Writing as Social-Emotional Learning

Even just a few minutes of writing can spark focus, empathy, and emotional growth.

DR. JEN GOWERS
Instructional Specialist

​When we envision social-emotional learning, we may think of young people learning to regulate their emotions, maintain positive relationships, and boost their empathy or compassion for others. In turn, we may think that in order to uplift it in our classrooms and schools, we need to incorporate new curricula and teaching. But what if it was as simple as just making more space and time for more expressive writing? 

In our work at CPET, we often (if not always!) begin our own professional meetings with Writing for Full Presence, a brief yet highly impactful activity where we are given time to simply write out everything that may be on our minds, so that we can start our time together fully present. The grace, space, and dignity afforded in these moments can’t be overstated: we’re given the gift of a few moments to clear our heads of every human thing that happened to us before we got there, and in doing so, the fullness of our humanness is seen, accounted for, and given room to breathe.

This is one way of bringing clarity, focus, and humanity, with writing serving as social-emotional learning, and here’s another: when I was a teacher, I practiced Linda Trichter Metcalfe and Tobin Simon’s Proprioceptive Writing with my students at the behest of a very wonderful ELA colleague at my school who touted the benefits and wanted all young people to experience it. Known to boost attention, confidence, empathy, relational capacity, and emotional health, my high school students looked forward to it as a brief but important daily practice (it also made them stronger writers)! The reset provided by 5-7 minutes of a quiet space where young people can write about whatever they choose (in a day often without much choice, and often largely otherwise dictated by other people) was invaluable. 

---

Making Space for Small Moments

​There are many other simple incorporations of expressive writing: writing yourself a letter (about the start of the year, the end of the year, an upcoming goal, or anything at all), keeping a journal, or even just having choice in how you write what you’re learning about in class. All can make way for greater social and emotional health and wellbeing. 

So, school leaders and classroom teachers, consider making time for expressive writing by:

• Setting aside anywhere from 3-10 minutes of class time at least 2 or 3 times weekly
• Selecting a practice, like Writing for Full Presence or Proprioceptive Writing, or
• Selecting an activity, like writing yourself a letter or writing a journal entry, or
• Offering a choice in how students complete a writing assignment about the content
• Giving space to your students to use how they see fit to regulate their emotions, manage their relationships, or boost their empathy.

Offering a little time back to our young people and asking them to use it in writing can result in enumerable glorious benefits for emotional health. How simple and how powerful to know that social emotional learning is available to us all in the tiny but mighty act of asking folks to write! 

---

Your Next Step

Build Community Through Intentional Practice
​When students are invited to express themselves, even in short writing moments, it strengthens emotional wellbeing and classroom connection. Creating the Classroom Culture supports you in establishing routines and relationships that make those moments possible and meaningful every day. Learn more & enroll ​→