Barry Westling

Hi Michael:

Using a teaching journal allows us to make improvements on what works and what doesn't. Ultimately, this should help us become stronger, more effective instructors.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Lisa:

Excellent! What some newer instructors may not realize is that we can make improvements in both what worked, and what didn't.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Ramon:

Yes, this kind of tool is great for helping to show the instructor what improvements might be made in their classes to create the most efficient learning environment possible.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Samuel:

True! And something to be said about this is an instructor can make improvements to both sections.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Mak:

In general, a teaching journal will allow you to track what may have worked and what did not in EACH class you teach. It's as simple as refelcting on this after each session and writing down your thoug

Regards, Barry

Mark Brandt CHEP

I think this one is a fairly simple one. Whether one keeps an actual journal, like a diary, or just maintains a file of past course materials, student products, and critiques, it is necessary to see what worked and what didn't work so well. This allows you to continually improve yourself, your course, and should help in avoiding the trap of becoming stagnant and/or irrelevant.

Eloise Coopersmith

My lesson plans double as my teaching journal- after each class I will add additonal notes about something that occured during learning-good and bad- and the class contiues to evolve. When preparing for the class I review my new notes with my basic outline making the class new (fresh!)each time I teach!

Crystal Armentrout

This has been very helpful to me. I am constantly updating with each new class. What worked, what didn't work, what's new, what's outdated, etc.

Maria Dosado

A teaching journal can be helpful in improving my instructional skills initially by knowing what my strengths and weaknesses are.

A journal is something that I can go back to at the end of the day that will replay for me the events that took place, such as:

- How was my classroom management?
- Did I call everyone by their first name without looking at the class roster?
- How did I deal with say, Amy, who came in late and was fuming mad? Was I able to calm her down while standing my ground or did I just aggravate the situation?
- Was the assessment method that I used effective or not?
- Did I give my students a reason to look forward to the next meeting or did I make them think of me as a cure for insomnia?
- Do my students like me because I do my job as an instructor or am I being liked for the wrong reason?
- As far as I'm concerned, teaching took place; but did learning do? Did it cover today's objectives?

These are some questions that I could write in the journal that will help me evaluate myself.

A journal can help me highlight my strengths, so I could build on them to become even more effective.

Then, more importantly, I could look more deeply into my weaknesses and devise a plan on how to correct them. I could also show it to my fellow instructors and ask their input, advice, or opinion.

Selma Whitaker

A teaching journal can serve as a useful reference tool. It can show areas where I need to improve, make changes, or do a complete makeover. It can be used as a reminder of things that worked or things that didn't work so well.

Thomas Ferrell

I will try this again. I have used a teaching/field journal for over 16 years and I cant tell you how many times this has helped me remember small details that I would have forgotten if not for my journals. I show my students these and they are amazed that I have notes from my school and field work from many years ago. I have even have many of my former students returning for visits to the school with there own journals.

Tom

Barry Westling

Hi Monty:

A teaching journal can be a great learning opportunity for the instructor in that it shows what might need improvement in both the things that works, and those that don't.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Branetta:

Exactly - they can help show the instructor what things need to be worked on for a better outcome the next time through.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Erin:

And what most don't realize is that improvements can be made in BOTH of these areas.

Regards, Barry

Barry Westling

Hi Simone:

Teaching journals can be a great way to look at what went wrong and what works on a day to day basis.

Regards, Barry

Robert Sprout

Thank you for the opportunity.

Deanna Reinacher

There were times when I would teach a course and knew during the lecture that next time I taught the course I wanted to change that specific section and teach it differently. It never failed that when I was teaching the class again and the section of the lecture I intended to change came up that it would be the same because I did not write down that I wanted to change it. After I started taking the time to write down those things that I wanted to change about the content of the course that I started to write down things that I did in class that I felt worked and did not work. This could have been either a specific activity or video- anything. I gauged how the students responded and would base the success of the instructional technique off of that. If it worked- I would note it. If it didn't- I would note that. Either way I learned the most important thing was to write it down otherwise I would forget!

Marilyn Hilbert

I never really thought of using a teaching journal. I believe that it would increase my learning and insight into my classes, style and my own learning needs.

Kelly Martin

I think a journal can be very helpful for recording what works and what doesn't in the classroom. I am a new teacher and I make a lot of notes and I also write down tips I get from my Senior Instructors.
I also make notes about possible pit falls and solutions for problems that might arise.