Reading in the Middle, Junior and Senior High Schools, Spring, 2010

I really like the idea of the Double Entry Diaries, especially when it comes to looking at literature. I’ve known about this method for ages, but the book mentions it, and so I thought it would be a great idea to cover it in this method thingie. Especially since my computer hates me, and has refused to allow me to post. Gah, I hate everything. I digress.

Basically, what the book instructs teachers to do, is to have students fold a piece of paper in half (hot dog style, of course). You put text based info on one half, and then on the other, the student places notes on said text to help them remember it more so then they would otherwise. I’m pretty sure my AP US History teacher wanted us to use this method…I never really participated because…well, to me this seemed trivial. Which is why I’m moding it.

These are called DOUBLE ENTRY DIARIES. Emphasis on the diary part, I think. And I think it would be more beneficial if, say, a student was reading a novel in a five person literature circle, and on one side wrote what they thought about a chapter, then switch diaries with another student in the same group, to comment and leave their own thoughts. That way, it’s a DOUBLE diary, and the students are exposed to different thought, while thinking about what they read. ALSO it’s building community in the classroom. Huzza. And then of course, as the teacher, you yourself can participate, and comment on students things. Writing my own thoughts on my students work is something I plan on doing—I always cared more about what I was doing when the teacher actually put some sort of input aside from grammatical errors on my paper.