Friday, April 2, 2010

diaries are fun


If you want to be a good writer, then diary is the best way. You believe it or not, but that is a true statement! You can try by starting to write a diary right now!
I would like to share some benefits of teaching to write diaries in the classroom. One way as a teacher we develop a close relationship with our students. As you know, teachers are very busy with their work and there are limited time they spent to talk to their students, unless if it is a oral assessment. Teachers may ask the students to write a diary which provide a private dialogue between a student and teacher. Don’t ask them to write about learning process, but can be about almost that the student would like to share with us. It is a real communication and that we as a teacher respond to the student in an authentic way by communicating in the diary.
Just imagine! We could share their genuine thoughts and opinions with the students rather than simply correcting their grammar and spelling. Sometimes it provide a room for communicate with the teacher to develop individual relationship which they might find it hard to share in front of a classroom. At the same time, writing diaries could provide some really valuable insights into what students think of our lesson, what they understand and what problems they are having. Other than that, teacher could identify some behavioral problems faced by the students.
It is quite challenging for the students to start their writing, so here we as teacher could provide some questions for them to respond to. For example, teacher may perhaps write an introduction about herself and ask the students to write similar about themselves. Questions too might help them to write continuously.
It's important to remember that, as a teacher, we write openly and honestly to our students and they do the same in return. Likewise if our responses are minimal and superficial, that is how the students respond to us. Furthermore, we could not put a high hope on the first stage. Writing diaries are really very fun. Try it and you see the outcome yourself.

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