Reflective Object

Contributor: Sandra Sinfield @Danceswithcloud

Idea: At the end of a project – ask participants to bring in an object that represents what that project or endeavour has meant to them. Each person speaks to their own object – explaining why it has meaning for them. A beautiful example, from many, was one of our students displaying her glasses as a reflection on her experience of peer mentoring. She explained that without them she could see nothing – and that her peer mentors had sat with her – had patiently explained things and helped her – and that without them she would have remained blind in her studies.

Practitioner’s comments: “The use of the object breaks the perfunctory and performative nature of many ‘reflective’ tasks. Hopefully people are intrigued – and really want to think about the experience – and find just that one object that could speak for them.”

Credits “Sandra Abegglen not I asked for reflections in this way – and it was a very powerful and moving experience.”