Journal Writing?????

I kind of like to do journal writings, but I don't really like when iIm told to write because when I'm told to wirte my mind always goes blank. I write on my freetime just because thats when my mind is going on its own. I write everything that's in my mind down. I can write for hours but when I'm told to write i can never thing of anything, especially when I'm giving a topic to write about. Sometimes I will know nothing on a topic and sit there just trying to figure out somthing to write. I have no real thing I would like to write about. I guess just let us write whatever comes to mind and once in ahile give us a topic to write about. You will most likely find that we (the students) actually write more when we are not given a topic and just allowed to write about whatever comes to mind. If you want to get to know most about students just let them wirte., don't give them a topic to write about, just let us write. You will end up very inpressed with what kids write about when not given a topic so much.