Get Your Students Hired
I think this is a great idea. Sharing with my faculty may help all of us as we make our lesson plans. We all have the same students so "sharing" this type "journaling" will help us in preparation.
I am a licensed high school teacher as well as a career college instructor. When I went through my high school methods training, we were required to prepare and teach lessons to our cohorts. A required follow-up assignment was always to evaluate how the lesson went and to list three things that went well and three things that could be improved. (Our cohorts were required to make these observations as well.) We were encouraged to understand that there are always things that go well in a class and things that don't go as well.
Now, 11 years later, those are the very questions I ask myself as soon as a class is over! By consistently asking yourself those questions and writing down your responses, you can develop into an expert instructor and continually refine the lesson/content instruction to your students' benefit. Best of all, the reflecting and journaling does not take a lot of time.
A teaching journal is an opportunity to record events and experiences from class while they are fresh in my mind. It helps to focus what needs to be changed, successes from a class, and options for improvement in the future.
Hi Donald:
Gosh, no one is expected to spew out their lifetime of knowledge in a moments notice! Sheesh!
A journal can be what ever you want it to be. A chronological record; reflections of daily classes; valuale tidbits that "came to you" during the lesson; observations of stuednt behavior and your handling of these, to name just a few. What's helpful is looking over notations later on, whether that's weeks, months, or years because that'll reflect and reveal growth, maturity, and help identify strengths.
Also, remember, you're probably following a set curriculum with course objectives and student learning outcomes. So as long as you cover those (in your own special way), the stuednts will get what they need.
Regards, Barry
I have a great deal of hospitality industry experience but am just beginning to teach. The difference in my knowledge of wine and spirits versus my students is immense, and understanding this was one of the first of many revelations I am sorting out in my new career. I'm sure an attentive record of this process will be invaluable. What else should I be looking at as an "education rookie?"
I agree, it is better to make a note of a problem or a more productive way to do something and then make the change in the syllabi. If I don't, I usually won't think about it until I am teaching that certain portion of the class again.
I think using a journal is a great idea, but for the benefits to be realized, we need to be sure we're going back and re-reading what we have written at a later date. Otherwise, it will just sit there on your desk or in your pocket and not be helpful at all.
It's ironic that I teach my students to use pocket notebooks as cooks to track not only daily priorities but to utilize as a daily journal. I also keep a notebook in my pocket and have yet to take my own advice as a teacher. These daily reflections would absolutely assist me in assessing my daily performance as a teacher.
Hi Cindy:
As experienced teachers, every class is a bit different. Tracking those differences and recording them can be helpful when reviewing the notations at a later time. One interesting aspect is they often reveal growth and development as a teacher - something we sometimes forget to recognize.
Regards, Barry
It seems that with each class period questions may come up or an idea from a student that would be of use in another class in the future. Writing things down after class or on break (so you don't forget these great little pieces of info) helps you so you can instill it in your instruction.
Hi Stephen:
Keeping a journal or something similar has it's benefits, as you well describe. Viewing your notations at a later time can be quite interesting and show growth, perspective, and maturity as an educator as well.
Regards, Barry
It didn't take long after my first day of teaching to realize that it is not a static endeavour; i am constantly improving, which means I am constantly changing things, and 9 timwes out of 10, the inspiration for change and improvement comes during class, in the middle of actual class instruction. Rigorously keeping a journal allows me to accurately record all of the thoughts and ideas that occur to me during class, and then allow me to go back and review them, so that I can refine and implement them.
Good teachers enter into a teach, reflect, review cycle. A teaching journal is just a tool to keep track of your thoughts while going through this cycle. It allows you to write down your thoughts about lessons so that next time you can look at your reflections and change your teaching accordingly. Excellent teachers are those that are ever changing their lessons for the better. Journals will also document those changes over time, so you can see your own growth as well.
I can list what aspects of the instruction went well and what did not. The next time I teach that topic, I will have accounted for these instuctional moments.
I have never thought of using a journal. I find this interesting and a great way to improve my teaching ability. There have been times when I felt I was not getting through to the students and I wondered why. I should have made some notes. I am going to try this method at my next class.
Hi Dianne:
Great use of journalizing. Reflecting on these notes months or years from now may very well reveal great growth and maturity as an instructor. Even in the short run, it's interesting to look back a class or two to see how you approached various siutations and student chhallenges.
Regards, Barry
Hi Donald:
Journals are great for relecting later on. It shows growth (or lack of).
Regards, Barry
Jennifer:
Journals assist with reflection and improvement as instructors.
Regards, Barry
I use a journal daily. As soon after class as is possible, I do an assessment of the class noting what I planned to for the class versus what actually transpired in the class. I noted what worked, what didn't work, and made notes for ways I can improve the lesson in the future. Those notes help, not just for the class in question, but for all the courses I teach. I often draw upon successful methods in one class and use those methods in other classes.