Welcome to the Tuesday Teaching Tip, an easy-to-implement tool that you can use immediately in your classroom teaching. 

TUESDAY TEACHING TIP: The Power of Pause: Integrating Reflection in the Classroom

In an era of constant crisis—whether global, national, or personal—students often arrive in our classrooms carrying stress, anxiety, and distraction. As educators, we have the opportunity to create a space that not only fosters academic growth but also nurtures emotional and mental well-being. One effective way to do this is by incorporating intentional moments of reflection, meditation, or pause into our teaching. The Ignatian Examen, a time-honored practice of reflection, can serve as a powerful tool to help students cultivate awareness, gratitude, and resilience.

How to Incorporate Reflection Using the Ignatian Examen

The Ignatian Examen is a structured, five-step reflection that fosters mindfulness and gratitude. Here’s how you can adapt it for your classroom:

1. Set the Tone – Begin with a brief moment of silence, dimming the lights or playing soft instrumental music if appropriate.
2. Recall Moments of Gratitude – Ask students to take a deep breath and identify one thing they are grateful for in the past day or week.
3. Review the Day (or Class Content) – Invite students to reflect on what has stood out to them—an insight, a challenge, or an emotion they experienced during class.
4. Acknowledge Emotions – Encourage them to note any feelings they are carrying, without judgment, simply recognizing their presence.
5. Look Forward with Intention – Have students set a small intention for the rest of the day or next class, focusing on growth and engagement.

Here’s one way to do it

• Opening or Closing Rituals – Begin or end class with two minutes of quiet reflection.
• Written Reflection – Have students journal their thoughts in response to a key question.
• Pair and Share – Encourage brief discussions about takeaways or challenges.
• Guided Breathing or Meditation – Lead a short breathing exercise to help students center themselves.

By taking a few minutes to integrate reflection, we offer students more than knowledge—we give them tools to navigate an unpredictable world with greater clarity, resilience, and purpose. In doing so, we fulfill one of the highest callings of education: to nurture both the mind and the spirit.

DID YOU DO IT?

Let us know how it went. We would love to hear your feedback about how you implemented today’s Tuesday Teaching Tip in your classroom. Click here to fill out our 3-question survey. The survey is anonymous, but if you choose to enter your name, you’ll be entered in a drawing at the end of the quarter to win a new book from Faculty Development!

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Learn about transparent assignment design at our hands-one CAFE workshop today, February 25 at 12:15 - 1:15 in Varsi 222. Stay for the implementation hour to bounce ideas off our panelists! Sign up here. 
• Announcement: Please take a moment to help SCU by responding to the SCU Campus Climate Study here. Your responses provide valuable insight and perspective into what is taking place in terms of fostering an inclusive learning environment and a community of belonging. Make sure your faculty perspective is heard! The survey closes March 1.

WANT TO READ A LITTLE MORE?

• Learn more about Ignatian Pedagogy at Faculty Development’s DRT page. 

This week’s Tuesday Teaching Tip was prepared by Patti Simone on behalf of the Faculty Collaborative.

 

Missed a teaching tip? Read them all here. Don’t forget to check out our Faculty Associates office hours here.

And check out our full calendar of CAFEs and other Faculty Development and Faculty Collaborative events.