Task 2a

Task 2a:  Journal Writing

In the past I have not been the most consistent person when it comes to keeping a journal of my daily events or even making sketches for my art work. This is not to say that I don’t reflect through the day’s events or about my work, but I don’t usually write it down. In any project I work on, I do however, make sure I keep notes and lists. Since I have started to keep a journal I realise that if I don’t write things down I have only my memory to rely on, which fades over time. So far, my experience of journal writing has been very different to my usual noting down or list writing. Making a journal allows me to keep a clear and detailed recording of each day. I have used my journal for writing down ideas, recording events of the day, keeping meetings notes, noting actions that need to be taken and to express my overall thoughts on all of my activities throughout the day.

Writing in my journal is like having a conversation with myself, but talking out loud rather than in my head. I feel that writing an idea down and then spending time to reflect back on it helps me process my thoughts. It enables me to visualise how an idea could actually work, which in turn makes it easier to turn a thought into reality. This has been the most positive outcome for me of writing a journal.

I have had an idea for some time to run an art project at my school. After talking to the Headmaster about the project, I have been asked to put a proposal together to present to the management. I have had informal conversations with other staff members who I would like to work with. The project did not feel real until I started to write about it in my journal and have that first conversation about it with myself. I started to think about the aims and objectives, staffing, time scales, materials and who the participants would be. From this point, I felt that I could start contacting relevant people to brain storm some ideas; sourcing materials and to talk about possible obstacles.

Through simply writing my ideas down I was able to take action. I had a really good meeting with my colleague, in which we addressed some of the aims and objectives and decided on what we needed to do to facilitate the project. My journal provided the personal space I needed to reflect on the meeting and even writing this blog enhances that reflection process. I have realised how keeping a journal can be beneficial to my working practice, so I will continue having conversations with myself out loud.