Allison,
Journaling does provide a unique kind of feedback (from the instructor themselves) for reflection, decision making, and planning. Circumstances and thoughts about the class or student activities often will get lost as time passes unless an instructor a few moments to reflect on the day and memorialize their observations. As you've come to realize, the value is not the daily journalizing but the reflection weeks, months, or years later on.
Barry Westling
Teaching journal, as with every type of journal, is a way to record the difficulties and successes of your experience. This is a way to evaluate the course as it is being taught and hopefully to aid in improvement for future sessions. I have been teaching the same course for over 4 years now and I find that my journal and the end of course evaluation filled out by the students are the greatest tools to detail what worked and what didn't and hopefully change the teaching plan to address any needs.
Dorothy,
I think we all make pertinent observations and many times good ideas or important thoughts go by the wayside because we all have so much on our plates. But a journal can help capture some of these invaluable moments for reflection at another time.
Barry Westling
I like the idea of journaling. Being a new instructor (although 20 years in my field) I will be able to refer to the journal for ways to improve my teaching and presenting to students when the next class comes around.
Trinity,
Good for you. I know from personal experience and that of others that a journal can be very beneficial, especially to reflect on and learn from looking back at notes from a previous time.
Barry Westling
This is a fantastic idea! I have never kept a journal like this, but I have made lots of side notes in my lesson plans/notes. I have seen this work in the retail business field though. We used to take notes as to what was going on in the area, or the weather - to make sense of sales. We would use that to forecast the next years sales, based on those reoccurring events.
I will be implementing this!
Kathleen,
Great! Most users of journals find similar benefit and usefulness for keeping track of information on an ongoing basis. For me, having a personal reference resource is helpful, and I also get to see growth and improvement over time, which a journal makes easier to observe.
Barry Westling
As a new instructor (just graduated from my M.S. program 5 months ago) I have found an instructor journal is a MUST! Not only does it help me track what happens on a day-to-day basis but it allows me to make improvements and remember changes that need to be made for next time I teach the particular class.
Edward,
Yeah, I find that unless I write it down somewhere, it'll be lost forever. And I often come up with some very creative thoughts, activities and stories that are very valuable and I'd sure hate to lose these. A journal can help track these kind of inspirational moments.
Barry Westling
With a journal I can review the effectiveness of various teaching method and activities I employ. The notes will help me identify and remember strong points (usually easy to remember anyway) and weak points that need improvement.
Mitchell,
Journals are great because over time, they are able to show trends, improvements, growth, and serve as a good reference point to obtain past information.
Barry Westling
I've found a teaching journal to be very helpful. I keep an informal journal by writing notes on my copies of the days agendas, that way when I am planning my next course I am able to quickly look back and see what worked well, what sort of worked and what flopped. It's always a work in progress. I also like to write notes about how certain situations or questions were handled to help me if those ever pop up again.
Paul,
Reflection is a powerful tool for instructors. The biggest help for me is watching improvements over time. I would normally not be able to keep track of the numerous, day-to-day observations, comments, needs, assessments, etc. that I make about the effectiveness of a class. The journal helps do that for me. Also, when it comes time for annual evaluations, this can help me recall special events or memories that contribute to my evaluation.
Barry Westling
I think that it can help me to go back after the class and evaluate the session. It is a good idea right after class to makes some notes about what went well and what may need improvement.
Student response and participation is also important to capture because maybe the material was not organized or presented in the best manner.
A journal can help me to focus on improving behaviors in general as well as making changes the next time I am in the same spot in the particular course.
Currently I keep notes that include a timeline for organization as well as any new ideas or delivery methods that may arise as a result of the class. I also try to make a summary of what the student should have learned from the day and discuss it during our recap.
Jill,
Good variation of a modified journal. I'm sure these notes are helpful to you. Instructors who do daily journalizing may find their personal reflection and comments give perspective, show growth, and may identify where improved performance has occurred over time. Reflection extended to the classroom is another step that can be taken, based on personal journal notes and improved student involvement can potentially result as well.
Barry Westling
I have not yet started a teaching journal, however; I do make notes on my lesson plans and adjust accordingly when the class comes around again.
Kara,
I like your summary about improving the instructional methods. Really, all experfiences that help us be better instructors are worthwhile and ought to be reinforced or regularly practiced.
Barry Westling
Journals are a great way to organize thoughts and ideas that come up in the classroom setting as well as ideas for future classroom discussions. Recording thoughts, ideas and questions in a journal will help with organization, therefore allowing you to continuously critique and improve your instructional methods.
Marianne,
I learn so much much from my journal notes. My observations, comments, and perceptions about how classes have gone, needs, and my suggestions to myself are most helpful.
Barry Westling
writing notes immediately after class to record what worked well, what did not work, how the students responded to demonstrations, etc and then periodically reviewing, can greatly improve the outcomes (particualary when the course is taught again).
