Hi Wendy:
Right on! Journalizing takes some extra time but over time, each class gets better by reviewing notes about what has worked and what needs work.
Regards, Barry
Using a teaching journal helps one uderstand how lecture went and the response of the students so there is room for improvement next time. I have used notes in the past when starting my class in the lab and it was very useful as I noted that the students took too long to get organized in the lab and wasted valuable working time. I will implement the technique of taking notes when lecturing, I am always looking for ways to improve.
Hi Carol:
Good analogies! I think many of us us write notes to remind ourselselves of important information we don't want to forfet. A journal is a great way to culminate these teaching ideas.
Regards, Barry
When a wanted to lose weight I wrote down what I ate and how much I exercised. When I wanted to find more money at the end of the month, I wrote my net worth down, liabilities and assets. That way I could work on my deficiencies. So, when I read this idea, I thought why not? It can identify what works and what does not. I can write notes about each student to help them reach their goals, etc.
It can give feedback as to whether a instructional
delivery method was succesful.
Hi Emily:
You're right about memory - it begins to fade (nd without effort, we lose as much as 75% within 24 hour). I try to view my jornalizing (notes inserted in selected spaces in the curriculm binder) as my personal on-course correction for quality improvement. Fancy name for tring my best to always be current and, like you, do my best as an instructor.
Regards, Barry
One's memeory of events is always most accurate right after you've lived them; with teaching I have found that I will brush aside difficulties within the class so that I can go on and teach better for the duration of the period! A journal can act as a quick reminder for most accurate future reference to improve habits and classroom solutions in the long run.
Hi Allen:
Great. There is no set way it has to be. Experiment and find what works for you.
Regards, Barry
I have never thought of this, it seems very interesting, will put it to practice.
Hi Thelma:
You've provided some good points. One point I'd make is that hopefully, over time, they'll be less need to put reminder notes in a journal or elsewhere because the teacher has begun to incorporate these ideas. Of course the freshness of new student ideas will be worthy of consideration.
Regards, Barry
Hi Samantha:
Yeah, I went from sticking scraps of paper to folded lined sheets, to note cards, to an index in the front of the binder of items or bits of information to update.
Regards, Barry
Hi Brendan:
Good idea, Brendan. Often, when succesive classes are closely sequenced together notes that align with successful pesentations and class sessions are are great tools to improve future classes. Ideas sometimes come spontaneously and unless they're noted somewhere, they may be lost forever.
Regards, Barry
Keeping a journal can help me to remember what worked particularly well with a class and what "bombed." I can use that information in planning lessons the next time around.
A journal can also be used to make notes on student responses to a class. I often ask the class for suggestions on how I could make a particular unit more interesting or relevant. I ask them what would have been helpful to them. I also ask them if they believe there is something I should delete (no, I don't always do that) but at least I can consider their suggestions.
Journaling can help me to know whether a particular lesson needs more or less time.
taking notes with each new set of students has helped me from making the same mistakes. Since there is a long period of time between new students sometimes you tend to forget how you dealt with a situation.
I teach two sections daily, and having a journal which reflects my thoughts of each class can greatly influence the way I will present my material to the second class. If I have positive results in the morning, they are re-enforced at night. If not, then it's nice to try something different and record what you've seen, making the changes truly effective.
Hi Amy:
I learned to journalize by just writing a note and slipping it inside the lecture for review later or for the next time I teach that lesson. I don't correlate organized notes well to my lessons because they are always a bit different in emphasis and delivery. But having a note helps remind me of someting I thought was important sometime in the past.
Regards, Barry
A teaching journal is a great way to track individual development and as a "side note" to lesson-planning. It is an especially great tool if you teach the same class repeatedly. You can reference back to the journal - see what works and what doesn't work and note new ideas, assignments and interactive activites.
Hi Mark:
Journalizing is really such a simple concept but very powerful to instructors who value making continuous quality imporovement to their courses.
Regards, Barry
I am a first year instructor, but have had to prepare technical presentations for technical audiences where it could be assumed that the majority would understand the topic of your presentation.
Teaching is entirely different in that students are hear to learn the course material, and should not be assumed to know that much to start.
I need a method of remember what works and what doesnt, in the way students respond. I am not afraid to ask them, if they enjoyed a particular lecture or course material presentation.
I need to write down the responses and keep this journaling simple.
Hi Keith:
Great point. Journalizing takes time but oftentimes it can come in real handy (as you suggest).
Regards, Barry
