By Sabrina Fay
The students' Port to Port journals are a culmination and microcosm of their personal and learning experiences in the class, and each one reflects its author's personality. Creating these journals is a labor of love, and this week I had a chat with one of last year's students, who still remembered a great deal about her work despite the time away from it and the class. Below are her paraphrased responses to a few interview questions, crafted to shed light on how these journals help the students of Port to Port in and out of academics as wells as on Anastacia's personal process:
1. What’s your favorite piece of artwork from the journal and why?
My drawing of an Ancient Egyptian pharaoh, because it was my first-ever drawing in the journal and it brings back memories of exploring my artistic side and having fun learning about just a small part of Ancient Egyptian culture, which is such a rich subject.
2. What was your favorite part about the field studies you went on?
I liked the sights I got to see while out and about; being in the moment and focusing on being mindful of what was around me was very peaceful and enlightening.
3. What unit from the class taught you the most?
I think I learned the most from the French Revolution, because the class spent the most time on it and watched several films about it, like a documentary on Versailles and the film Les Miserables.
4. What’s your least favorite entry in your journal and why?
My least favorite entry was my watercolor of the pier; I think I could’ve done the whole thing better if I had spent more time on it. I’m not an artist, so it’s hard for me to translate the world’s beauty into a painting on a page.
5. Do you think journaling is a useful tool for making and analyzing observations? How has it helped you hone your critical thinking skills?
Yes; I think it’s helped me become a better critical thinker because it taught me to be more aware of my surroundings and become a better observer; it also taught me to reflect on my experiences and what valuable skills or knowledge I can gain from them.
6. Did you enjoy writing or making/collecting artwork more for your journal? Why?
I enjoyed the art, because I’m a visual learner and seeing those visualizations on the page let me connect them to their broader historical importance.
7. If you had to make a journal for another class in the future, would you feel prepared?
Of course! Creating this journal has helped me become better at paying attention to details and critical thinking; these skills can be applied in many areas, even though in my future classes my journals will probably be more science-focused.
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See some other student journals by checking out the Student Journals page in the gallery!