Often, after teaching a class, we make a mental note of what went well that day, what could have gone better, or what we’d like to do differently in the future. In the moment, you may think you will remember any changes you would like to make, but it may be a year or more before you teach the same class again. With this in mind, it can be helpful to create an actual notebook, digital or analog, where you note your observations from the class and ideas for the future.

Your future self will thank your past self for keeping notes on your teaching in a place where you can easily find them again the next time you teach a class. We recommend creating a ritual or routine for weekly teaching notes, as well as a mid-semester check-in and an end-of-semester wrap-up process.

Here is a list of some question prompts for documenting and reflecting on your teaching—pick the ones that you feel will be most helpful to you, then set aside a short period of time that works for your schedule where you can make reflecting on your recent teaching part of your daily or weekly routine.

At the end of a class session or the end of a week of teaching

• What worked well?
• What might you change next time?
• What did you need more time for, or less time?
• What did you notice about your students (e.g., engagement, points of confusion)?
• What felt like the most meaningful discussion or interaction this week?
• For assigned readings or other resources, did students get out of them what you had hoped? Would you keep them the same next semester?

At mid-semester

• What has been going well? Consider checking in with students with a survey (see below).
• When have students seemed especially interested or engaged? 
• Do you feel like students are developing a sense of community and connection in the classroom, or might this need some more attention?
• How is the schedule working? Does anything need adjusting for the rest of the semester?
• Has anything been bothering you that you wish you could fix or change?
• If you have teaching assistants or a teaching team, how is collaboration and communication working?

Collecting mid-semester survey feedback

We recommend collecting feedback from students at mid-semester. To do so, you can participate in the CTI Mid-Semester Feedback Program, create your own survey using Qualtrics or collect index cards in class. For a short survey like this, two questions are usually sufficient: “What is working well?” and “What could better support your learning in this class?”

After you receive the feedback, take some time to review and reflect: 

• What themes do you notice? 
• What do students appreciate about the class?
• Are there small changes you can make during this semester?
• Are there changes you would make the next time you teach?

At the end of a semester 

As the semester comes to a close, it can be helpful to set aside time for both thoughtful reflection and practical observation about your and your students’ experience of the course. The following prompts can help you get started.

Overall reflection (pick a few of these to consider)

• What did you learn about yourself as a teacher?
• What did you learn about your students?
• What are the memories of the semester that stand out to you?
• What have been your favorite topics to teach? What have been your least favorite topics?
• What surprised you?
• What energized you? What was draining?
• Where did you see your teaching values showing up?
• When did you feel at your best?
• What are you grateful for this semester?

Pragmatic observations

• How did the timing and schedule work, for example, due dates for assignments or cadence of the topics?
• Was the grading manageable? If not, what might improve the situation?
• If you have teaching assistants or a teaching team, what worked well about your communication and collaboration systems, and what could be improved?
• What were any sticking points for miscommunication (with students or your teaching team)? 
• Were you happy with the functionality of academic technologies (e.g., Canvas, other software), or might it be helpful to meet with someone from the Center for Teaching Innovation before next semester to discuss options?
• What’s something new that you might like to try next time you teach this course?

After you receive your teaching evaluations

• What themes or patterns do you notice? 
• What worked well? 
• Where do you see conflicting feedback, for example, some students may like the textbook, or the structure or pace of the course, while others do not?
• Are there changes you would make the next time you teach based on the feedback?
• Are there any concerns that would be helpful to discuss with a colleague, mentor, department chair, or teaching specialist at the Center for Teaching Innovation?

Creating routines, rituals, or practices

Keeping teaching notes works well when paired with other routines or scheduled processes. Some examples can include:

• Take three minutes after each class to jot down notes on a class agenda (either electronically or on paper).
• When planning or reviewing teaching materials for the following week, take a few minutes to write down notes from the past week.
• Schedule weekly check-in or debrief meetings with your teaching team, and at the end of the semester. Ask someone to be a notetaker or rotate this role. 
• Schedule a meeting with a friend or a colleague at the end of the semester to swap teaching evaluation feedback. Ask them to summarize the main themes or actionable feedback for you. This can help you avoid ruminating about one negative comment, even if the majority are positive. You could also schedule a meeting with someone from the Center for Teaching Innovation for the same purpose—one of us would be happy to review your feedback and share the highlights with you.
• Schedule a wrap-up session after the semester to tidy up teaching files, take notes, and celebrate the end of the semester.
• Consider pairing this with a treat or meeting a friend. One Cornell faculty member likes to meet a few colleagues for bowling and to discuss the semester, while another enjoys a fancy coffee drink. Or pick your own way to mark the transition at the end of the semester.