Now is a great time to encourage kids to practice habits that are truly useful in their daily lives. And nothing is more daily than a daily journal.
Keeping a journal helps students process a confusing time, record history from their perspective, and remember a significant time in their own lives. A journal also helps kids reflect on how their personal lives are impacted by global events, and share their feelings with adults who care about them.
Want your students to keep a journal? Here are some tips to help them get started!
Make it Manageable: A basic structure helps kids get started, but too much structure makes writing burdensome.
- Keep it Simple: Choose a format that makes it easy for kids to write each day.
- Keep it Open: Allow for lots of choice and flexibility. A format is helpful, but it’s okay to change it up over time.
- Keep it Social: This can be a solitary endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. Kids can keep a family diary with their siblings, or share with classmates.
Format: Help kids choose a format that appeals to them.
- 3 Lines a Day: Write down three lines/sentences each day.
- Long-Form: Write several paragraphs each day.
- Scrapbook: Combine photos, articles, letters and anything else in a notebook. Write your own reflections or captions for each.
- Pictures: This is good for younger kids. Write down a few notes about the day, and have the kids illustrate.
Topics: You can write about anything, but here are some ideas:
- Everyday Life: Write down what you did today.
- Feelings: Write down how you are feeling, and try to explain why.
- Compare/Contrast: Write about your day, and compare it to a normal day before COVID-19.
- Description: Choose one thing (person, object, weather) and describe it as clearly as you can. Take as much time as you need to choose the best words you can.
- News/Events: Write about what’s happening in the world at large. You can even record statistics (number of cases each day in your area).
Inspiration: Historians collect journals written during global events. You can read about them here:
- 1918 Influenza Diaries
- Journaling Tips from a Historian
- Violet Harris’ Diary Violet Harris was 15 during the 1918 pandemic, and she began keeping a diary when school’s closed. This one is so interesting!
Of course, your kids may also want an escape from reality, in which case they can respond to these 3 Fun, Creative Writing Prompts.
How are you helping your kiddos write during distance learning? Do you have photos or posts I can add to my “Inspiration List?” If so, share with me in the comments or on Instagram (@teacherinexile).
