Service-Learning Journaling Ideas

The following outline may help you to write your journal, but essentially I want you to feel comfortable with your own style of journal writing.

1. Write an account of the daily events that occur. (This descriptive component of your journal should be kept to a minimum.
2. Next describe your feelings and perceptions, questions and ideas about what happened during your work. Let your thoughts roam freely and don't be concerned with grammar, etc.
3. Outline actions for your next contact based upon what you feel you learned during the site work. If problems or needs surfaced during your hours be sure to include a plan/outline of action(s) to deal with this the next time. In this way you can use your log as an "agenda setting" and personal growth tool.

You might reflect upon any of the following:

1. Are you clear about the goals of your site and do you agree that these goals are worthy?
2. If you were in charge of the site, would you change anything?
3. If you were the supervisor, would you have the service students do anything differently from what you are doing? Would you treat them differently?
4. Tell about a person there whom you find interesting or challenging to be with. Why?
5. What is the most difficult/satisfying part of your work experience? What does it take to be successful at the kind of work you do?
6. Tell me about something you learned as a result of a disappointment or even a failure. Think back on a moment when you felt especially happy or satisfied in your work. What does this tell you about yourself?
7. What are you learning about educational/public policy issues by this service-learning placement?