Journal Writing, part 1
This is the first in a series on developing Journal Writing in your classroom, a writing technique that is applicable to any grade and any subject area.
We use the journal writing style for several applications in class. The number one goal of mine is to provide students with a place to record their thoughts and to reflect on their lives. I also advocate writing activities that can (and should) be done on a daily basis. I really believe students need to write a lot and often; they become better writers with a lot of practice. You can’t expect students to be good at writing if they only write a few times each month or marking period. But I also don’t believe students need to formally write essays each time either. Journaling is one way to break up the monotony of the formal style.
Creating journals is a very easy and fun activity that gives the students ownership of the journal. Pass out ten or so pieces of regular lined paper to each student. I always keep a basket of lined paper at the front and back of my room anyway, so students can add pages to their journal at any time they need. Then pass out colored construction paper for the front and back covers. Each student receives three fasteners to hold it all together. A suggestion is to NOT punch holes in the covers, as the fastener heads sometimes slip through, and the journals can fall apart. I allow the students to decorate their covers with anything, as long as it’s tasteful and appropriate for school.
Students must be given the freedom of choosing their own topics if they wish. However, I always provide a topic for the students to use if they are unable to generate their own ideas. Students are allowed to use my topic, or to change any part of it. I’ll share a few of my classroom journal topics in the follow up to this article. Any idea can be changed into a journal topic – I usually add a few guiding questions for students to consider when making their responses.
Some students also enjoy writing on the same topic for more than one writing session. I even have some students who are writing stories, and complete chapters or stanzas during class time. They may take a break once in a while and write on a different topic, but they usually end up back at their story.
Students are not allowed to stop and think for more than a few seconds – this is a writing activity, not a stopping and thinking activity. And their grade is based on the amount they write, not the amount they think. “I really believe students need to write a lot and often; they become better writers with a lot of practice.”
So what are the rules for a journal write? Basically you get to decide! Just keep them consistent and students will know what you expect within the first few writes. In my class, students are allowed to choose the genre, such as poetry, drama, or prose. They are encouraged to try out different styles.
Since the journaling is actually a form of active brainstorming, I don’t worry about complete sentences, spelling, or mistakes in grammar or mechanics. These are the guidelines we use, but you can feel free to adjust them to suit your class and needs.
In the follow up article, I will explain the easy grading system that is set up to MINIMIZE the amount of teacher work. This stress-free system allows your students to write more and write often, without the massive paper stack for you to grade at home. I’ll also provide some of my sample topics to get you started.
