To begin with I didn't really think about the styles of journal writing suggested to us. I thought I would just let my pen flow...I recorded whatever happened in my day and where ever my thoughts took me. As I look back now over my first entries I see that I was actually using a style that was suggested to us. I naturally took the form of Description.
12th-14th March.
My first few entries were mostly made up of description. I explained my day and what had happened in a story like fashion. This is a good way to capture the events in an interesting light, but I think is a very inward way of looking at things. The way I see things and the emotions and personal opinions involved could actually scramble the facts and portray the events in a different way. As I read through now, I also notice another style being introduced without it being planned...Initial Reflection.
Through the use of my Initial Reflection I can sense my mood and feelings at the time of writing. I am apprehensive about starting a journal. I don't seem confident that I am understanding the process and it's benefits for me. Looking back now it is good to see how I have grown just in this past week.
14th-15th March.
At this point I can see my journal beginning to develop. I am getting to grips with the different styles of journal writing. I have a lot of ideas and thoughts flying about and I am practising various forms of writing to record them which include Reflection, What if?, Lists, Sketches and Graphs.
15th-19th March.
At this period of time I am very busy and it shows in my writing. I am less descriptive and more to the point. I am writing in lists or just short sentences jotted down. Will this work? I may try this? Asking myself questions, coming up with ideas and plans and then later going back to write down if those plans were successful. I think that sections like this in my journal are the most beneficial for me as a teacher. Preparing for classes, teaching via the plan and then going back to evaluate what happened I think really helps me to see what went wrong and why and hopefully make me develop as a teacher, learning from what works and what doesn't and going about things differently the next time.
I have put in a few snippets from my journal as an example of the above and how it can really help you develop when you plan and evaluate the situation.
19th March.
Last rehearsal today for my Grade 1 ballet and contemporary before the Easter Event on Friday.
We will practise in the main hall where the actual performance will take place. I will set out markers on the floor to help them to know where they stand along with setting out the chairs for the "audience" so they can get a feel of what it will be like on the day of the performance.
We will also practise in full costume.
If the girls get the dance routines right then there is no need to keep rehearsing over and over again. We will do something fun to break up the class and they can see it as a reward for doing well. I am very enthusiastic that the routines rehearsal will go well today. If it does then it would be silly over rehearsing.
If there are mistakes in the routine...maybe I can film them performing the routine to see if this helps? That way they can see their mistakes and know where to improve.
What happened -
Both classes did brilliantly with the routines.
We rehearsed once without the music just to see if there was anything that needed going over. There wasn't, so this went well. Then we put on costumes which the kids were really excited about and made them more enthusiastic to rehearse. As this second rehearsal went well also I decided to do something fun at that point rather than at the end. I thought that this would break up the session and get them more enthusiastic so then making the last practise go well rather than being bored of repetitive rehearsal. We did fun stuff for 15 minutes.
In the last 5 minutes we did one more rehearsal, this time in our performing space with the floor markings and with me filming.
The rehearsal went really well. There was just one thing...not enough pointy feet!
They loved watching themselves on film and it had the exact effect I wanted. They found the video amusing because they could also see what I could see and had been going on at them about...floppy feet!
I was extremely happy after this rehearsal. I went away feeling like I had achieved exactly what I wanted and I knew that the class were happy as well.
I know that if I had not been contemplating and planning the class in my journal the class would not have gone so well. I would have been stressing and worrying about them getting it right...I would not have allowed time for fun stuff and would have over rehearsed which probably would have led to them getting it wrong rather than improving it. Even after writing my plans I did find myself looking at the clock thinking, shall we not do fun stuff, we haven't got time, shall we rehearse again? But I scolded myself as I was determined to stick to my plans. I'm really glad I did.
As a whole my journal so far has been about my dance school, the rehearsal process for our Easter Event and preparations and evaluations of my teaching for dance classes at other schools.
I am interested to see how the journal develops as time goes on and whatever is going on in my life changes.
I started my journal with Description as I found this the most natural method for me as I enjoy telling a story. Funnily enough I have found this form of writing the least beneficial for me in my practise.
The types of writing I feel have helped me and will build and develop me as a teacher are -
- List
- Evaluation
- What if?
- Initial Reflection
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