Keeping diaries of one's students is a common practice today as well. I was elementary/special education major (not anymore because I switched to history), and I would have had to keep a diary of all the happenings in a classroom while student teaching. I never got that far, so the only thing I remember from that course of studies is how to write an IEP (Individualized Education Program/Plan). However, while working as a teacher's aid for several summers, I was encouraged to keep a journal so that when I wrote progress reports (my classroom teacher actually trusted me with those) I would remeber what to put for each particular activity/school subject. It was rather interestign experience, and it kept me on my toes the entire summer school session.
It seems that Mr Gibbes used his diary about Aleksey for progress reports to Nikolai and Alix. At least that's what I gather.
