Start With Purpose: A Reflective Reset for the New School year

In early childhood education, it can be easy to get so caught up in the demands of each day that we lose sight of why the work matters in the first place.

In this episode of Early Childhood Chapters, host Emily Garman talks with Rachel Robertson, EdD, Chief Academic Officer for Bright Horizons and author of Connecting Practice to Purpose: A Reflective Journal for Teachers. Rachel shares why reflection is such an important part of professional growth and how guided journaling can give educators the space to process challenges, recognize their strengths, celebrate meaningful moments, and reconnect with their purpose.

Rachel also explains what makes a guided journal different from a blank notebook, how reflection can help educators become their own "self-mentors," and why recording both the hard days and the joyful ones can reveal growth that might otherwise go unnoticed.

In this conversation, you'll hear about:

Why reflective practice matters for educators at every stage of their careers How guided prompts can make reflection easier and more meaningful The connection between an educator's daily practices and their larger purpose How journaling can help teachers recognize patterns, strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth Why documenting small victories and meaningful moments can help sustain educators through difficult days What it means to become your own self-mentor How reflection can help educators recognize the impact they have on children's lives What teachers may discover when they look back on an entire year of reflection Whether you're beginning your first year in the classroom, taking on a new role, or simply looking for a way to reconnect with what brought you to this work, this conversation is a reminder that professional growth doesn't always require doing more. Sometimes it begins with slowing down long enough to notice, reflect, and remember why your work matters.

Connecting Practice to Purpose: A Reflective Journal for Teachers by Rachel Robertson, EdD, is available from Gryphon House.