Journal Writing for Students of All Ages: Fact vs Fiction

I find, that in the world of writing both in school and home school situations, journaling is one of the most misunderstood activities out there. And yet, the value of this one activity, when done simple and direct, is one of the most valuable tools in your arsenal for increasing student performance not only in writing, but in reading as well.

But, just what is journal writing?

A quick Google search yields over a dozen definitions. Why? Because there are a dozen or more different ways to effectively use journaling. For our purposes though, even though there are some amazing byproducts to journaling, we are focusing on using them to increase a student's fluency in writing.

Fluency is Key

Fluency is the ability to move thoughts from a person's head into their arm down to their fingers holding that writing instrument and onto the paper. Notice, I said nothing about typing. Journaling should always be done by hand except in a few isolated situations. The slower pace of writing gives the brain time to simmer, and it is this simmering that allows a student to access their language, try out new words, and to put their thoughts onto the paper.

Fluency is the one thing that holds most writers back, and I am speaking in general terms of the need for fluency in all kinds of assignments. The lack of it is the cause of the "I don't know what to write" and the "I don't know what else to say" complaints. The lack of fluency is what causes some writers to t-a-k-e f--o--r--e--v--e--r to write even one sentence, much less a report or essay.

The lack of fluency has caused more than one teacher or parent to simply give up not only journaling, but writing as well. Or, at best, they have their students write as little as possible.

The fact of the matter is the brain has to be wired to do a whole host of things, of which writing is only one. Those connections, once made, need to then be used over and again in order for the connections to grow and get stronger. Writing, by its very nature and because it employs so many other skills, i.e., vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, word order, sentence order, thoughts, and emotions to name a few, impacts all other subjects. Not only that, but becoming at least proficient in writing makes students smarter, because they have to learn to multi-task, focus, and organize their thoughts. I've seen this smartness emerge firsthand, and it's a joy to watch it unfold!

So, with such stellar outcomes, you might ask, why is this one activity so ignored?

I think it's because writing intimidates a great many teachers and parents. They don't consider themselves good or even adequate writers. Children who are not used to journaling can complain hard and loud. If you are a classroom teacher, all those entries can seem overwhelming to grade.

All of these complaints, however, can be easily overcome with a little creativity and thinking.

#1 Fact or Fiction?

I have to be a good writer to make my students or children journal.

No, you actually do not have to be a great writer yourself, because journaling is not about turning your prose into a great and readable work for the world to digest. It is about increasing your ability, and your students' abilities (even if you are homeschooling them), to get their thoughts from their head to the paper.

That's it. That's all. There really is nothing more to it.

#2 Fact or Fiction?

My children complain so much, its hardly worth the effort.

By that logic, its not worth making your students/children eat their vegetables, go to bed on time, take a bath, learn their math facts, go to school, or even do their other schoolwork. Children do like to complain. (Honestly, I like to complain at times, too!) If you are firm and provide interesting prompts (which are easy enough to find online), the complaining will stop soon enough. I also find it very helpful to provide two prompts so the student has a choice. And there is always the option to free write. (But be careful of older students, who will freewrite about every day as an easy way out.)

When prompts fail and freewriting fails? Then, have the student write over and over again I can't think of anything to write until they get to the word count. In all my years of teaching, I only had one homeschooling student in a class I was teaching for high schoolers choose to do that on prompt after prompt. We addressed that rather quickly, and I never had that problem again. In all other cases, the students finally found the words in their head to put onto the paper.

#3 Fact or Fiction?

I just don't have time to read and grade all those journal entries!

Who said you had to read them all? I tell my students that I am grading them on the number of words they are writing. And that number depends, of course, upon their grade level. I expect a drawing or a sentence from a kindergartener. A second grader should be able to write an entry of 25 words at the beginning of the year and 50 at the end of the year. Middle schoolers and up should be able to write a minimum of 150 words in less than fifteen minutes. I do expect, according to their ability and grade level, decent grammar, spelling, punctuation, and a modest amount of organization. But otherwise, its all about the word count.

In fact, journal writing is generally the ONLY time I am concerned with word count.

And what about reading all of them? There is no way possible to do that unless you are a homeschooling parent . . . maybe? So, it's perfectly acceptable to scan the pages to see that they wrote the word count (or they are close). You could have journal reading time in class, and have the students read one entry of their choice. You could ask the student, after several journal entries (say, for the week), to put a star on the one entry they want you to read. You could have the students share one entry with another student. You could have the students rate from 1-5 in order from their favorite to least favorite entry

The point is, there are a variety of options to employ that do not require you to read all those journal entries.

Back to the Beginning

So, at the beginning, I mentioned that at least moderately proficient writers become good readers. Why is that?

Because writing is harder than reading. Reading is accessing print and ideas that have already been created. Reading involves using what a reader knows about comprehension and the world around them. At best, reading can only engage the 5th level of Bloom's Taxonomy - evaluation. (Aren't familiar with Bloom? Then go here.) This fifth level involves all the lower levels, but it does not include the highest level - creation.

Writing is harder than reading because the writer is creating the print and the ideas. Writing involves using the skills of grammar, punctuation, organization of ideas, and so forth and so on. Writing, no matter how minute, involves the highest and sixth level of Bloom's Taxonomy - creation, and that level involves utilizing all the lower levels at one point or another.

K*I*S*S

My mantra, when feeling overwhelmed (and I feel overwhelmed a lot at times) is to keep it simple sister. Start off journal writing two or three days a week, or even one day a week. Look for prompts to help you out. Praise your students/children for their effort and not their product.

And, to engage them even more, write in your own journal alongside them. There is no better teaching tool than leading by example.

The rewards over time and with consistent writing, I guarantee you, will be immense and astonishing!

Donna Hechler Porter, a graduate of Texas A & M University, is a life-long educator, a published author, and an arm-chair historian. When not writing or teaching, she rescues old furniture from the side of the road, stops at all garage sales, and never meets a thrift store she doesn't fall in love with! Donna has created Donna Hechler Porter, Tutor, to expand her love of reading and writing to help more students, young and old alike, fall into the magic of words and pens and to launch themselves into the futures they were destined for! Contact Donna at dhportertutor@gmail.com