The Benefits of Journaling
We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.
- John Dewey (1859-1952)
Life has seemed to move us all into the fast lane. Unfortunately we are taking our children there with us. In the classroom the emphasis has shifted from mastery of learning to coverage of material. When we rush learning, children may do well on the Friday test, but come Monday, all is forgotten. How do we correct this? How do we help children to think deeply about concepts new to them and not just memorize facts? To do so, it is essential to teach children to reflect on what they are learning.
Journaling as a Form of Reflection

A simple way for teachers to use this technique with their students is to pause after presenting new information, asking students to take out their journals and in some way reflect on the concept or information that was just given. Students are free to journal in whatever form best helps them to process the new information. This could be a simple sketch, a graph or diagram, a poem, notes connecting this to prior learning, questions needing clarification, or any form of writing that helps the learner internalize the new teaching.
Just the process of writing in itself is valuable and recent research demonstrates that doing so helps us process the information in different parts of the brain than hearing alone does. For those children who enjoy drawing or sketching to illustrate the concept, there is the added benefit of thinking metaphorically and this may help them think more deeply about the material.
Process with a Partner

Such journaling does not have to be limited to the classroom. People of all ages journal their thoughts on what they read or keep a spiritual journal on their daily devotions. In short, journaling is a fantastic way of recording those thoughts and ideas we really wish to learn and remember and it is always handy for review. The secret is that it forces us to slow down and more deeply consider that which is important to us as learners.
photo credit: vidalia_11 via photopin cc
photo credit: Dvortygirl via photopin cc
