Reflections on a Virtual School Year

By Leah | April 26, 2021 Reflection on My Virtual School Year

As the 2020-21 school year draws to a close, help your students look back on this academic year that was unlike any other. In this Super Teacher Worksheets blog post, we feature thoughtful conversation starters that you can use with your students to help them reflect on the challenges and victories of the past school year. Together, you and your students will celebrate just how much you have overcome!

The end of this unprecedented school year is quickly approaching, and now is a great time to help your little ones take a look back. Many, if not most, schools have adopted variations of a virtual learning model this year to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, and whether you and your students participated in at-home learning, in-person instruction, or a combination of both, it's safe to say that elementary classrooms have looked a lot different this year. You can encourage your students to think about the challenges they have overcome, as well as the highlights of the past school year, with the following discussion prompts.

Use these questions as conversation starters for a class-wide or small group discussion or use them as the basis of an end-of-the-school-year class presentation or at-home writing assignment. However you choose to engage your students in a thoughtful reflection of the past school year, know that the Super Teacher Worksheets team commends you and your class for the ingenuity, persistence, and teamwork you have embraced to make memories and learn new things throughout the 2020-21 school year.

My Virtual School Year: Questions for Reflection

The past school year was very different from the rest. How did our class learn new things every day? (Virtually, in-person, or combination) What form of learning did you participate in? (Virtual, in-person, or combination)
What did you like the most about the way we learned together as a class this year? What did you like the least?
What was it like to go to virtual school this year? Describe your thoughts about seeing your teacher and your classmates on your computer screen. What was it like to learn from home? Describe your at-home classroom. Where did you do your schoolwork? Who did you spend the most time with during the school day? When did your school day start and end?
Think about one advantage and one disadvantage to virtual learning and share your thoughts.
Tell us about your favorite memory from the past school year. Think back on funny moments that happened in our class, exciting discoveries we made in our lessons, or something that really stood out to you.
Describe an accomplishment from the past school year that you are most proud of.
Reflect on five ways this past school year has been different from any other school year. (Ideas include virtual or hybrid learning, social distancing at school, wearing masks, changes in classroom set up, changes in school activities, COVID-19 safety measures, etc.)
What "normal" school experiences did you miss the most over the past school year? What new school experiences did you discover that you enjoyed?
Think about all the ways we had to adapt and demonstrate flexibility this school year to overcome challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. What role does a positive attitude play in facing unexpected challenges like the ones we overcame this year?
What are you most looking forward to next school year? What do you hope will be the same?

You can use any combination of the questions above to encourage your students to reflect on this year's highlights and acknowledge the obstacles you have overcome together. Undoubtedly the 2020-21 school year is one we are all going to remember, and we hope that when you and your class take some time to look back, you will be amazed at the silver linings you find.

How will your class commemorate the end of the school year? We want to hear from you! Drop us a line in the comment section below. Remember to tag @superteacherworksheets on social media so we can celebrate your class's accomplishments with you!

If you are searching for more fun, meaningful activities to do with your students at the end of the school year, be sure to check out the Super Teacher Worksheets End of the Year Page.