As we’ve come back from winter break, I’ve been putting my “how might we question” into action.
“How might we support students with their SEL through creativity in the arts that encourage vulnerability while also providing meaningful feedback for student growth?”
This is very close to my HMW question from last year as I’m hoping to expand on this project to be able to have my students use what they learn in class as a tool for their self expression and emotional well being well beyond their time with me as their teacher. As a number of students reflected last year that they found this helpful for them dealing with specific thoughts or emotions I tried to develop tools to help students get started if they wish to use this project to express themselves.
I worked with the English teacher to develop a songwriting journal that the students will use in both their English and music classes to help them keep track of themes or thoughts they have throughout the unit. Each journal entry has a prompt to help students get started as some need some help figuring out what to write. As they progress through the journal they slowly start to develop their song lyrics with check ins and feedback given throughout. The journal also allows students to start wherever they feel most comfortable as some students had ideas for lyrics right away and wanted to write them down before they forgot.
I’ll see how this goes over the next couple of weeks as we are just in the started stages of their unit and project. Our students seem excited to be exploring different areas of music and to create something themselves!
Hi Denise, this is a great next step! I’m excited to hear what you have been seeing from your students. I would also be so interested to hear what prompts and questions you have been using to engage the conversation! See you soon!