The Ways Children Reflect

The questions posted on Dr. Chatel's page got me thinking of the real reason teachers always made us right journal entries and letters to people who really didn't even exist.  I remember doing these assignments all through elementary school and know that I am learning why we did what we did then I have realized it was all about reflecting on things that we had done.  I remember writing to characters in books asking them questions about why they did what they did in the book.  This whole process was a different and interesting way for our teachers to see what we took from the book we read.  As a teacher I feel it is an easy way to assess what kind of comprehension our students possess.  Teachers evaluate journals by the evidence the students use from the story and the language that is used.  On Tuesdays there is a group of students that see the reading teacher for 30 minutes, this past week I went with the students and there task for the day was to write a journal entry as if they were in the story and lived the events that happened in the story.  The students got check marks for every detail they used that came from the story they read.  This was a great way to get them motivated because each student wanted the most checks, therefore, they paid close attention to detail and wrote down everything they could.  I think journals and letters are great ways to assess children's understanding as long as you do not ware them out, sometimes teachers can be to tough and mark the journals bad, that is not what they are for in my opinion.