An abecedary or abecedarium is basically an alphabet. Over the next few months I’m going to work my way through the alphabet (using the much fancier reference- abecedary) while exploring the theme of reflection. Reflection is an important aspect of leading and learning. I have written many posts about reflection because I do my best reflecting through writing. I hope you will join me on my alphabetic journey.

A: Appreciation

How often do you stop and take note of what you have? How often do you give yourself credit for getting where you are? Part of reflection is appreciating who you are and what you have.

“Follow effective action with quiet reflection.  From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.” ~ Elena Aguilar, The Art of Coaching, 2013, p. 247

I think it is important to take the time to stop, be grateful for what you have, and appreciate the hard work YOU put into getting to this point. As coaches and leaders, we often make time to appreciate and support others, but skip the step of appreciating our own work. I’m not suggesting we each jump on the rooftop shouting our accomplishments. However, I am encouraging coaches and leaders to reflect, internally, about the value they bring to their school or district. We cannot always wait for others to publicly share their appreciation of our work. We must honor our work, appreciate that we are making a difference for students, and use that as fortitude when the going gets tough.

Questions to consider as you reflect:

• What do you appreciate about yourself as a leader?
• What have you done lately that you can appreciate?
• How can you show appreciation for the work of others?
• How can you make time for reflection?
• What other ideas would you like to see explored throughout this abecedary on reflection?

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Previous posts on reflection:

– Habit of reflection

– Time for reflection

– Enjoy the view

– Reflective Questions

– Balance