Math journals can become a part of your classroom's daily routine. Some teachers like to include them as part of the morning work that students do when entering the classroom. Students solve a story problem related to the curriculum they are studying, showing their work through drawings or charts and explaining their reasoning. Journals could also be used as a conclusion to a lesson. Students write about what they learned in their journals, and share their work with a peer or during a class discussion.
Math journals helps students understand that the process used to find the answer to many math problems is just as important as the solution. When sharing their work with peers, students discover that they may have approached the problem in different ways and that there are several methods that can be used to solve it. Math journals also allow students to show their reasoning through pictures or writing, which can help eliminate simple mistakes and strengthen their understanding of the math concepts.
When teachers use math journals on a daily basis, it allows for informal assessment of students' comprehension of the new skills being taught. When students write about how they solved a problem, teachers can identify misunderstandings the students may have about the concept and clarify them, instead of just seeing a wrong answer on an assignment. Math journals also allow for differentiation of the instruction for varying abilities. Teachers can give students problems to solve in their journal that will give them more practice in the areas they are lacking, or challenge students who have a good understanding of the concepts already.
Math journals can be a place to solve problems, but they also can be a place for students to reflect on their learning. Teachers can give students writing prompts that lead them to write about what they understand or what they need more help with. Teachers should also respond to students in their math journals with praise for their reasoning instead of just the correct answer, or pose questions to prompt their thinking about the topic. Journals can be used to spark class discussion after a lesson, and student can learn from conversation with their peers.