A time to express
BVH students offered daily prompts and a safe space during their English class
On Feb. 9, Meisner points at the board as he explains the journal prompt of the day to his students. For this days prompt it was ‘Can social media destroy or improve relationships? Explain’. Meisner gets inspiration from students’ journal prompts from the sticky notes on the right side of the board to be inclusive of what students may find interest in writing about.
Sean Meisner’s English 11 and 12 students rush into room 405 as the one-minute bell rings overhead. They fill in their assigned seats, waiting for a new prompt to write about. Some can already be seen scribbling on their papers and working on their responses.
Meisner is one of the few teachers who created a daily routine of providing students with writing prompts at the beginning of each class period on the white board. Although these prompts can be academic, Meisner’s prompts go beyond school related topics and explore his students’ lives. He explains the process he is using this year pertaining to how the prompts are chosen and the way they can impact students.
“What I started doing [with prompts] this year is on the white board with post-its, [students] wrote journal topics and I’m choosing some of their topics,” Meisner said. “I think that gave them some ownership as well, instead of just me coming up with the topics. I think they like that I use some of theirs.”
The prompts are expected to be answered in one section of half a full page of paper and to be collected every two weeks as part of the students’ academic grades. Meisner explains the importance of his writing prompts and having students express themselves as they learn about others. He notes the value of students writing their own thoughts down, especially in today’s world where “the art of writing is lost”.
“I wanted them to have a chance to write where there are no distractions. When we do this it’s quiet, especially in today’s world where it’s so noisy. [Students have] a chance to have at least 10 minutes of quiet class time,” Meisner said. “They know when they come into class they are gonna have 10 minutes to have thoughts to themselves.”
Senior Alani Keeran, who takes Meisner’s English 12 class, comments on the comfortable environment the writing time offers her and her peers. Furthermore, she elaborates on being able to participate in open discussions after writing.
“I enjoy speaking up about what I believe in and I feel really comfortable in that class. No one judges me and it’s a safe community because everyone respects each other’s opinions,” Keeran said.
Creating a safe space for open discussion allows Meisner’s English 12 students and senior Vivian Schupp the opportunity to bond with her classmates. Moreover, she explains how helpful the writing prompts have been to getting closer to Meisner.
“I feel like other people get to know me more and I get closer to people in my class because I met a new person in [this class] and we started talking because of one of the stories,” Schupp said. “Meisner asks further questions [to your prompt response], I think that’s just a nice way of teaching because he’s trying to get to know me as well.”
Meisner explains that he received positive feedback from his class and has had students express how much they have grown from the writing prompts. He emphasizes the importance of working on the writing prompts and sharing out loud.
“I think it’s important for students to have an environment where they feel safe to express themselves. I have had students cry when reading their journals or become emotional and I think it’s important to not have a judgmental reaction. I don’t want to judge and I don’t want the other students to judge,” Meisner said.
Keeran mentions her growth from responding to the writing prompts and sharing them out to her classmates she does not interact with often. She further expresses her gratitude towards Meisner and his teaching style.
“I am very thankful for Meisner and the fact that he is willing to do things like this. It [the writing and discussion time] seems to provide a really safe space for all students,” Keeran said.
I am a senior at Bonita Vista High and this year's Editor at Large for the Crusader. This is my fourth year on staff, last year being an Arts and Cultures...
