They wrote about anxiety. They wrote about depression. Finally, they wrote about death.
This week’s writing prompt: how did the pandemic affect you?
Some of them didn’t want to write about the pandemic. That was fine. I wasn’t going to make them. The point was to get everyone writing.
Then there were the share outs. This is where it got really interesting. One class did really well with respectfully listening to their classmates without comment. The other class, not so much. Also, some students asked me to read their pieces. Their subject matter was too painful for them to read. I was honored they asked.
These Friday writing sessions have been a powerful reminder of how important it is to give students agency and a chance to be heard. Just one of the many reasons students should write as much as possible.