Appendix
Journals in the Drama Classroom
One excellent way to encourage the active involvement of students
in their drama classes is to have them each develop a Drama
Journal. The journal may have many functions, from providing
students with opportunities to record ideas about themselves, their
experiences and their studies in drama, to the storing of
information gleaned from research connected to their drama work.
It may also serve as a means for reflecting on their drama work and
on their life's experiences. Journals should not be used merely as
diaries. Rather, they should be "learning logs" that facilitate
problem-solving and the comfortable expression of observations,
ideas and insights about the drama experiences and the students'
own perceptions of their progress in the drama program. The
purpose of journals should be to encourage students to try on and
work out ideas and to reflect upon their work in drama, as well as
to gather information and fresh ideas that are of particular
interest and relevance to them.
Because of the personal nature of journals, students and their
teacher should establish guidelines early in the school year for
their use and their possible role in student assessment and
evaluation. Following are some suggested procedures:
- Have students use a notebook, binder, sketch pad, scrapbook
or
constructed booklet for the journal, depending upon what is
available and convenient.
- Decide how often journal entries will be made and be
flexible
about time spent on the journals. This could range from five
minutes at the end of every class to the ongoing recording of
a week's worth of research.
- Decide whether the journals are personal or public and how
they will be used to assess student progress.
- Model journal writing, demonstrating processes for idea
exploration and reflection, asking sample questions, or using
examples from other students' journals to encourage students
to get started. Students should be encouraged to gradually
take ownership of their journal and develop their own style
and format.
- Make sure that students date each entry.
- Indicate that entries may include drawings, brainstorm
lists,
webbings, cut images, quotes and articles from other sources
that are glued into the journal, as well as a variety of
writing.
- Ensure students that whatever system for evaluation is
implemented, teacher checks will be frequent and non-
threatening.
- Review journals to observe whether students are expressing
their opinions, ideas, insights, observations and research in
a meaningful way. Teachers should not be critical of the
ideas and opinions expressed.
- Make journal entries as the students do, to model journal
writing most effectively and to record stimulating ideas,
observations of the students' work, new resources and strategies.