Take 2 for Teaching & Learning – One-Minute Teaching Reflections

Teaching moves quickly. After a class ends, instructors often move immediately to the next meeting, task, or responsibility, leaving little time to consider what happened during the lesson. Yet those brief moments of insight - when we notice student confusion, recognize an activity that worked particularly well, or realize that instructions could have been clearer - can provide valuable opportunities for improving teaching. A One-Minute Teaching Reflection offers a simple way to capture those observations before they disappear. 

The practice is exactly what its name suggests: immediately after a class or learning experience, pause for approximately 1 minute to reflect. Rather than writing a lengthy teaching journal entry, consider a few focused questions and identify one small, actionable adjustment for a future class. The process can be summarized as notice → reflect → adjust → try again. 

Four questions to guide your reflection

1. What worked? What helped students learn, participate, or engage? 

2. What didn't? Where did students struggle, disengage, or become confused? 

3. What did I notice? What did students' questions, responses, work, or participation reveal? 

4. What's next? What will I start, stop, or continue doing? 

The final question transforms reflection into action. The goal is not to redesign an entire lesson after every class, but to identify one small change that can be tested the next time you teach the material. 

Reflection, not just reaction

Effective reflection goes beyond deciding whether a class “went well.” Faculty perceptions are useful starting points, but they can be strengthened by looking for observable evidence. Instead of writing, “That discussion felt flat,” consider: How many students participated? What types of responses did they provide? Where did confusion emerge? Did student work demonstrate the intended learning objective? 

Making reflection a habit

The One-Minute Teaching Reflection can work in both face-to-face and online courses. After a classroom discussion, for example, an instructor might note that small-group conversations generated strong ideas but that only a few students contributed during the whole-class discussion. The next adjustment might be to provide 30 seconds of individual writing before inviting students to share. Online, instructors can reflect after reviewing discussion posts, assignment submissions, course analytics, or recurring student questions. A repeated question might signal a need to clarify instructions or add an example to the next course announcement. 

The practice requires little infrastructure: a sticky note, a notes app, a voice memo, or a brief teaching log can work. What matters most is consistency. Taking 60 seconds to pause, notice, and identify one adjustment can turn everyday teaching experiences into opportunities for continuous improvement. 

References

Dandotkar, S., Cruz, L. E., Stowell, J. R., & Britt, M. A. (2022). Knowing about knowing: Assessing how reflective writing influences undergraduate students' epistemic beliefs. Journal of Effective Teaching in Higher Education, 5(1), 1–17. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1342185 

Hamilton, H. R., & Mallett, R. K. (2023). The impact of brief reflective responses on student performance. Active Learning in Higher Education, 24(1), 37–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787418779158 

Ng, F. (2026). Exploring a flexible one-minute paper to foster reflection and engagement in a Japanese EFL college classroom. Discover Education, 5, 346. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-026-01390-4 

Pentucci, M., Mascitti, A., d’Alessandro, N., Tonucci, L., & Coccia, F. (2025). Developing self-reflection in students: A case study in chemistry education. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 26(4), 834–845. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RP00368C