How is a journal writing program developed in a mathematics curriculum?

The purpose of this qualitative research was to improve my methods of teaching in mathematics. The research was designed to answer one central question: How is a journal writing program developed in a mathematics curriculum? Historically writing has been excluded from the mathematics curriculum. Since standards in mathematics have changed, writing has become an integral part of the curriculum. With the integration of writing in a mathematics curriculum, students are becoming better problem solvers. Information for my study came from local teachers in the Pacific I, Northwest along with teachers across the country via the internet. Teachers aided me with journal entries from students and their participation in interviews and surveys. In order to protect the confidentiality of the teachers and students in the study I did not use their names. Through the analysis of the data collected, my research answered the central question: How is a journal writing program developed in a mathematics curriculum? There are seven aspects of a journal writing program in a mathematics curriculum: 1) Organization of the journals; 2) How often students write in their journals; 3) The time given for journal entries; 4) Type of journal writing approaches; 5) The use of the journals in the classroom; 6) Reading the journals; and 7) Assessing the journals. All of these flexible aspects play an important part in the development of a journal writing program in a mathematics curriculum