Keeping a "Double Entry" Journal
Reflecting on Your Service and What You've Learned
- In a notebook divide the page into parts length-wise.
Each journal entry should begin with the date and the hours you
volunteered. - For each of your entries, use one or more of the questions
suggested from each side.
- The left side of your journal entries will contain mainly
facts: the who, what, and where of what you did.
- The right side will include the subjective
ideas: thoughts, feelings and opinions.
All must be readable; typed journals are preferred.
Descriptive Comments
- What do you do on a typical day?
- Describe the people you met today.
- Describe the recipients of the service you gave. Describe some
of your
interactions. - Describe the atmosphere of the place.
- What are four things you smelled, saw, heard or touched?
- Describe the equipment you used.
- What was the service that was provided? What makes this
place unique?
- Tell about the best thing that happened to you this week.
- Tell about something somebody said or did, something you said
or did, an
insight you had. What is the most difficult part of your work? What
were
the conditions of the place? - What did people look like?
- Did you work by yourself or in groups?
- Tell about a person there that you find interesting or
challenging to be with.
Explain. - What did you do that made you feel proud?
Subjective Comments
- Why do you think X happened?
- Explain why the course of events happened as it did.
- How have you played a role in this activity?
- Why were you with X people?
- Why were you in X place?
- How do you feel about the service you did today? What did the
body language of the people tell you?
- What do you think a typical day is like for the people you
serve?
- The people you work with? What is the most difficult part of
your work?
- If you were in charge of the agency, would you change anything?
Why or
why not? - How do people see you there? As a staff member? A mend? A
student?
What else? - What do you feel like when you are there? What happened that
made you feel you would (would not) like to do this for a
living? Describe a moment when you felt especially happy or
satisfied. What could you have done better?
- Share some positive/ negative thoughts.