Since the founding of School Without Walls, students and advisors have used journals to communicate with each other. This is a powerful tool for becoming a thoughtful, reflective, self-motivated learner.
A journal is NOT simply a diary of the day's events. It is intended to be a place where students think about what those events mean and how they have changed them. Students can also reflect upon their dreams for the future or remember important events from their past. This is a great opportunity to share problems with their advisors that they don't feel comfortable bringing up in conversation.
The student's advisor will specify their own requirements for the form, length, and frequency of journal entries and submission.
Generally speaking, it is about 1,000 words a week and NOT all at once.
Journaling is one of the areas that is most difficult for students to succeed in. Students need to be disciplined, set aside a particular time to write, and keep up with it. Falling behind really hampers a student's ability to do a thoughtful job.
|