Journaling and The Artist’s Way
My students journal every day at the start of the class for five minutes give or take. I wish there was more time. They are encouraged to write about whatever they choose, whatever they want to flush out of their heads, no exceptions. They know they are not graded for it and that I will never look into their journals. I just need to see their hands moving.
There have been some complaining about this but it has become a habit for them and from a class management standpoint, a gnarly way to get the class settled before we start with the day’s business. Overall, this has been a positive. It gets my first period students very focused. My second period will need some heavy artillery, but I digress.
I got the daily journal idea from a self-help book by Julia Cameron called “The Artist Way.” Some of you reading this entry will be familiar with this title. It is currently in its 25th edition and it is almost required reading for artists and writers going through a “block”, wrestling with confidence issues or other demons. I must confess I was a little skeptical of this book, as I am with self-help books in general. I thought it was kind of corny. I was however, intrigued by the “daily pages”, a ritual which is a little bit like what I asked my students to do only at a larger scale (you have to fill 3 full pages daily.) A few months after I was introduced to this book I had filled several notebooks with sometimes illegible written pages and I found the process to be very positive for a number of reasons that would require a new blog entry.
There have been some complaining about this but it has become a habit for them and from a class management standpoint, a gnarly way to get the class settled before we start with the day’s business. Overall, this has been a positive. It gets my first period students very focused. My second period will need some heavy artillery, but I digress.
I got the daily journal idea from a self-help book by Julia Cameron called “The Artist Way.” Some of you reading this entry will be familiar with this title. It is currently in its 25th edition and it is almost required reading for artists and writers going through a “block”, wrestling with confidence issues or other demons. I must confess I was a little skeptical of this book, as I am with self-help books in general. I thought it was kind of corny. I was however, intrigued by the “daily pages”, a ritual which is a little bit like what I asked my students to do only at a larger scale (you have to fill 3 full pages daily.) A few months after I was introduced to this book I had filled several notebooks with sometimes illegible written pages and I found the process to be very positive for a number of reasons that would require a new blog entry.
When we revised the results of the Panorama Survey in the last In-Service day, I joined the small group where we looked at results under the category “Social Awareness”. In every aspect, students scored really high except when asked the question: “In the last thirty days, how clearly were you able to describe your feelings?” Look at the comparative results below. The percentage dropped sharply, almost half compared to the other response.
There seems to be a great need for effective channels of self-expression. Art in general and journaling in particular are perfect avenues for this.
When I asked my students what they liked the most about journaling, being able to freely express their thoughts and feelings without prompt, judgement or direction seem to be the general response. This world bubble below gathers the words of the responses to the question: What do you like most about our daily journaling activity.
When we write our thoughts down they become a thing of their own, separate from us. This purging allows our mind to have more clarity. We are no longer “our thoughts”. They have the potential of taking an abstract form, outside of our identity and sometimes they can become raw material for new ideas and projects.
If you are more interested in “The Artist’s Way” here are some links to a the New Yorker Magazine article as well as one of my favorite blogs: Brain Pickings by Maria Popova.
they need time to slow down and quiet the brain… art is one way to both free yourself from thought and give freedom to your thoughts… but they also need yoga… they need journaling… they need to process and not just "power through" everything!
I love the idea that writing allows our thoughts to be separate from us. I have been thinking a lot about book characters and who knows them best, the creator or the consumer. The author or the reader. Because who really brings the character to life.
I totally agree with this. I think our students really don't take enough time to sit with their thoughts and to reflect. I love how you have incorporated this into your class. It's also a great way to keep them focused while you are taking attendance, etc. at the beginning of class.
Thank you for sharing this awesome post. After conversing with you and seeing your students work through this process, I have been inspired to bring more of this type of reflection into the choral classroom.
This goes exactly with what we are trying to do in Frosh Wellness: Mind, Body, Spirit. We use journaling often to get students to think through their thoughts and opinions in a way that is personal to them.
I like this Marian. My daughter who was fortunate to have the illustrious Debra Miller tells me to this day, that her world art class "SAVED" her during her senior year. Just the other day, she came across her journal from that class and tears actually streamed down her face as she reconnected with feelings from the past.
But my understanding of art and mental well-being goes back a few decades. If anyone remembers, Sister Rita Francis . . . this tiny, elderly package of dynamite and wisdom. She used to come around to the classes at St. Agnes and lead meditations – reaching out to Jesus. . . . she also used to teach the kids about color journaling. Colors were explored from yellows for happiness, to dark colors representing more difficult emotions. The kids LOVED it and it was a great way for them to employ color without the boundaries of an "approved" plan or drawing – they could just draw lines, scratches, circles, clouds, whatever they wanted – it was the COLOR choice that helped them to express feelings. So easy and so quick!
Thanks Merrilee! I loved that World Art class. I think it "saved" a few students. Ah, Color! Great way to express feelings. Drawing too!
It is a good habit. I now only do it two days a week and for only three minutes on Monday (unless they come in earlier.) It is not the amount of time but just the exercise that I think is worthwhile for many reasons..
I often try to not know too much about the artist/author, their intention or agenda. If I know too much, it is not fun anymore. I think the viewer/reader needs to "finish the job" by supplying their own experience.