Class/Lab Journal

The purpose of maintaining a class or lab journal is to utilize writing to help you learn mathematics.  Students keeping a journal will spend a few minutes every day explaining what happened in class or in the lab that day.  A journal should summarize each day's work.  This may involve in-class or out-of-class activities.

The journal entries may be general or specific, depending on the topic covered, the degree to which you understand the topic, or the extent of your interest.  Journal entries may be written in informal language that effectively communicates to yourself, your classmates, and your instructor what feelings, perceptions, and concerns you are having at the time.

Students should write in their journal every day.  Some of the journal ideas may include:

• Important ideas that were studied.

• New words, ideas, formulas, or concepts.

• Questions that you want to ask later.

• A commentary on personal frustrations with a specific topic.

• A record of your feelings and perceptions about what happened in class/lab or while you were working on your homework.

• The length of time spent on the homework.

• What time of day or night the homework was done.

• Students that are absent from class, should discuss in their entry for that day the reason they were absent and what activities they were involved in.

Some of the reasons for keeping a journal include:

• It will record ideas you might otherwise forget.

• It will keep a record of your progress.

• If you have trouble later, it may help you diagnose areas for change or improvement.

• It will build your writing skills.

Some classes will require you to read some journal entries during the semester.  Be prepared to submit your journal periodically during the semester.

The following are sample journal entries taken from previously submitted student journals

03/04/02

Today the professor asked if we wanted the test before spring break.  Most of us decided we wanted it before since it would be an open book test.  We reviewed today for the test on Wednesday.

02/04/02

Day of the exam!  I am here at the lab reading formulas and working problems.
My gosh, if I don't pass this exam, I will totally break down.  It seems the more you read over the material the more confused you get....Maybe I just need a big break!  I pray I get at least an 85....

10/22/01

Basically today we discussed how to add and subtract radicals.  Surprisingly other peers in the class seemed to catch on rather quickly unlike with the other 3 chapters we have learned.  There are of course 1 or 2 people that didn't understand certain steps but they usually don't pay attention which is why they lose track.  Over here on my side we have a repeat "drifter" who usually spends his class period catching up on sleep.....I also need to do better on my lab quizzes.

10/22/01

Today we reviewed section two on adding and subtracting radicals.  I understand clearly when we use the square roots but when it changes to cube roots it kind of throws me off a little...Also my cell phone went on, but it will not happen again.

10/22/01

Today's class was ok.  We learned about radicals and how to simplify them.  Dr. Lerma also talked about how important it is to attend the lab....I learned  a lot today but I really need to learn this material well so that I can pass the next test.

10/11/01

Well I took the the test with a night class.  It was hard but I hope I did good or better than the first test.

10/10/01

We had a test on chapter 5.  I think my grade will be better than the one I got last time.  I understand chapter 5 much better than I did chapter 4.  I just hope I did well enough to pass.

10/01/01

Today was not a good day for me.  I started off my day by locking myself out of my apartment.  I was in such a hurry to get to school that I left my keys on my table and locked my apartment door.   By the time I got to school, I already wanted to leave.  I mean, who could concentrate in class after an ordeal like this....

09/12/01

Today Dr. Lerma talked to us about working in groups.  We had to be in groups of 5 or less and just giving back one assignment per group.  I guess this is pretty good to help each other to do the exercises.  I even even notice that working the exercises helps us better understand what is discussed in class.

8/09/01

Today is the last day to finish all the computer quizzes.  Overall I learned a lot.  I felt that chapter 8 was probably the most difficult.  I finished chapter 11 section 4 and I got a 90.  I was so relieved .  I still have to go back later today and take two more quizzes.  I feel that I did not do so bad.  I thought it was going to be worse.  I really enjoyed being in his class.

06/04/01

The first day of class, Dr. Lerma reminded us about the lab requirement for the course.  At the time I did not even know about the lab.  He passed out the syllabus and went over the requirements for the course.  He then went over some review of arithmetic.  After this, he started lecturing over the topics in chapter 7.  He told us we would have some quizzes during the semester for extra credit.  He made it clear the importance of attending the computer lab and completing the assigned quizzes that would count 30% of our grade.

05/03/01

This will be my last entry for the semester.  I will be turning in the journal the day of the final.  I plan to study hard for the final.  I need to make at least a B in this course.  After a few hours of study, I will take the practice final that Mr. Lerma has in his web page.

04/02/01

Today's class went ok.  I really thought I understood everything my teacher said.  Cramer's rule is easy if you can do the determinants.  It really helps that I have my graphing calculator.  I plan to get together later today with my group to try to work the homework problems for next class.

02/07/01

Today I was so embarrassed in my algebra class.  I fell asleep during Dr. Lerma's lecture and I am sure he noticed that I was dozing off.  It was not that I was not interested or didn't care about what he was talking about.  I was just so tired from work and from not getting enough sleep.

01/31/01

Today Dr. Lerma assigned about 20 problems for homework.  I think I can work the problems on finding the zeros but the graphing problems on the next section are difficult.  I still don't understand how to find the intercepts of the graph.

It took me about two hours to do the homework.  But I was not able to do all the problems.  I will have to go to the tutorial center before class tomorrow.

07/21/00

Today the lab was closed.  I went to SETB lab and I swear I was going to log in the math lab and then my cousin came in and started talking and talking.  I did not get anything done.

07/20/00

I tried section 6 and got a 60.  I am not sure if I am clicking the answer the right way.  The tutor says that I am doing the work correctly but he says that maybe its the typing.  Tomorrow he will sit with me and see what it is.

07/13/00

I took the quiz for chapter 7 section 1.  I got a 90.  I would like to see the problems I got wrong so that way I will know where I went wrong.  I will try to check them out at tomorrow's lab.