Well, this is actually something I have tried sometimes, especially when I was studying for my master's degree in Groningen (The Netherlands). However, for one reason or another, I didn't fully implement it in my teaching practice. There were just a couple of times when I took some notes, after having confronted a difficult situation in class with an outcome that wasn't as satisfactory as I would've desired.
Be that as it may, in those moments and situations in which I've used some means to write my thoughts, I've found that it is a really useful tool. Keeping a reflective journal really does help you dig into any thought or problem you are facing so that you can understand the fundamentals of it. This way, you can devise a line of action, this is, the next steps to take in order to pursue the goals you set for yourself.
It is important, though, to follow some guidelines. When reflecting about your practice, your performance, your thoughts, whatever... you must be honest with yourself. Don't try to clean up whatever you have done, to make it appear less painful. The aim of your reflective journal should be to help you improve. put your thoughts in order, and become a better version of yourself. It is paramount, therefore, to describe facts and ideas clearly and honestly.
Another important point that I have found useful is to write a call to action after describing whatever reflection you have expressed. This is especially useful when you write an entry in your journal to describe some kind of problem or situation you have faced. Just after a detailed explanation of the facts, try and propose some kind of steps to follow in order to solve the problem, or to avoid a similar situation in the future. If you consider it relevant, you can include also some kind of deadline. For example, if I have faced a recurrent problem of behaviour in class, I would describe it, propose some steps to take, and write a date in which I would revise if that line of action worked.
Remember to be specific and clear with the steps you propose, and to set some kind of reminder to check if everything is working according to plan.
That is the way I am working now that I have resumed my use of reflective writing to improve my teaching. I keep a digital "Class Journal" (for which I use the app Diaro), which allows me to keep track of my thoughts and revise them focusing on topics or common features (thanks to the use of tags). Just the fact of translating your thoughts into text is an excellent way to become aware of certain things. But when you complete that with a clear proposal and some deadlines, your reflective journal becomes a powerful tool to help you become a better version of yourself.
I encourage you to start doing this practice and leave a comment if you feel like it.
Happy teaching, enjoy your learning!
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