Early adolescence is a time of massive physical, mental and emotional changes, when students are figuring out their self-identities and beginning to form opinions about the world and their place in it. Adding a pandemic into their already-shifting internal landscapes is definitely challenging, but it also offers increased opportunities for self-reflection. As part of their socio-emotional curriculum, the Middle School students have been assigned a daily journaling project. Each weekday they’re required to be outdoors and writing for a minimum of ten minutes. While there are writing prompts assigned daily, the students are encouraged to use them as a starting point and then let their thoughts and their pens flow without judgement. The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting that they not only write for longer most days, but once they get outside they’re often motivated to stay out and enjoy the fresh air.
