In my language class, my students write in their Writer’s Notebook each day. It is a place for them to record their ideas, makes notes, develop characters and ideas, and share their thoughts. It’s a place to work things out.
I have this dream of my students using their math journals in the same way. To this end, we are going to embark on some daily ‘math journal’ strategies–ways to use their journal to collect their ideas and thoughts in math class, much the same way as they do in Writing.
Math Journal Strategy 1: Scratch Pad
The first strategy I’m going to introduce is one that I’m going to call “Scratch Pad”. Students will have their notebook with them as we work on and experience different curriculum material. Their notebook can be a place for them to collect ideas, write down questions and work on figuring out steps and concepts. Ideas will be recorded in pen, and the idea is not necessarily that we’re going for neatness, but rather, a collection of ideas and thoughts. Think of all the evidence of learning that gets lost when kids write in pencil and erase things because they think it’s wrong! It’s always hard for kids at first (and some of my colleagues are horrified!), but in the end, it shows what they have learned and their grasp of concepts. The Scratch Pad is a place to work out mathematical questions.
The Musical Mathematician 