Dibos-Report 2
Review of The Journal Book, Edited by Toby Fulwiler
Upon first leafing through this book, I thought it was too academic and research-driven to be of practical use in the classroom. But after actually settling down and reading the articles, I was enthralled with the breadth and usefulness of their contents. This is journal writing across the curriculum, from very broad-based to specific. For instance, it discusses the philosophy of writing without an audience and the practice and learning that goes into that. In this respect, journal-writing becomes very introspective and almost private, like a diary. Thoreau is quoted in one selection[1] as the "country's most quoted journal-keeper", so of course, he deserves a quote here. He spoke of his own journals as being "of myself, by myself." The author goes on to say that the journal's audience is one's self?which "is the most sensitive and important audience most of us will ever know." This particularly spoke to me as I have kept journals fairly consistently for the past 35 years. One of the most surprising joys of my reading life is when I re-read one of these after a particular stretch of time and experience. I am my own audience, and am not concerned with a doubling of that audience. I agree with Henry in this regard.
This is a great compendium of journal experiences that should serve as a reference book and could be used for any subject. Indeed, that is the reason for the book?to disseminate more knowledge about journal writing not only in the humanities, but also in the other disciplines like Physics or Math. In this respect, journal writing could be used as an aid to organization.
All of the articles in this book are written as persuasions to use journal writing in whatever deeper learning the students are to achieve. Here's another example: a teacher of folklore in high school decided to make journal writing her core curriculum, and not a warm-up activity or an add-on. What she found as a result was that her students more rigorously examined their learning experience and also concluded by giving greater reverence to their own writing. Some journals were used for "structural analysis" and even organizing the students' day; others for "exploring the inner landscape.[2]
A particular article that spoke to me was the use of your journals to launch further writing.[3] I have many occasional days full of detailed writing which I may want to use some day. The fact that they are in chronological order makes it much easier to access.
Finally, there is practical how-to advice for the teacher in how to use journals in any classroom. My hope is to have this on my ready reference shelf?not to gather dust, but generate incredible journal writing.