I don't necassarily keep a teaching journal per se, but I do keep notes in my "teacher's manual" of tidbits to say, extra things I need to cover- and how much time is needed for things.
So this helps manage my time/ teaching skills next time around!
I keep a journal for each class I teach. It helps me focus on what works. I also use it for extra credit assignments and subjects that need special attention.
Reminders of what worked and what didn't work. Also, notes specific to individual needs of students.
I agree an immediate recording of what has worked well and what did not work so well immediately following a class period can be very benefical to forming future lesson plans.
I also do reflect but I am going to try and start using a teaching journal to aid with my teaching.
Hi Richard:
Journals are great if the teacher feels they benefit from them, as you apparently do. Not all teachers feel the need to journalize. Still, others find modifications of the journal idea to assist them in latter classes. Some just reflect on the day, like a diary, and preserve it for future reading and remembrance.
Regards, Barry
I like to keep a journal because it helps me with keeping track of what worked and what did not. I add notes and keep updating it as I teach every class.
Hi Kelly:
Great!. One latent benefit of keeping a journal is not just in the short term, but also reviewing and reflecting on classess years from now. Good luck!
Regards, Barry
I usually write notes to myself in the margins of the book I use for lecture but now believe I will try this! I teach a very subjective class in some ways in which we talk about law which has clear defined principle, but we also talk about ethics and that can be different depending on the person. I like to use personal expereince as well as topics I hear about in the news. I believe using this journal can help me keep track of which topics garnered the most interest, which ones just brought out fights and which ones gave the best lead for discussion. I can add to it as I go along and hear more examples and it can serve as a teaching tool for myself and the students for years to come.
This is something that I have always considered doing. However, I have never actually kept notes or comments about each class in a journal situation. I was very intrigued by this short section of the module and I am going to actually implement the concept with next term, which begins on Jan. 10th. My goal is to log each day to see where and what comes from it at the end of the 6 week term. I'm excited to read if my goals per class are actually attained or just thought so. I will keep you posted.
Hi Jacqueline:
Good deal. This one great use for keeping a journal. Some teachers like to reflect more, or keep track of student performance, or sometimes the spontaneous example that appeared during a discussion. These mnotes are valuable both in te short term and long term, even years later reviewing what and how things were done.
Regards, Barry
I call my teaching journal "My Daily Agenda". This helps me to plan the course again, what worked and what did not worked. What sections of the lecture bombed and what sections of the lecture were the students active participants? I list my handouts, the activities, the lecture, and take notes on the progress, process and anything of importance! The Daily Agenda is a life saver.
i think a journal gives you a concept of retaining the information that has been presented to the students and the outcome of the instructional information. It serves as a guideline to future class instruction and overall improvement.
Hi Marianna:
Many professions and professional courses are bvery dynamic. It is is helpful when we use creative techniques to convey essential or important teaching points. So, a jourrnal can be useful.
But also, over time, we can reflect on what we've done and begin to think about different ways of reaching the studentrs, especially if technology or practices in the profession changed somewhat.
Regards, Barry
Hi Matthew:
Journals are a tool. Some teachers use them in their special way, others use them a lot, still, others don't use them at all.
I think the benefit is in the reflection over time or being able to refer back to something notewothy that was posted in the journal. But it's really up to the teacher if they want to take the time (and good journals do take a discipline of time)to journalize, even if it's on an occasional basis.
Regards, Barry
I can reflect on how my lecture went, what types of questions the students asked, what they liked/disliked, and what type of medium I was using to convey the message. All this can help me later when I teach the same class again. However, over time, when I teach the same class, I can start changing things around to see what else might work, and since I am comfortable with the class material, I can always revert back to what worked before.
I can see how a journal, especially a daily journal can help with instructor improvement. My challenge is that with the flow of daily activity I would be making notes continually. My approach has been to use my handouts as a way to document future lesson plan changes. I make notes of what I want to change, and I'll implement these as I progress. At the end of the year, I make time to implement changes to the curriculum and update the lesson plans for the coming year. I have the opportunity to do this twice a year, and it helps me "grow" my lesson while keeping it relevant and to the point. Our goal is to put out the most competitive and best prepared gradutes in the industry. I believe this will also make me a better instructor.
Useing a journal is one of the most effective tools I have. It helps me to log my past and fail rate. Certification testing is the most demanding test that a welder can take. Since there are so many different certifications and so many different problems that a welder can run into while testing, it helps me to identify the problems on the different types of metal.Also helps me to remember my mental notes that I sometimes forget.
Dr. Westling: I would say that a journal would allow me to learn from my experiences. Writing how the students responded to my lectures, what evaluations they wrote, and how many students there were, would help to decipher which lectures were better than others. Help to show as I teach which tactics work and which did not, so that when I taught that same class I would know.
