game-changer in my classroom, and it’s the main reason I now do it both before Winter Break and at the end of the school year.
When Else to Use These Reflection Activities
These activities aren’t just for December. They also work well:
- At the end of a semester or grading period, so students can look back before setting new goals.
- At the end of the school year, when students can reflect on their growth and give you feedback for next year’s class. (Looking for more? Check out my End of Year Reflections.)
- After a big unit or project, to see what helped students learn and what you might change next time.
Take the leap and give your students the opportunity to reflect on their own learning and to give you meaningful feedback about your teaching. I hope you find as much success with these activities as I did!
Download Your Free Reflection Activities
You’ll get the following resources in this freebie:
- Student Self-Reflection Activity: Reflecting on My Journey
- Teacher Model for Student Self-Reflection
- Mid-Year Reflections: Student Reflection Survey
- Mid-Year Reflections: Letter to My Teacher
Find it in the shop
Goal Setting & Growth Mindset Resources
Student data folders, reflection activities, and growth mindset lessons for middle school.
