Hi Gladine: You lsted a common and a less comm use for using a journal. Not all teachers use them or find them useful. But to those that do, they can be invluable resources of ideas, comments, thoughts and feelings, outstanding or pitiful student performance, interactions. There's no one right way to use them. But looking back, (for me, 30 years in the classroom), reflection, growth, analysis, and improvement can be observed through comments and inspired teaching moments. Regards, Barry