Save time in the Classroom by using Journals!
My whole motto is "work smarter, not harder." I think I got it from my Dad - at least I can hear him saying it as one of his dadisms!So many times I've found myself "pulling" resources that weren't always what I wanted and were leaving me making copies DAILY.
In the past, I've put together writing "packets" that had a writing organizer/planner page on one side, then a page to do a more "final copy" writing based on the organizer page. I loved how it was put together and would last me the whole unit we were teaching (4 weeks!). That's when I started making my "Seasons Writing Informational Journals" to go along with our unit about the seasons.
Seasonal Writing Journals
It was so nice to have that packet already put together so I wasn't trying to pull something last minute AND make copies of it in time for class! I also loved that it helped my students build skills overtime that lead to their success, confidence, and independence. It also helped to look back on a collection of related work and see the growth and development the students had made over just a few weeks!
Number Journals to build number sense
From there, number journals were born to focus on all the standards we were working on in math for numbers 1-20.
Opinion Writing Journals
I'd have to say - one of my all time favorite journals has been our Opinion Writing Journals!! The students literally SQUEAL when I pull them out and they get to find out what they will be writing about! I LOVE the excitement it brings them when they get to write in their Opinion writing Journal!While journals can essentially be made by simply stapling lined papers together, I found that having a "theme" to the journal has helped not only structure the USE of the journals themselves, but also my students' understanding of the expectations within the journal - all of that to say: when my students are working on their Opinion Writing Journals, they know that they will choose their favorite from a topic, then write their opinion, supported by a reason, with a complete sentence. Then they will check their work. The students know these expectations because they are the same throughout the whole journal - which is a tremendous help since it cuts back on the amount of direction giving I have to do each time we pull out our Opinion Writing Journals!
P.S. If you're interested in the amazing magnetic holders pictured on the right holding my Opinion Writing Journals - you can get them on Amazon in a 2 pack! They are AMAZING! Here is an affiliate link: Magnetic Magazine Holders
Huge Benefits for Students:
While journals can essentially be made by simply stapling lined papers together, I found that having a "theme" to the journal has helped not only structure the USE of the journals themselves, but also my students' understanding of the expectations within the journal - all of that to say: when my students are working on their Opinion Writing Journals, they know that they will choose their favorite from a topic, then write their opinion, supported by a reason, with a complete sentence. Then they will check their work. The students know these expectations because they are the same throughout the whole journal - which is a tremendous help since it cuts back on the amount of direction giving I have to do each time we pull out our Opinion Writing Journals!Making it easy for a Sub
AND having journals already put together was SO perfect to leave for a sub if I was in a pinch!Another BONUS of journals has been when I was out on maternity leave with my son, I had journals ready to go for my long term sub! It made planning for my leave so much easier and I know it helped my sub be more successful as well!
That's when I realized how helpful and EFFECTIVE making journals is - not only for me as a teacher, a substitute, but also for my students too!
Top Reasons to Use Journals in the Classroom:
Making journals has saved me SO MUCH TIME because:-I don't have to make copies each day.
-I don't have to keep track of a ton of loose papers.
-We could "move on" easily to the next assignment
-When students were absent or didn't finish an assignment, I could easily have them work on those pages when they had some spare time
-Students could finish their work easily at an independent table
-Students were REALLY proud of their collective work... And so was I :)
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