Whether we are teaching in a physical classroom or remotely, sometimes we just wonder whether our students are coming along with us. Embedding periodic self-reflection into our courses can provide us with a window on students’ presence – their engagement, their successes, and their struggles. Purposeful reflection has added benefits related to students’ development of learning strategies (ABET 7). For instance, reflection can raise students’ awareness of course goals, build their capacity to monitor and manage their learning progress and processes, and increase their ability to connect course content to their personal lives and academic and professional trajectories. Examples of reflection used with students at different academic levels and evidence of their impact on students’ behaviors and quality of engagement in a course will be highlighted. Recommendations for designing, implementing, and providing feedback on reflections will be shared.