Have you ever left a class thinking, “That was crystal clear,” only to grade the first assignment and wonder if you accidentally spoke Klingon? (If you are a Trekkie, you can appreciate that reference.)
I know the feeling.
The sting is real when our beautifully designed lessons meet… blank stares, chaotic discussion threads, and papers that wave goodbye instead of concluding. (Wink, wink.)
This post is the companion to Video 2 in my Reflective Practice Series—you’ll find the full video embedded at the end. Read on for the why and the what; watch the full video when you’re ready for the exact steps and examples.
The Gap No One Wants to Talk About (But We All Feel)
We’ve all seen it: a persistent gap between the outcomes we intend and the performance students deliver. In my experience (and supported by the teaching and learning literature), three culprits show up again and again:
- Assumptions about prior skill — We quietly expect students to arrive already fluent in thesis-building, paragraph architecture, or professional tone. Many don’t.
- One-size-fits-all instruction — Lecture is efficient; learning isn’t. Students need to do, not just listen (Eric Mazur’s Peer Instruction, 1997, has been telling us this for decades).
- Misaligned assessment — We say we value analysis, but we grade recall. Or we ask for polished outcomes that students haven’t had space to practice. Robert M. Diamond (2008) reminds us that growth correlates with active involvement and meaningful interaction—not passive note-taking.
If that list is hitting a little close to home, watch the full video—I unpack each with examples you can borrow tomorrow.
Reflection = X-Ray Vision for Teaching
Reflection isn’t naval-gazing; it’s diagnostics. Think of it as X-ray vision for your course design. Marsha Lovett and colleagues (How Learning Works, 2023) describe learning as a process students do, not a product we deliver. That means our power move is to ask regularly:
- Where are students getting stuck?
- What do they need to practice sooner, more often, with clearer feedback?
- Which tiny tweak would have unlocked the task this week?
I practice this with a brief weekly ritual (yes, the same prompts in The Professor’s Week in Review): What did I learn about my students this week? What will I continue doing? What will I strive to do differently? If you want to see how this looks in real course moments, watch the full video for the details.
The Capstone That Humbled Me (And Helped My Students)
True story: I assigned a senior-level research paper with step-by-step instructions, a rubric, and an assignment overview with a pep talk.
The results? Introductions without a thesis. Paragraphs without a central idea. Conclusions that… fizzled. My assumption, “They’re seniors; they’ve got this,” was the problem.
Reflection showed me that my students would not ever complete the project successfully or get the most of the experience when they had no clue how to go about it. I resolved that even though my course was not an English course, it was my responsibility to break down the assignment into doable milestones and help them along the way.
They needed structured practice from the beginning to the end, accompanied by coaching. I rebuilt the project with:
- Milestones (topic approval → annotated bibliography → detailed outline → draft → final)
- Short explainer videos on intros, thesis clarity, and evidence-based paragraphs
- Annotated samples so “quality” was visible
- A quick, playful “thesis hot seat” for real-time coaching
- Easy pathways to support (writing center, citation guides)
- Extra credit for at least one purposeful writing studio session
The assignment didn’t get easier; it became attainable and even meaningful. Confidence rose, questions dropped, and the work improved. I share the milestones inside the video—watch the full video for the visuals and commentary.
The Five-Part Assignment Formula
Another example of how reflection closed the student success gap leads right to a formula I developed for assignments. After grading poor quality assignments and watching my inbox fill-up with questions, I decided something had to give. Instead of wallowing in the reality that students have changed and that the education they may have received before they enrolled in my course did not serve them well, I created a solution. Not only did it help students see the standard of work I expected but it made my life easier.
So, that is my sidenote for you: Closing the student success gap in your courses makes teaching more fulfilling. It is a win-win.
Here’s my formula, plain and simple:
- Recipe-style instructions – concrete steps, minimal ambiguity.
- An assignment-specific rubric – short, focused, aligned to the outcome.
- Short instructional videos – replayable mini-lessons at the point of need.
- Student samples – annotated, so expectations are visible.
- Helpful resources – writing center, citation tools, models, checklists.
Do not think of this formula as handholding or coddling. It’s about making the path to quality attainable.
A Five-Minute Audit: Map the Practice
In yet another practical segment of the video, I share how you can conduct a quick audit on any course to investigate whether your students receive enough practice to make mastery realistic.
Here’s the tiny exercise that pays off big:
- Create a column of four.
- Label the first column, learning outcomes.
- Label columns 2-4, as 1, 2, and 3.
- Grab one learning outcome from your syllabus and hunt for three authentic practice reps (with feedback) across your term. (Three is the bare minimum; complex outcomes will need more.)
- Include the type of feedback you offer—in-class, written, video, audio, etc.—and the date that the activity/assignment occurs.
Once you get the hang of it, keep it going. As you do this, imagine me asking you this question: If your course were a marching band, would there be enough targeted rehearsals to perform at halftime?
If your honest answer is “not really,” that’s an indication that it is time for a change. I share how using AI can help you incorporate more practice opportunities in your course.
Practical Activity: Closing the Gap with Targeted Reflection + AI
Watch the video so that I can show you how AI becomes your instructional design assistant. Feed it a structured prompt to brainstorm cooperative, outcome-aligned tasks (or independent/async versions if that’s your context).
Ask for: clear roles, timing, step-by-step instructions, how each activity builds proficiency toward the outcome, and one summative assessment with criteria to demonstrate ≥85% mastery.
Then customize the output: add student skill/interests, constraints (e.g., 45-minute blocks, no paid tools), and request fillable worksheets or role cards.
Final step—review and edit for alignment, feasibility, workload, and inclusion before it hits your syllabus. If you want to see how I frame that prompt, watch the full video for the exact wording and examples. Oh, and you can copy and paste the prompt from the description, then customize it for your course.
Why This Works (and Keeps Working)
- It targets the actual snag. Reflection helps you find the moment where students stall—then fix that moment, not everything.
- It increases practice without adding bloat. You’re not piling on busywork; you’re reallocating time to the right reps.
- It tightens feedback loops. Students get useful feedback early enough to use it.
- It respects your energy. Tiny, high-yield tweaks beat massive redesigns you never have time to finish.
And yes, the research agrees. Active engagement outperforms pure transmission (see Mazur, 1997), and learning sticks when students interpret and do (Lovett et al., 2023). Course quality improves when outcomes, practice, and assessment actually match (Diamond, 2008).
Gentle Humor, Real Talk
Let’s normalize the reality that even veteran instructors misjudge what students are ready to do. It doesn’t mean you’re not excellent. It means you’re human, teaching humans. The win is not “always hitting the target”—it’s noticing faster and adjusting with purpose.
Reflection is how we notice faster. AI is one way we get support.
Ready to Close the Gap?
If you’re craving fewer “Huh?” emails, stronger submissions, and calmer grading nights, this is your sign. Pour a cup of something, bring one assignment to audit, and watch the full video below. It will take up about 30 minutes of your life, but I believe it is worth it (just a little bias, maybe).
References mentioned
- Lovett, M. C., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Ambrose, S. A., & Norman, M. K. (2023). How Learning Works: 8 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching.
- Diamond, R. M. (2008). Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula (3rd ed.).
- Mazur, E. (1997). Peer Instruction: A User’s Manual.
Watch the full video
P.S. Want a weekly nudge to keep reflection simple and consistent? Join The Mindful Academic Challenge. Let’s make it a mindful semester.