Reflective Journals

"The journal holds experiences as a puzzle frame holds its pieces. The writer begins to recognize the pieces that fit together and, like the detective, sees the picture evolve." A. Williamson°

As the written part of the Outdoor Classroom Project, you are being asked to complete a daily journal. You are responsible for an entry for every school day since the AP exam on May 5th. The following information will be helpful in understanding the purpose of the journal, the requirements for the journal, some possible journal topics, and the criteria for assessment of the journals.

What is the purpose of the journal?

to capture your perception of the project, your problem-solving skills, and your cooperative learning skills, and to track changes in them over the course of the project.
to encourage you to assess your own and your classmates' learning strategies, processes and behaviors during the project. Practice looking at yourself and others as learners objectively.
to reflect on your self-assessments, evaluate yourself as a learner, identify areas that you would like to improve, and assess, reflect upon, and evaluate your efforts to improve.

(adapted from SFSU Dept. of Geosciences, GEOL/METR 309)

What are the requirements of the journal?

journal entries are to be dated and submitted in chronological order.

entries are to be a minimum of one page (marble note book size)
you will be submitting a total of 26 entries. Half of those entries may be considered "free-writes"; half of the entries will address a numbered topic from the list that follows.
journals may be handwritten or typed.
journals are due on June 12th.

Possible journal topics:

A helpful way to frame questions for reflection is by using this handy little triad,
What?
So what?
Now what?

Here's how it works:
• What? These are questions that ask, "what are we doing, what have we accomplished, what have we learned?"
• So what? These questions ask, "what difference does/did it make, why should we do it, how is it important, how do we feel about it?"
• Now what? These questions ask, "what’s next, where do we go from here, what has this prepared us for?"

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. What do you think you will do and what impact do you think you will have?
2. What needs did/does/will your task help fill?
3. What are the causes of those needs?
4. Did anything surprise you? If so, what?
5. What did you do today that made you feel that you made a difference? Why?
6. How could you make better use of your time?
7. Did anything happen that made you feel uncomfortable? If so what, and why do you think it made you feel this way?
8. What did you do that seemed to be effective or ineffective in working with others?
9. How could you learn more?
10. Are you satisfied with all your work?
11. How does your understanding of the community change as a result of your participation in this project?
12. How can you continue your involvement with this project?
13. What are the most difficult and most satisfying parts of the task you are performing?Why?
14. What do you think is your most valued contribution to the project?
15. What would you do differently next time?
16. Is there a person or activity you find interesting or challenging in your project?
17. How do you see you role with this project? How does that compare with how others may see your role?
18. Have you learned from any disappointments or successes from your project?
19. How is your service relevant to what you are learning in high school?

adapted from:Copyright Elkind+Sweet Communications / Live Wire Media.
Reprinted by permission. www.GoodCharacter.com.

Criteria for assessment:

The extent to which journals exhibit the following:

demonstrates awareness and understanding of the purpose of the journal and uses it to guide selection and description of events/issues
discussion provides adequate focus for further reflection and includes additional ideas
reflective thinking is evident-different points of view of events, metacognition, testing of new ideas
the product indicates that something has been learned or solved, a sense of moving on

Reflective Journals

"The journal holds experiences as a puzzle frame holds its pieces. The writer begins to recognize the pieces that fit together and, like the detective, sees the picture evolve." A. Williamson°

What is the purpose of the journal?

to capture your perception of the project, your problem-solving skills, and your cooperative learning skills, and to track changes in them over the course of the project.

to encourage you to assess your own and your classmates' learning strategies, processes and behaviors during the project. Practice looking at yourself and others as learners objectively.

to reflect on your self-assessments, evaluate yourself as a learner, identify areas that you would like to improve, and assess, reflect upon, and evaluate your efforts to improve.

(adapted from SFSU Dept. of Geosciences, GEOL/METR 309)

What are the requirements of the journal?

journal entries are to be dated and submitted in chronological order.

entries are to be a minimum of one page (marble note book size)

you will be submitting a total of 26 entries. Half of those entries may be considered "free-writes"; half of the entries will address a numbered topic from the list that follows.

journals may be handwritten or typed.

journals are due on June 12th.

Possible journal topics:

A helpful way to frame questions for reflection is by using this handy little triad,
What?
So what?
Now what?

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

adapted from:Copyright Elkind+Sweet Communications / Live Wire Media.
Reprinted by permission. www.GoodCharacter.com.

Criteria for assessment:

The extent to which journals exhibit the following:

demonstrates awareness and understanding of the purpose of the journal and uses it to guide selection and description of events/issues

discussion provides adequate focus for further reflection and includes additional ideas

reflective thinking is evident-different points of view of events, metacognition, testing of new ideas

the product indicates that something has been learned or solved, a sense of moving on

adapted from: Kerka, Sandra. "Journal Writing as an Adult Learning Tool." 2002.

°(Kerka, S. "Journal Writing as an Adult Learning Tool". 2002.)

Reflective Journals

"The journal holds experiences as a puzzle frame holds its pieces. The writer begins to recognize the pieces that fit together and, like the detective, sees the picture evolve." A. Williamson°

What is the purpose of the journal?

to capture your perception of the project, your problem-solving skills, and your cooperative learning skills, and to track changes in them over the course of the project.

to encourage you to assess your own and your classmates' learning strategies, processes and behaviors during the project. Practice looking at yourself and others as learners objectively.

to reflect on your self-assessments, evaluate yourself as a learner, identify areas that you would like to improve, and assess, reflect upon, and evaluate your efforts to improve.

(adapted from SFSU Dept. of Geosciences, GEOL/METR 309)

What are the requirements of the journal?

journal entries are to be dated and submitted in chronological order.

entries are to be a minimum of one page (marble note book size)

you will be submitting a total of 26 entries. Half of those entries may be considered "free-writes"; half of the entries will address a numbered topic from the list that follows.

journals may be handwritten or typed.

journals are due on June 12th.

Possible journal topics:

A helpful way to frame questions for reflection is by using this handy little triad, What? So what? Now what?

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

adapted from:Copyright Elkind+Sweet Communications / Live Wire Media. Reprinted by permission. www.GoodCharacter.com.

Criteria for assessment:

The extent to which journals exhibit the following:

demonstrates awareness and understanding of the purpose of the journal and uses it to guide selection and description of events/issues

discussion provides adequate focus for further reflection and includes additional ideas

reflective thinking is evident-different points of view of events, metacognition, testing of new ideas

the product indicates that something has been learned or solved, a sense of moving on

adapted from: Kerka, Sandra. "Journal Writing as an Adult Learning Tool." 2002.

°(Kerka, S. "Journal Writing as an Adult Learning Tool". 2002.)

A helpful way to frame questions for reflection is by using this handy little triad,
What?
So what?
Now what?

adapted from:Copyright Elkind+Sweet Communications / Live Wire Media.
Reprinted by permission. www.GoodCharacter.com.