teaching-journal

How learning journals can help students grow

by Jiang Xueqin

Summary

The purpose of a learning journal:

• to give students the ability to self-assess accurately;
• to motivate students to learn;
• to promote meta-learning (learning to become a more effective learner).

Three components to a learning journal

1. Define the learning goal concretely and precisely.
   • Example: running a marathon
     • A good goal: “I want to be able to run a marathon in less than 4 hours.”
     • NOT a good goal: “I want to finish first in a marathon.”
2. Write down the learning process.
3. Make observations, collect data, self-reflect and develop new learning strategies.

Role of the teacher

Teachers don’t go away. Teachers become coaches.

Three main functions of a Coach

1. Motivate the student.
2. Identify witnesses in the learning journal(?)
3. Important: Constantly suggest new learning strategies.
   • Example: A student wants to run a marathon.
     • “Have you thought about:
       • sleep patterns,
       • diet,
       • lifting weights,
       • running with friends?”