Ellen,
Right. Reflection can provide immediate personal feedback regarding class effectiveness and also, over time, looking back over comments, that can show something about growth, and sometimes improvement on areas that once were a little weaker.
Barry Westling
By reflecting immediately after a class session you can write out what worked and what didn't work so that the next time you can modify the activities or change them altogether. It helps for self reflection on particular areas that were difficult or not well received.
Robert,
Many instructors find, as you, their reference to past notes provides valuable clues to fuure events. A great use for remembering important information to the author.
Barry Westling
When I write I find that I have created a document that I can keep reviewing and asking "Where is the lesson". A teaching journal provides that arena for me.
Ana,
Yes! We might even call this activity a "reflection journal", because thinking about the days activity, ways class could have improved, ideas about making the class better next go aroiund - these are example of reflection. And when we reflect we are putting our own thoughts into a record that only we will look at. And perhaps, we become a little bit better at what we do each time we contemplate how we can make things better for ourselve and our students.
Barry Westling
Using a teaching journal is a great way to debrief after instruction and reflect on how class went. An instructor can compare his or her expectations to how the class really went. Understanding the incongruencies between the planned lesson and the real thing can reveal a lot about planning methods as well as class characteristics (and individual student's characteristics). Sometimes what works well for one group of students may not work so well for another group. Using a teaching journal to reflect on one's own teaching methods helps one improve as an instructor.
Mauricio,
Yes, and even your own comments about yourself, your observations, comments, thoughts, opinions desirtes, etc. can make for meaningful contributions both now and for reflection later on.
Barry Westling
Just as students benefit in their learning from receiving my comments on
their papers and assignments, I find it beneficial in improving my teaching by receiving feedback from my students.
Lauren,
Great. Also, I find notes about needs, resources, and curricular improvements for the next go around are helpful to add in the journal.
Barry Westling
Keeping a journal is helpful in any part of your life, it allows to see how you are growing or what areas you need to foucs more attention on. A teaching journal can help you improve your weaknesses as an instructor. You can also go back and look at older journals to see how you have improved or grown from years past or even just a few classes taught.
Christa ,
Our personal observations and reflection are important ingredients into evaluation of weaker areas, as well as strengths. Also, needs, desires, wishes, hopes, and achivement bcan also be documented. These are support ongoing growth.
Barry Westling
Keeping a journal can help with you going back to see what worked and what didn't work for you. Granted one method that worked with one class may not come close to flying in another but a journal would at least allow you to narrow the results and come up with a plan that best fits you and your style of teaching.
Angela,
Post-it notes help me alot in refrencing words, thoughts or ideas, and I insert them right in the textbook, on the handout, or in the curriculum binder I'm teaching from. Sometimes some of this gets moved over to my journal, but an idea discorvered "in the moment" may be lost unless I scribble a few key words on a post-it note as I move through the lesson.
Barry Westling
Keeping a journal really helps one to keep good records of what works good and not so good.Also helps in keeping little notes of key things,like story's,words of wisdom ect,and things of interest that have been discussed in the lesson.It is a great source of referral.
Linda,
I have kept journalized notes for years. I personally benefit from "notes to myself" and can say it has helped me become a better instructor.
Barry Westling
I believe keeping a journal from each of your classes will help you assess each class, give you ideas for when you teach it again, and help you avoid mistakes that you have made in the past.
Linda,
Great. Always glad to hear positive feedback about useful and practical information class participants are able to apply in their current classes.
Barry Westling
I feel this module has many good ideas, however the journal may be the best one. I can see where this would be a valuable asset. As a new teacher I feel that I have learned many things and it only makes sense to record them for future reference. I will be prepared for the chapter no one understands, and hopefully have the solution.
Linda
In regards to this question, I think keeping a journal is a wonderful idea for many reasons. It helps one to remember what may have worked and what needed to be changed in the lecture presentation for example. It helps us to keep track and identify areas for improvement in our teaching methods and materials.
Nichole,
Sorry you have been having difficulties. This is an unusual problem. I have alerted our technical folks about the difficulty you're experiencing.
My memory seems to have it's limits and so as to prevent forgetting some wonderful idea, I jot my notes in a teaching journal for referral at a later time.It's been extremely helpful over the years.
Barry Westling
