I am now an active user of web 2.0 and now over the next few weeks I will grow again - into a reflective practioner. I am quite excited about using a journal to do this as I have always loved to write. I kept a journal in my teenage years which you can imagine is hilarious to read back! I do not keep a regular journal now but I do turn to writing when things aren't going to well. Writing helps me make sense of things. I also like to write when I am doing something out of the ordinary like when I went to Africa. It is really brilliant to look back and remember how I felt and recount experiences that have lost clarity in my mind. The aspects I have mentioned are perfect for developing my professional practice but I have never looked at it in this capacity before. Because I do like to write I am finding it hard to make sure I relate my journal to my practice and not make it too personal. I do not know if this is something I need to address or embrace? I will work that out as I go.
Aswell as approaching my professional journal I have decided to create a reflective pinboard as pictured. The words at the top read "I want...." I am a bit lost about which path to take at the moment and I decided that a visual aid might help me - and I like doing crafty things. It is a bit empty at the moment but I plan to fill it with pictures, quotes and whatever I find really. I will choose things that inspire me and make me happy. I think reflecting upon this along the way will help me assess what I have chosen to put on there and make some decisions.So happy journal writing everyone and I will keep you updated with how it goes.
Hollie x
Great - really like this idea - recommend it to others.
ReplyDeleteWell that is innovative, I really like the idea of the board, great idea. I too found it hard to be satsfied enough to move on. I think it's a confidence we will develop as we get more comfortable with learning in his way.
ReplyDeleteI think you should write in the journal the way it naturally comes. I think it's maybe not so much about how you write something, but the action of allowing thoughts to roll and ideas to develop. It's a place you can go and just release your feelings. I found the deeper I go the more the journal content gets interesting.
What do you think?
I think that Ahmet is right, the action of creating the journal is the most important thing, it allows you to get out how you are feeling, whether that's personal or about your professional practice, and I imagine in a lot of cases the two will be linked.
ReplyDeleteI have been using both in my writing and then going back over and highlighting which sections are specific to my practice, things I have realised and improvements I wish to make, practical aspects I guess in one colour and then personal perspectives, emotions and thoughts in another. I hope when I go back over the journal this will allow me to find specific information that I may want to use for further work and allows to me to keep the link between my practice, creativity and emotions.
I think your pin board is a brilliant idea, it allows your creative side to flow, may help you to make decisions and also track your progress in a way that is so accessible, and I think that is really positive.
Danni.
Hi Hollie
ReplyDeleteI love the pin board idea! I am always on the go so something like that would be brilliant for me! I could pin up a little reminder knowing I could come back to it a later date rather than not having the time to write and then completely forgetting about it!
After reading your concern about whether your journal was too personal, I had a little flick through mine! If its any conciliation mine is exactly the same! Sometimes I have written the facts, sometimes I have written how something has made me feel and sometimes I have written a couple of questions. I don't see this as a huge problem, I agree with Ahmet and Danni, the important thing is the act if keeping a journal.
Kelly