Upon Further Reflection
How Peck Bakes in Research-Informed Practices of Reflection to Foster Independence and Lifelong Learning
“You don’t learn from experience. You learn from reflecting on experience.” — John Dewey
their reflection skills and, in so doing,
Research shows that students who
power their pursuit of lifelong learning.
engage in reflection are more likely to
THIS PROFOUND TRUTH
is organic and spontaneous. Reflection
informs Peck’s philosophy of
is an essential executive functioning
student reflection and its practice of
tool that converts raw experience to
“Once someone completes a task, the
incorporating it at every step of the
meaning.
book shouldn’t be closed,” Head of
learning journey. “Reflection is allowing yourself time to pause and think instead of moving right onto the next thing,” says Head of Upper School Virginia Savage.
For students, most learning occurs through structured experiences. But in life, most of the learning people do
“I think students need to know that their first shot at it doesn’t have to be the perfect, fully formed idea,” says Head of the Upper School Virginia Savage. “We all iterate and test things
retain their learning. This is why it is critically important that adults resist the urge to solve problems for kids. Instead, they should help them reflect and move forward independently.
Lower School Ashley Tabor agrees. The skill of reflection applies to all spheres of life, from academics and athletics to arts and social interactions. Therefore, reflection is baked into the
From their earliest days in kindergarten
out and revise, and reflection is a critical
curriculum in both big and small ways.
to their final moments on campus at
part of prompting them to examine
Peck’s faculty support this practice
Commencement, Peck students hone
their thinking.”
through modeling and asking questions
12 | FALL/W IN T ER 2024
