golfcartmama Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Do you have your kids journal each day/week? And, if so, what to they journal about, do you have different journals for subjects or is it more like tell me your favorite thing you did this weekend, etc.? I am thinking my son might benefit from one, but I'm not sure if I should just throw it out and see what happens or guide it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3monkeys Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I started with my ds8. He hates to write but loves to draw. So I had him start a journal where he draws a picture and he has to write about the drawing. It has worked out great. No more complaints. Another tip if you have a perfectionist. I do not correct journal until next day or so. I want him to write without worrying about me coming behind him the second he's done to correct it. It really has relaxed him since I made that rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 My kids do a journal every day. It's a journal with a blank space at the top for drawing and lines on the bottom. I require my kids to do one page per day. They must write something and draw something. I don't give prompts. I don't correct it at all. Instead I use it as a diagnostic tool and busywork for when I'm working with the other kid. This method has worked very well for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Yes, we do a Mom & son "positivity" journal once a week where I write some of my favourite moments of last week and a few things I am grateful for. Then he does the same. He loves to draw, so he puts a lot of drawings in his section of the journal as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Nope, my son hated journaling. He had to journal in school (1st grade), and he often copied the prompt and wrote nothing to the side of it. I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to journal either. If your child likes to journal, go for it, but if they hate it, don't force them. We do notebooking instead - he writes one sentence about what he learned in history or science and draws a picture. He's been ok with this, and he doesn't have to talk about his feelings. ;) It's more like the start of a narration, but since he's only 2nd grade and pencil phobic, we've done 1 sentence so far. By the end of the year, I plan to up it to 2 sentences, and then by the end of 3rd grade, I think he'll be about ready to write a narration (or earlier if writing suddenly becomes easier for him again). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 We do a journal a week. They have the option of writing what they want or I give them things to choose from...write about: the show you watched last night, the bird feeder, if you were on a spaceship, make up a recipe...that kind of stuff. Sometimes I have a journal prompt that is a beginning of a story and they finish it. Another thing I will use is a picture and have them tell a story about the pic, or what happened before/after the pic. They are required to write at least 3 sentences for dd and 8 for ds. Ds needs to type his up and correct where needed. Dd writes in a notebook and I will correct it and make a spelling list from misspelled words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrulySusan Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 My kids do a field trip journal to record our special outings. Then, we go back and add a photo from the day. Otherwise, no. They complain about doing just the field trip entries (about 1/month). Our PS, which they attended until earlier this year, required a daily journal entry and those notebooks are some of my most treasured possesions. In case you are interested, they were usually begun with a prompt from the teacher and finished by the child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) We do journaling twice per week. My DD uses Unjournaling and really has fun with it. DS, on the other hand, is a reluctant writer and not so strong with language, which would make Unjournaling hard for him. So, we do a couple of different things with him. If he has an idea that he wants to write about, he can go with that. If not, he has a box of topics and he likes to make a big show of shaking up the box and drawing out a topic. The drama of it all seems to motivate him. LOL ETA: I never grade or correct their journal. I make sure they've done it but that's all. They love to read it to me and to each other and I feel that if I pick it apart and point out everything they did wrong, they will lose the fun in it. Edited January 10, 2012 by DragonFaerie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 oops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Sorry, my baby got crazy. My dd8 and ds6 both keep a journal. I assign my dd time to write in her journal once per week and I make no corrections. She loves it and often chooses to write more often. My ds only journal at his request. I would never force it on a kid who didn't like to journal, but my kids enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I start my kids journaling as soon as they can sound out cvc words. We usually start with a journal that has just a few lines with a huge space to draw an illustration. Eventually I move them up to journaling in composition books. I never give them prompts, but I only have them write twice per week so they don't have a problem coming up with things to write about. I don't make any corrections so it's their safe place to write. I feel like it has been a huge help towards developing their writing skills and instilling a positive, confident attitude about writing. Dd is going to be a 3rd grader this fall and I will probably let her drop the journaling to make room for MCT and other more formal work. I bought her a lovely personal journal with her name on it for her 8th birthday and I think she's the type that will continue to journal on her own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 No way! That's on my list of reasons my dc don't go to public school. :lol: I took my dd OUT of a co-op writing class because it required journal prompt writing each week. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golfcartmama Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thank you so much for your comments, advice and input! I am going to go ahead and start one and see where it takes us. I'll get some of the picture then writing type paper at the school supply store. I may use my dd's with prompts and maybe give her a word list to use...she DOESN'T like not knowing how to spell everything she wants to say! For my ds, we will try some free writing and see if it works. If not, I have a writing subject box with starters. I have a feeling I'll read a whole lot about Star Wars and hockey, lol! Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjgrubbs Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 (edited) My older 2 did journals at public school - but it's not what I would think of as a journal, not really your feelings, etc. My oldest didn't care for it but middle son loved it and still does. So here is how I use the journal with them. Each day they do 2 things in their journal. The first is handwriting. They are both working on cursive. I write a quote or Bible verse, spanish words, whatever and they are to write it in their neatest writing at the top of the page. Then they have a journaling topic or writer's choice. I randomly pull all kinds of stuff out of my head for the topics. Middle sons always illustrates and oldest rarely does. For him, I'm mainly using it for his handwriting practice. My 5 year old also has a journal. He write the day (Monday, Tuesday, etc.) and then he dictates to me about the prompt and draws a picture. He has handwriting issue/doesn't hold his pencil correctly or write very well but he does it bc his brothers do it! Both my other kids did Kindergarten in Public School and did journals. I still have them! Edited January 11, 2012 by cjgrubbs didn't mention 5 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrulySusan Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thank you so much for your comments, advice and input! I am going to go ahead and start one and see where it takes us. I'll get some of the picture then writing type paper at the school supply store. I may use my dd's with prompts and maybe give her a word list to use...she DOESN'T like not knowing how to spell everything she wants to say! For my ds, we will try some free writing and see if it works. If not, I have a writing subject box with starters. I have a feeling I'll read a whole lot about Star Wars and hockey, lol! Thanks again! When DS was in 1st grade in PS, he had a robot obsession. Every day, despite the teacher's prompt, he would manage to route the journal entry back to his beloved robots. Some I can recall: "I love robots." "I am special because I love robots and most kids don't love robots." "Johnny Appleseed planted apple trees and I love robots.":lol: His teacher even started emailing me robot Christmas ideas for him! So, don't be surprised if indeed you do have many entries about Star Wars and hockey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Queen Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 No way! That's on my list of reasons my dc don't go to public school. :lol: :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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