Teacher Reflection Journals

January 14, 2015

Happy Thursday! If you read this post, you already know that one of my resolutions for 2015 is to write down more memories from the year. I just love looking back on old photos and old planners, but I want to remember more of the little things that happen each day – especially what happens at school. (We all know how easy it is to forget things in the craziness that is the school day!) I’ve decided to keep a journal this year to help me meet this goal.

To be completely honest, I’ve never been very good about consistently writing in a journal! Some days I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head that I don’t know where to start. Other days I have no idea what to write about! So when I decided I was going to keep a journal, I knew that I would need a focus for my writing each day – some sort of prompt that would help me think about one specific part of my day or my teaching. Enter the My Teaching Life journal!

I personally designed this journal with teachers in mind. We have busy schedules and a million things going on at once, am I right?! This journal will help you slow down a little, focus on the positive aspects of teaching, and reflect upon your practice – in just a few minutes of writing per day.

Each lined page in the journal has a question at the top to inspire your thinking. Each question invites you to focus on only one aspect of your teaching life, so you’re not overwhelmed with trying to write everything down. Here are a few sample questions:

– What made you laugh today?
– What special project or assignment has really engaged your students this month?
– What were you most thankful for today?
– What can you do to make tomorrow better than today?
– Write the name of one student who is having a tough time right now. How can you reach out to that student?

The questions vary throughout the journal, but of course, they are just a guide – there is lots of room to write about whatever is on your mind and in your heart!

I am really looking forward to being able to read back through my thoughts from a whole school year and see how much my students and I have accomplished. I can’t even imagine how awesome it will be to read back through my journal, years in the future!

To read more about how you can start journaling in your own My Teaching Life notebook, click on any of the images below.