Required Equipment:  Internet access and a journal.  Access to a digital camera and photo editing software so you can post pictures of your journaling work. (If you don't have a digital camera, you can take regular film to Wal-Mart and have it saved to a disk to use on your computer, NO PROBLEM!) 

JOURNAL:  Hardbound, blank pages, 5"x7" or 8 1/2"x11", also called a Sketchbook, available at big chain bookstores or art supplies stores.  Also available through the URG Fine Arts Office - I can mail it to you.

If you choose to use a difference format for your journal, that is totally acceptable.  For example, instead of using an actual hardback journal, you could create an online journal or a PowerPoint show as your journal.  You have options. 

This online JOURNALING workshop has been created to inspire educators through the process of reigniting one's own creativity and reflective thinking process. 

WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN: 
Workshop participants will learn how to become more expressive and creative through journaling.  Participants will gain access to journal activities and prompts for the classroom.     

WHY YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN IT: 
Journaling is basically a routine format for documenting one's thoughts and experiences.  The act of journaling enables reflective thinking.  Taking and making the time to journal is important to increasing linguistic and intrapersonal understanding.  Participants are classroom educators.  These classroom educators must prepare their own students to write essays and demonstrate critical and reflective thinking skills on standardized exams.  Journaling is one way to achieve these goals.

HOW YOU ARE GOING TO USE IT: 
Human minds do not all work the same way, and human beings do not have the same cognitive strengths and weaknesses.  You are going to help your own students master certain visual, linguistic, and intrapersonal skills by sharing your ideas for journaling activities in the classroom for a variety of ages and subject matter. 

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY:   
This paragraph summarizes what I believe to be true about teaching and learning (these two terms, teaching and learning, I often use synonymously).  I believe good teachers are masters of their content.  I believe all people are learners and all learners need goals worth reaching.  I believe there are no uneducable students.  Good teaching is thorough, targeted, and disciplined as well as creative.  Good learning is proving one’s capability, fulfilling the requirements, and pushing beyond one’s own academic expectations.  With each class comes a glimpse of a society; it is up to the class to determine the tenor of that reflection.   

TEACHING METHODOLOGY:   
It should be stated that the works of Plato, Piaget, Jung, Howard Gardner, Daniel Goleman, and John Dewey have all heavily influenced my teaching style. Along with projects, journals are required for every course I teach, regardless of the course content.  Journal questions, quotes, and assignments related to the course content are provided as prompts for active learning.  Activities are incorporated into each class, including research and responses as well as interviews and brainteasers.  I believe students learn and retain more through the opportunity to experience the learning objective and apply what they have learned; active learning reinforces creative problem solving. All assignments are life centered to encourage genuine understanding for functional knowledge and long-term retention.  The learning activities are balanced by lectures and discussions.  As a teacher and learner, I have high expectations.  My teaching style and methodology can be characterized as dynamic.
 

Upon completion of the workshop requirements, participants should be able to: 
1) Incorporate journaling into the classroom;
2) Inspire others to begin journaling;
3) Research and design journaling exercises;
4) Defend journaling via state standards.

This online workshop lasts for one month.  The homework assignments, topics and journaling activities are arranged on a four week schedule with each week outlined under the Calendar and Lessons tabs. 
 

-Completion of assignments 
-Postings and responses 
-Proof of application in the classroom or group 
 

Even though your transcripts will read "A-F", a combination of rubrics will be referenced to evaluate your work.  Sample rubrics are provided.   

Participants are expected to post three times each week, one of which can be comments for someone else in the group.   

My definition of Academic Integrity includes a list of very simple rules:  always give credit where credit is due, and talk to others the way you wish to be talked to.

You may want to post pictures of your journal work or classroom journaling activities.  If there are other people in the photos, you must have written consent to post the image. 

Just a note:  you should have your journal when you begin the workshop so you can get to work the first night.