A reflection journal allows you to think about what occurred in the classroom during a lesson, to analyze what it may mean, and to make revisions or changes in the lesson as necessary. Although there is no one right way to keep a journal, exemplary journals posses some common characteristics:
1) A description of what happened in the classroom
a. My role as teacher
b. The student(s)
c. The subject matter at the time
d. The context
2) An analysis of the event
a. My thoughts, feelings
b. Questions I had or have about the event
c. What I learned
d. How I can improve the lesson or situation another time
3) Lessons, encounters that went particularly well
a. What I said and did to handle situations smoothly
b. What strategies I will place in my bag of tricks
4) Questions for my cooperating teacher and/or university supervisor
5) Ideas, insights I have about teaching and learning
6) Strengths I find in myself that will help me become an effective teacher
7) Weaknesses I am discovering about myself and plans for dealing with them
8) Characteristics of good teachers (from observations and other sources)
The time and effort you put into a reflection journal can reduce problems later because of the insight you have gained through analysis.