I remember when I
was in eighth grade my English Language Arts teacher had us write journals as a
motive for creative writing, but also as a way for us to write about all the
exciting things that happen in the eighth grade. Journal writing I believe is a
very positive thing when it comes to teaching students. Some students need a
place where they can go on into their own realm and just talk about what their
feeling; or they can draw it if they liked. I also believe that any form of
expression whether it be written or visual is a positive reinforcement for the
child to express how they are feeling. In contrast, online journals or blogs
can also be a form of expression but it takes away from the journaling
experience and expression of feelings.
The written form of journaling has
been around since men invented paper and ink. Queens kept diaries, saints kept
diaries, everyone who wanted to express their feelings or jot down an idea kept
a written form of expression. Many teachers still keep that tradition and have
students keep a journal in terms of promoting writing. I think it’s a great
idea and a great way to get to know your students. When I think about journal
and diaries the movie Freedom Writers always pops into my head. That
movie touched my heart because the teacher initially did not connect with the
students, but then found a way of doing so with their journals. Their journals
then made her able to understand them better and find ways of connecting the
curriculum to what was happening in their real lives.
In terms of online journals and
blogs, students are learning how to navigate the internet world and express themselves.
However, these journals become impersonal and not private between the student
and teacher. The connection that a teacher forms with her student from reading
(physically reading) their journal is an irreplaceable bond that the internet
cuts off. But even so, the teacher can find ways to form online blogs and
journals into creative realms for the students. For example, many teenagers now
write fan fictions without realizing that they are expressing themselves
through creative writing. This is a great motivator for creative essays.
Instead of having the student hand you a typed essay, they can create a fan
fiction.
I too had a similar experience with my English teacher in middle school. As our "do now" activity we would write for the first five minutes of class in our "do now" logs. Some days there was a specific topic that we had to write about, but most of the time we just had to jot down whatever we were thinking about at that exact moment. I found this to be a great exercise, because it gives students an opportunity to be creative in their writing or simply express something they wouldn't feel comfortable discussing out loud. This is also a great way for teachers to get to know their students in a non-evasive way. Teachers do not have to ask questions that students may not want to answer in front of the entire class. By having logs, or journals it takes that embarrassment or feeling of discomfort away from the class.
ReplyDeleteOnline blogs are starting to become popular in today's society. Students are navigating the internet so well that they do not realize that other people can view what they write or comment. By having students physically write in their journals, privacy and confidentiality is maintained between the teacher and student. The students do not have to censor what they are writing because no one else will see that except the teacher. This activity is a perfect example of how to gain trust between myself (as a teacher) and my students.
Journals are a great way to get students to write without the pressure of being graded. All thoughts and opinions are welcome, which allows the students to feel at ease when writing, especially if the student is an English Language Learner or someone with a disability. Through journals, students do not have to worry about being graded on their spelling, but rather can focus on the content of what they are writing.
ReplyDeleteI remember keeping a journal in elementary school. Several of the times I wouldn't even write anything; instead, I would make a sketch. Other times I would write down song lyrics that resonated with me.
In your blog post, you said that through journals students are able to express themselves and it is a good way of teachers to get to know their students. As future educators, if we are going to have our students write their emotions in a journal, shouldn't the journal remain private to the students? The students might feel comfortable venting out through writing, but they might not want their teacher to read it. Speaking from experience, my teacher would never read what her students wrote; rather, she would just skim through the pages and make sure that there was an entry for each day. If my teacher were to read what I wrote, I would not end up writing half of what I did.
I use journals with kids I currently tutor, and I find that they are a great way to connect with students, as you mention, without giving them the pressure of being graded. I have learned a lot more about my students than I would have without the journals.
ReplyDeleteI think that written journals are best for personal writing. Online journals are best for creative writing that is meant to be shared with an audience. I don't think online journals work well for personal writing because like you said, they take away from the teacher-student relationship. However, online journals can be useful for a student who has problems with motor skills and who may not be comfortable writing.
Another good thing about online journals is that now there is software where you can speak what you want to write and it writes it for you; this is useful for students with writing issues and motor problems. Written journals, however, change the experience of writing because you feel more engaged with the words you are writing, so both have their pros and cons!