I gave up on perfect a long time ago. Heck, I don’t even try for good anymore. I have learned to settle for better. Of course, “better” is relative, and when one chases better, he is never quite settled in the situation. This, then, has become my lot. Always changing. Always tuning and tweaking. Nothing stays the same. I call it “better” but more aptly it’s just different. But “better” makes me feel…well, better. Today, I am sharing my next better for daily reflection.

I have experienced many betters (“different’s”) with daily reflection. Some attempts have been overly ambitious and others have been woefully uninspired. But in trying and leaving them behind, I have picked up some wisdom along the way. I have learned to keep daily reflection short, simple, and to the point. And so, I have revised my Journey Journals to be just that. Short, simple, and to the point.

I want kids to feel like my class is an experience, and in my early days with them, via the documents I share and the words I speak, I refer to our time together as a journey, as an experience. So, the name Journey Journal fit. I have used this name for a few years now, but each year I tweak it a bit. Here is my latest version of the Journey Journal.

Role #6: Reflector. Last role but no less an important one. By now you also know that I will expect you to add to your learning story each day in your Journey Journal. Each day we will end our time together, reflecting on and sharing from our day’s experiences. Reflection is such an important part of learning. I really need you to become reflectors. 

As I mentioned in my “Roles” post (http://www.letschangeeducation.com/roles-first-days/), I want kids to come to discover the purpose and power reflection plays in learning. And though we will reflect in different ways over the course of the year, I want to encourage and help build the habit, so we reflect daily in our Journey Journals.

We take the last few minutes each day. The kids write an entry and share it with a peer. I believe the sharing is an important component, so I make time for it. The kids circle any experiences from their day, and as they think back on those experiences, I want them to identify something that they picked up, something that stuck. And then, I want them to communicate why it mattered. I have found that “what” and “why” help achieve not only the simple but also the “to the point.” Otherwise, the kids will only write the “what.” They have to get to the “why.” Most entries are 3-4 sentences in length.

I provide the templates. I make a bajillion two-sided copies, and kids take a new one from the pile after they complete one. I keep the completed sheets in their portfolios. Students are responsible for entries on the days they experience class. If they are absent, they didn’t experience our journey that day, so they are excused. I find this simplifies it for everyone, and it’s not as if it’s part of their grade anyway. We will begin this on day one of our journey together.

And that’s the plan for now. It will likely change next year. But that’s how I roll I guess.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.