Task 2b- Journal writing

After David Boud's chapter on 'Using journal writing to enhance reflective practice' I've been actively thinking about reflection in my day to day life, especially reflection in anticipation of events. It's fascinating how many ways we can think of approaching an event before it happens. I now think on a day to day basis how I'm going to approach an event before it happens so I can anticipate the possible outcomes and how they might effect me. What could happen? How would I react if this happened? This has really changed how I approach everything in life now and I had know idea how many stages of reflection there are and how they can further your knowledge.

As I said before, I am trying to have a consistent method in my journal writing but I am finding that harder that I anticipated. If I try to write down my day, how I felt about it and then anything that surprised me, I get writers block. I tried doing some diagrams but they are really not for me. I think I can get my words out more easily when there isn't a structure to it, like a stream of consciousness. If I think too hard about it, then I feel like I completely forget what has happened during my day. When I write exactly what I'm thinking then it brings me to thoughts that I had earlier in the day and then I can remember what I was doing at that exact time and how I felt about it. 

I then got to thinking that if I carried on that way, then my journal would be a bit of a mess and I wouldn't be able to get anything good out of it because there wasn't any structure. I thought how could I put structure into my writing without getting writers block. I decided on concluding each day. That way I can write in a way that I feel comfortable and get all my thoughts down and then I would end each entry with a conclusion. How did that day make me feel? Did I learn anything new? Did anything surprise me? 

On the 10th November I wrote,

    Random thought, I'm reading through some University materials and I have found a quote that I really love, regarding why we write journals. 'To increase active involvement in learning and personal ownership in learning' (Jennifer Moon 1999a pp188-194). It's so true, by writing a journal you are taking matters into your own hands. You're taking accountability for your own learning.

I think this is a perfect example of something that surprised me that day. I wasn't expecting to come across a quote that I loved so much, so I just had to write it down. It's just a perfect quote to describe how I feel about journal writing and I look forward to writing in it more. 

References

Moon,]. Reflection in Learning and Professional Development. London: Kogan Page, 1999a. 
Moon,]. LearningJournals: A Handbook for Academics, Students and Professional Development. London: Kogan Page, I999b.