Writing Journals (see also Digested read number 8)
Writing journals ,writing notebooks or free-writing books - and the exploration of their uses by teachers and pupils - are a major concern of this project. These are like artists' sketch books, and like learning logs; they are an essential part of any writer's toolkit. (Click here for Shaun Tan's comments about the creative process)
They are also hugely therapeutic. See Kate Thompson's blog http://therapeuticjournal.wordpress.com/
As one Primary pupil said, "You need 'how to' lessons and 'have a go' lessons." Writing journals are private spaces in which to 'have a go' - in which the writer's feelings can be expressed, ideas gathered or forms experimented with. Secondary pupils have found journals operate like reservoirs to catch thoughts and drafts which may later be channeled into more considered pieces of writing. They are invaluable places to play with language, to find a voice, to reflect, to record first impressions and to achieve fluency through taking risks . They are also places where the learning from the 'how to' lessons can be more fully explored, applied and owned.
Click here to listen to the advantages of journal writing from the US.
Click here for the learning advantages of keeping a journal - from Conor Neill of IESE Business School
For more expert advice on 'learning from failure' and 'making a mess', read Peter Elbow's 'Writing Without Teachers'
They are also hugely therapeutic. See Kate Thompson's blog http://therapeuticjournal.wordpress.com/
As one Primary pupil said, "You need 'how to' lessons and 'have a go' lessons." Writing journals are private spaces in which to 'have a go' - in which the writer's feelings can be expressed, ideas gathered or forms experimented with. Secondary pupils have found journals operate like reservoirs to catch thoughts and drafts which may later be channeled into more considered pieces of writing. They are invaluable places to play with language, to find a voice, to reflect, to record first impressions and to achieve fluency through taking risks . They are also places where the learning from the 'how to' lessons can be more fully explored, applied and owned.
Click here to listen to the advantages of journal writing from the US.
Click here for the learning advantages of keeping a journal - from Conor Neill of IESE Business School
For more expert advice on 'learning from failure' and 'making a mess', read Peter Elbow's 'Writing Without Teachers'
What do Infant School children say about keeping writing notebooks/journals?
Vicki Tucker is an NWP group leader in Brunel University. These comments are from her 2014 classes of year 1 and 2 children.
"I like writing poems because rhymes make me happy" Aleeha aged 6
"I love my journal. I can draw and write what I like" Harry , 6
"We can write lots" Lily May, 6
"Journals gives us time to write what we like" Joshua, 7
"It makes me happy and I can write about clubs" Oliver , 6
"If I am struggling with work I can get ideas out of my journal" Jessica, 7
"I can do as much writing as I want" George, 7
"When I forget something I write it in my journals so I don't forget it again" Bradley, 6
"Writing is nice and calm and relaxing" Jessica, 7
Vicki Tucker is an NWP group leader in Brunel University. These comments are from her 2014 classes of year 1 and 2 children.
"I like writing poems because rhymes make me happy" Aleeha aged 6
"I love my journal. I can draw and write what I like" Harry , 6
"We can write lots" Lily May, 6
"Journals gives us time to write what we like" Joshua, 7
"It makes me happy and I can write about clubs" Oliver , 6
"If I am struggling with work I can get ideas out of my journal" Jessica, 7
"I can do as much writing as I want" George, 7
"When I forget something I write it in my journals so I don't forget it again" Bradley, 6
"Writing is nice and calm and relaxing" Jessica, 7
NWP recommendations, gathered from teachers' experiences of journals over the last 3 years, were published in an article in NATE Classroom, Spring 2012, entitled 'The benefits of freedom' .
One of the main findings was that many so-called 'reluctant writers' enjoyed having a book in which they could express themselves exactly as they wished, where the white page gave them a private space to understand their own thoughts and feelings, and where the content rather the standard was the main concern. When judgement was withheld and the process respected their reluctance disappeared - and they became authors - with authority over the process, the finish, the sharing of their own writing.
It hadn't been writing they'd resisted so much as the premature judgement about how closely their writing satisfied the marking criteria. And it wasn't that these things didn't matter or would be forgotten. Pupils cared about conventions when they felt ready to communicate and realised that their thoughts really mattered.
One of the main findings was that many so-called 'reluctant writers' enjoyed having a book in which they could express themselves exactly as they wished, where the white page gave them a private space to understand their own thoughts and feelings, and where the content rather the standard was the main concern. When judgement was withheld and the process respected their reluctance disappeared - and they became authors - with authority over the process, the finish, the sharing of their own writing.
It hadn't been writing they'd resisted so much as the premature judgement about how closely their writing satisfied the marking criteria. And it wasn't that these things didn't matter or would be forgotten. Pupils cared about conventions when they felt ready to communicate and realised that their thoughts really mattered.