Journalling your experience

Journaling might sound like a really grand word, but really it’s just about gathering your thoughts in one place. Over the course of this MOOC, there are going to be chances to share your work and to consider the work that others have been doing as well. Alongside these more formal opportunities to share though, its always good to keep notes for yourself that you can constantly refer back to. You might want to remember a certain phrase from someone’s video, or a suggestion someone makes- equally listening to the videos and reading the articles here might trigger a thought of your own and making a note of that can be a way of ensuring that it doesn’t get lost.

Journaling isn’t just note taking though- its a much more creative and freeing experience than that. Think of a diary you might have had when you were younger, where you might have felt free to record all your feelings without fear of anyone reading them; the excitement, disappointment or anxiety you might be feeling at any particular time. We want to encourage you to really do that as you move through this course as well; whether on your phone, in your notebook, or in your own Live Journal page. Be sure to be honest with yourself about how you’re finding the different exercises and discussion points, alongside any ideas and creative thoughts which occur to you as well. So often teaching is a very public endeavour, perhaps even a performance, and so this quiet and private reflective space is really important to hold and to cultivate.