Summer is pretty much over for me, and my mind is racing to figure out all the organizational tools I am going to use with my students on their journey toward self-direction. Anyhoooo, I am thinking about the Discovery Journals my students are going to use during the school year. These journals will be a place for reflection, self-evaluation, pondering about the world, and dialoguing with their critical friends and teachers. Here is my plan:
1. Get each student a hard-bound, black marbled covered journal.
2. In each journal there will be three tabbed sections: Wonder/Ponder, Self-Reflection, Dialogue
3. In the first two pages of their journals, students will create a double page layout/author page. The only requirements will be: that they write their names in a bold, creative way and that they fill the page with graphics, illustrations, and images that represent who they are and/or who they want to be. This activity will help students take ownership of their journals and reflecting.
1. Get each student a hard-bound, black marbled covered journal.
2. In each journal there will be three tabbed sections: Wonder/Ponder, Self-Reflection, Dialogue
- Wonder/Ponder Section: In this section students will use as a brainstorming, creative thinking section. Students will jot ideas and questions they have about the world.
- Self-Reflection section: In this section, students will be given time to reflect on their projects, their school-work, their scholarly pathway. See attached questions to help them reflect.
- Dialogue section: In this section, students will carry on written conversations with their Critical Friends (CFs). This is where CFs can share how they are feeling about projects, where they can ask their CFs about projects/assignments they are working on, where they themselves provide critical feedback to their CF when they need it. This section is where we help build that community of trust and support we all want in our classroom.
3. In the first two pages of their journals, students will create a double page layout/author page. The only requirements will be: that they write their names in a bold, creative way and that they fill the page with graphics, illustrations, and images that represent who they are and/or who they want to be. This activity will help students take ownership of their journals and reflecting.