Journaling in the Classroom: Introduction
William Jacob Krovitz, August 6, 2023
I wanted to introduce a new series about Journaling, which I will be discussing for the next few blog posts and episodes. As an ELA 7 teacher, I have found journaling to be one of the most valuable tools for myself and my students in the classroom.
Before I go into explaining how it is used in my classroom and all the good stuff that comes from it, I want to share a couple stories about journals in my classroom. (Names have been changed to protect the identities and privacy of my students.)
April
April was what I would like to call an introverted extrovert. When she was with people she liked or vibed with, she was excitable, outgoing, and lively. When she was with people she didn't know or didn't like, she tended to be more secluded. With me and her couple friends in my classroom, she was always having fun and had a bright personality in our learning environment.
One of my journal prompts simply said, “This journal is a blank slate for you to write whatever you feel like writing. If you need to vent, let out emotions, talk about something you want to share, or just need to let something out, this is your opportunity.”
Now, with my journals in my classroom, I only have three rules, and I make them extremely clear:
1. This journal is between you (the student) and me (the teacher). I do not share these with anyone else, meaning you can swear, yell, whatever you need at that moment. [I truly let students be free to write what they need to without the usual censorship of school.]
2. The only time I will share your journal with anyone else is if there is any danger to yourself or others, as I am a mandated reporter. [There is some limitation, but all-in-all, the students are free to express themselves without fear of judgement or control.]
3. You must write for the entire allotted time.
I gave this journal entry to April to respond to. I never would have expected the response. To keep true to my word, I will not directly share what she wrote or any images of the entry, but in summary, she described to me her self-sabotaging thoughts, thoughts of suicide and self-harm, and mean opinions about herself. Truly, it brought me to tears to read about the struggles and war she was waging in her mind.
Having around 120 students, it's hard to reply to everyone's journals (especially the students who write “IDK, Nothing, I don't know what to write.” (A challenge I will discuss in a future post.) But in this case, I wrote back immediately.
I wrote on the backside of her journal how her entry made me feel. I pointed out some of her thoughts and tried to show her the “truth” when it came to how she felt versus what was really happening. For (a made-up) example, “I feel like people pretend to like me,” I would tell her that “I don't pretend to like you. You are a magnificent person, and I'm so happy to have you in my classroom.” Additionally, I let her know that I know what she's going through. I have personally gone through my own struggles and battles, but I kept my own experiences to a minimum. I focused on connecting with her thoughts and letting her know that there are many people around her that care for her and truly want her to be around, despite what her brain might think.
I remember her reading it over in her chair. She smiled one of those smiles that shook with sorrow and happiness. She looked up with me and thanked me before folding it up neatly and sliding it into her wallet.
Maya
Maya had a loud personality, and for us teachers, we all know what that means. Maya had enough energy for five students, but from day one, I knew that Maya had the potential for being a leader, someone with a voice and strength. If Maya could take the enormous amount of energy she has and focused it towards leadership and community, she could rule the world one day.
I did a few journal prompts where students were open to let out feelings or issues. Maya's always concerned and troubled me. Her outgoing personality and fun-having energy was unmatched in my classroom. Everyone knows who Maya is, whether it be a student, teacher, or administrator. Although her behavior isn't always desired in the classroom, she is one of those students whose personality and presence is welcomed and enjoyed. Her journals about herself and her inner thoughts told a different story.
Her journals, in essence, make remarks about depression, not liking who she is, and asking questions like, “Why am I like this? I don't like who I am because…” It's disheartening to see a student I see as a leader and confident person thinking about themselves this way. As I did with April, I always left replies of support, reassurance, and care.
From these stories, I wanted to share some of the strongest impacts journaling in my classroom has had on me. I have learned from implementing journaling into my classroom how important journaling has been to my students and their mental health. I will continue the discussion and research about journaling in the classroom in my next post.