Published: 2018-05-16 11:41 |
Category: Life | Tags: assignment, history, journaling, reflection, teaching
I wrote this as a post to a discussion forum for grad school. It seemed fitting to post on the blog as well. It’s a response to a children’s story called ‘The Rag Coat’, in which a poor girl’s coat made of rags tells stories about everyone around her.
I’m not really a journaler; I do blog regularly, but it usually isn’t about life stuff. But, I always have a notebook with me. It’s a habit I picked up from student teaching, mainly for doing quick reflections on lessons I taught or observations of my host teacher. She really helped me establish a habit of reflection that started with pen and paper. Every year since then, I usually go through a full notebook.
They’ve become unofficial journals; memories elucidated by lesson plan ideas, to-do lists, and trip packing lists. I can pinpoint the spot in a notebook from 2013 when we moved back to the United States from South Korea. I’m reminded about recommendation letters I wrote for students who are now out of college (and some with kids of their own!)
There’s the notebook where the writing switches abruptly from a large project brainstorm to HR managers after I lost a job unexpectedly.
There’s a notebook with baby nursery lists as we got ready for each of our daughters.
Writing things down - even little things - has become my norm. It helps me connect with teachers, who see me as the “tech guy,” when they wonder why I still have paper and pen on hand. It bridges gaps caused by fear and apprehension of change.
I’m looking forward to finishing this year’s notes.
Featured image is History flickr photo by bennettscience shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license