The write start - Jennifer Hallissy 2010

Daily Journal
Guidelines for the Activities

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE a trusted journal, children especially. The word “journal” is derived from the word jurnee in Anglo-French. And journaling is indeed a journey, a small voyage of self-discovery we can all take each day.

A journal entry documents the path our day took and our feelings about it. It can be as simple or as in-depth as children choose. Journaling doesn’t have to conform to any rules, either; children can express themselves in their journal using colors, drawings, poems, a collage, even a single well-chosen word. The only rule about a journal is to write in it regularly. Before children know it, documenting the day becomes a habit that they can depend on. By taking the time each day to follow where their thoughts are leading them, children gain a clear understanding of not just where they’ve been, but where they’re going as well.

MATERIALS

∗ blank journal

∗ pencil

∗ colored pencils

HOW-TO

In the beginning, the most important thing about a journal is not what a child writes in it, but just that they visit it often. Once journaling becomes a regular habit, the words will most likely follow.

Variations

For Scribblers: Introduce pre-writers to the journaling habit with a “What Color Was Your Day?” journal. Ask children that important question each evening, have them pick one color from an assortment of small-sized colored pencils, and show them how to scribble all over the page with their chosen hue.

For Spellers: Emerging writers respond well to a “Word of the Day” journal. Ask them, “If you could pick any one word, silly or serious, that matches what you were feeling today, what would it be?” The chosen words usually range from peculiar to poignant, and they are always intriguing.

For Storytellers: Help young Storytellers focus with a “High/Low” journal. Prompt them to write something about the high point of their day and something about the low point of their day.

For Scholars: Scholars might find that the words flow more easily when entries are written like a letter to a trusted friend, beginning with “Dear Diary” or “Dear Journal.” To emphasize the private nature of their writing, children at this stage often like to embellish their journal with a lock and key. Don’t fret. This doesn’t mean they’re keeping secrets; it just means their thoughts deserve their own personal space. Respect their privacy and resist the urge to peek!