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Teaching and Learning Journal Introduction
A Teaching and Learning Journal is an essential tool for developing, documenting, exploring, sharing and maintaining reflective practice. Reflective practice grows through observation of students and practice, and through discussion with peers. The process of writing in a journal externalizes and documents reflection. The process of writing IS reflective. Writing regularly about teaching and learning helps habituate practitioners to reflective practice.
The journal can be kept in whatever form works best for the individual participants. Whatever form is the most likely for an individual participant to write in regularly is the best form. A form that worked well for a number of participants was making regular entries using a word processor, and printing hard copy periodically to keep in a three ring binder. Teachers with computers in their rooms can keep the journal document open and minimized or with just the title bar visible to facilitate easy access to jot notes for reflection throughout the day.
Hard copy allows for collaboration and reflection over
time. Composing initial reflections in a word processing context aids in
sharing reflections on a listserv, and for choosing reflections to "publish"
for sharing. A particularly effective strategy for using the journal is
to go back through the entries and comment at the end of the semester or
the school year. Were the observations accurate over time? What changed?
What worked? What still needs to be done? Although description of activities and routines is valuable, the journal needs to also include comments regarding their effectiveness. If they aren't effective, how can they be changed? Noting how specific students respond to strategies as well as groups of students can be useful. Instructions for structuring the journal should be clear, should encourage participants to be reflective regarding practice and student development, but not be overly prescriptive. At the beginning of the process making specific assignments for sharing and modeling could be appropriate.
The journal should be regarded as a private document, with teachers choosing to "publish" specific passages or entries for discussion. How often entries are expected to be made, and how many will be published should be made clear when teachers begin their journal.
Entries in the journal should be dated and regular. Daily entries are ideal. A strategy to encourage this is to schedule a regular time for both students and teachers to write in their journals. Establishing a school wide routine that incorporates regular writing will help insure the journal will be the valuable tool it can be, among many other benefits regular writing will engender.