Foster Students' Reflective Practice

These learning materials are designed to help students practice self-reflection.

Year Level

Year 5 - 6

Capacity

Downloadable teaching and learning materials

Duration

variable, 1 - 4 lessons

Location

School Site

Term Offered

Whole Year

Curriculum

Science, Health, Design and Technology, Personal and Social

Regional

Yes

Cost

Free

Background

Throughout their schooling, students pick up a range of strategies for tackling different tasks. Some become great at adapting and applying these strategies across subjects and new challenges, while others tend to stick with what worked once, even when it doesn’t quite fit.

When it comes to problem-solving, even our most capable learners can struggle to manage the many moving parts of a real-world challenge. That’s why we focus on building flexible problem-solving competencies—so students can identify their particular skills and preferred roles in problem solving which they can mix and match to find the best solutions. Additionally, this process provides them with areas to focus on for improvement and ways of working that may drive future career choices.

But we can’t just hope they make these connections on their own. We need to guide them through the process, helping them reflect on what worked, what didn’t, how they can adjust their approach, and what they’ll try next time. These reflections also help students recognise their own strengths—sometimes ones they haven’t noticed before—and see the power of working with others who bring different skills to the table. By making reflection a regular part of learning, we give students the tools to become more thoughtful, adaptable problem solvers.