The Hermit - Let's Get Introspective

The Hermit card is a card I have a special affinity for. First of all, I'm a Virgo and my sign is represented by the Hermit. So when I see this card, I am drawn to the archetype of the wise old sage and the lessons he has learned from his experiences.

When I first sat down to write this post, I was thinking about the High Priestess and what are the key similarities and differences between her card and the Hermit card. If you remember from my post on the High Priestess, her card is all about getting in touch with your intuition in order to figure out what you want to manifest in your life. The Hermit is also about going within, but at this point on the journey, he is reflecting on the lessons he has attained on his path and how he can impart his wisdom to others.

And unlike the Hierophant, the Hermit is teaching wisdom from his own personal experience - things that are unique to the path he has taken.

So let's take a closer look at the wisdom he has to offer us on our journey as teachers...

Up to this point, we have had a lot of hands on experience. We have been taking risks and making big decisions to figure out what will work in our classrooms. But if we're honest, most of the things we have done have either been done unconsciously and we have just been taking stabs in the dark or we have done because that's what we were told to do either by the professors who taught us in college or by professional development workshops we have participated in or by the mentors or administrators who have tried to guide us. But the Hermit invites us to stop and take a time out to really get introspective and analyze the choices we have made thus far. It's time to really look at what we have learned from our experiences as teachers.

I have been teaching for nine years and even I can say that I don't have it all figured out. I don't think I will ever get to a point where I can say, "AHA! This is IT! This is everything I have to do to be a perfect teacher and ensure success for all of my students!" Teaching is an ever-changing and ever-evolving profession. There is always more to learn and to try. But that being said, I do take breaks periodically to stop and reflect on what I have tried in my classroom to figure out what has worked successfully as well as what went horribly, horribly wrong.

Through experience and introspection (and a lot of journaling!), I can say that active learning and cooperative learning is what works best in MY classroom. This is key to the Hermit card. Everyone's path is unique. We will all learn different things and our vision for a successful classroom may be very different.

How to get introspective:

What I like to do is keep a record of my unit and lesson plans. I make notations about what worked and what didn't work. Then at the end of each unit, I review my notes and write down what I will keep, what I will get rid of, and what I will try next time. For this process, I like to keep a binder with tabs to separate each term. I enjoy writing long hand, but that isn't for everyone. The bottom line is to find a system that works for you that allows you to reflect on the work you are doing. Then make periodic dates with yourself to review your notes.

Being a great teacher isn't about getting it right all of the time. It's about wanting to learn more, to grow, and to change so that your students will benefit. And introspection will help you to do this. This is what the Hermit is reminding us all to do.

If there is one word of warning about the Hermit card, it would be this: don't allow yourself to become too reclusive and isolated. Sometimes when things get stressful, whether personally or professionally, it can make us want to hide away from the rest of the world. Sure, it's healthy and great to want to get away now and again for some quiet reflection and some R&R, but if you find yourself just holing yourself up in your room and not interacting socially with others because you are in a negative space, then that's not healthy. So make sure that if you are feeling stressed that you make some time to connect with a partner or friend, swap ideas with a colleague, or just go out and have some fun with the people you love. Avoiding the world isn't going to help you escape your problems, in fact it may make your problems seem even worse.

So on Wednesday I will be posting a spread to help us reflect on the lessons we have learned on our teaching journey thus far. If you would like, feel free to leave a comment about ways you get introspective or any organized systems you have for keeping a record of what has worked vs. what hasn't worked in your classroom. Thanks for reading!

All my best,

Amy