Teaching Diary: A Tool for an Effective Teaching

Abstract:
Teaching, now a days, has become a challenging and ever changing profession. It is transforming
in all aspects like the learner, teaching environment and curriculum. Teaching must be done in accordance
with the learner’s needs. A teacher is expected to satisfy the needs of the learner. So, a teacher should
introspect within himself and recognize the shortcomings in himself as well as the teaching methodology.
He has to undergo some critical analysis and find ways and means to improve the learning process.
Teaching is not merely providing information to the learner but it is bringing a radical change in learning
process which leads to the grooming of a good knowledgeable learner. So, a teacher has to plan all the
learnig process critically before teaching the learner. It will help in avoiding bad practices implemented by a
teacher unintentionally and at the same time makes the learning process effective and comfortable to the
learner. It can be done by meticulous planning and careful recording of every aspect of learning process in
detail by the teacher before taking a class. Finall, a Teaching Diary is a great help in this regard.

Introduction:

“ If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday, we rob them of tomorrow.”

From the above quote, it is clear that the teaching methodology should meet the learner’s attitude and
behaviour. It should not be the same method as well as monotonous. Now and then, A teacher should
devise new approaches, methods and techniques to make the learning process interactive and effective.
So, he requires a comprehensive feedback on the teaching learning process and modification of
behaviour in the learner’s behaviour.

Here, we can think of a teaching diary. It is a personal record of teacher-learner experiences in classroom
environment maintained by the teacher only. It can be prepared by an individual teacher as well as a group
of teachers. What should be recorded? It may contain objectives of topic discussed in the class, something
that happened/worked well in the class, something that did not work well in the class, a teacher’s beliefs,
generalisations, understanding, feelings, questions and problems related to the experiences of the class etc.
there is no fixed structure/ method for a teaching diary. A teacher can prepare the diary on his own
priorities.
A Teaching Diary has some benefits; they are:
i) Reframing perceptions and assumptions: It provides time for a teacher to analyse the learning
process and identify some disastrous moments during the class room environment. It helps the
teacher in reframing and restructuring the methodology and refines the learning environement.
ii) Providing feedback: It provides the teacher time to rewind the learning experiences and think of
it quietly on the affected behaviour of the learners after the teaching. A teacher can adjust his
teaching methods or techniques based on the feedback.
iii) Writing skill: It will provide practice to the teacher in writing when he/she analyses and
evaluates the experiences of the learner and the teacher himself. It can improve the writing
ability of the teacher.
iv) Knowledge of Professional Practice: It can also provide the teacher with the difficulties faced
by the teacher and the learner in real situations. So, definitely, it helps him in his professional
development.
v) Examining general beliefs/principles: It’s a tool for examination of general beliefs/ principles
of the teacher towards teaching the learner and the learning process for his professional practice
and development.
vi) Pointer to future classroom arrangements: it acts as a reference or pointer to the future class
room discussions and arrangements. It makes the future class room situations fruitful and
enjoyable.
vii) Modification of teaching methods: It’s a great help in changing/adapting suitable
methodologies for an efficient learning environment in the future. He can easily identify the
methods that failed in the learning process.
A replica of Teaching Diary:

Name of the Teacher : P.C.VISWANATH Date : 09/2/2015

Class : CSE Time : 10:15 AM

S. Objectives No.of Lesson Concept Methodology Fulfillment Feedback Reflections Teaching Remarks
N Students or employed of of students Aids
o Unit Objectives
1 To create 60 Technology Technology Lecture Objectives It was taken The The students are
awareness with human method and are not from students Black confused. They
about face sentence to completely students felt that the Board cannot pay
technology sentence fulfilled.Stu orally. lesson was attention to the
explanation of dents are not They are dry and lesson. Some
the lesson. clear about interacted dificult to other method
the lesson. by me understand. should have been
personally. employed for the
lesson.
2 To teach 60 Technology Technology Oral Students Oral They felt Students
students with human Explanation learnt the feedback that the Black understood the
vocabulary face of meaning meaning but was taken. words are Board meaning but
from the and meanings not clear. Students complex cannot use the
lesson are given in are tested and strange word in a
the mother their to them. sentence.
tongue. vocabulary They
level. wanted
more
practice.
 Here, the students of CSE were taught the lesson Technlogy with a human face. The objectives were set, the methodology was
selected for the class. Everything was recorded in the teaching diary. After careful examination of the diary, it was clear that the
objectives were not achieved and students were not clear about the lesson. The methodology selected for the lesson was not good
for the lesson. The students also failed in learning the vocabulary because of the methods used. So, Teaching Diary, now, guides
us to make the lesson more effective and fruitful for the next batch of students by bringing required changes in methodology and
content delivery. So, as a teacher, one should analyse the teaching diary maintained by him and make the learning process
comfortable and conducive to the student community.

Name of the Teacher : P.C.VISWANATH Date : 10/2/15

Class : CSE Time : 11.00 A.M

S. Objectives No.of Lesson Concept Methodology Fulfillment Feedback Reflections Teaching Remarks
N Stude or employed of of students Aids
o nts Unit Objectives
1 To create 60 Technology Technology Presentation The objective It was The studetns The students enjoyed
awareness with human and certain is achieved. taken told that they Audio the class. They paid
about face pictures and Students paid through paid more visual attention to the class.
technology videos were attention to oral attention to aids The lesson is clear
incorporated the lesson. interaction the lesson because of audio-
to make the and given and visual aids like
lesson more positively understood pictures, videos etc.
effective. about the better now.
lesson.
2 To teach 60 Technology Vocabulary Activity The objective They gave The students Students are asked to
students with human is achieved. the good felt that they Flash prepare the flash
vocabulary face Students feedback had good Cards cards. As a teacher, I
from the understood about practice in assisted them. All
lesson words and vocabulary. vocabulary. students were
meanings. engaged in the flash
card preparation.
Here, the students of ECE were taught the same lesson Technlogy with a human face. The objectives were set, the methodology
was selected for the class. Everything was recorded in the teaching diary. After careful examination of the diary, it was clear that
the objectives were achieved here and students were clear about the lesson. The methodology selected for the lesson was good
for the lesson. The lesson was explained with the help of presentation which uses some pictures and videos. It arises some interest
among them in the lesson. The students also succeeded in learning the vocabulary because of the methods used. So, Teaching
Diary, now, helped us to make the lesson more effective and fruitful for the next batch of students.
A Teaching Diary can be prepared by the teacher on his priority. An individual teacher or a group of teachers can design their
own teaching diary. He should spend some time to write the diary at the end of the class/ after the class.

Conclusion:
A Teaching Diary will definitely play a vital role in our teaching-learning process. It will show the difficulties of
the teacher and leads to an effective solution. A teacher should be the first student in the class and should be a continuous
learner. He should always learn how to make the learning process effective and efficient to his students. He has to identify
new approaches, techniques and methods to develop his learners in every possible aspect. A teacher can rely on this diary
and can bring the required changes in his teahcing strategies. As Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan says, “ Change is the Law of
Nature.” We can also apply this to education. We should strive to bring better chages in the process of teaching-learning
environment for the betterment of the student community.