I was talking to a 15-year-old girl the other day who was telling me about how her drama teacher held an extended check-in that lasted the entire class and how the class responded to his questions.
He asked thoughtful questions like “What is something you wish you could change?” and “What do you want people to know about you?”
The girl said the group began sharing “very deep, personal stuff” that was surprising. She never imagined that that boy’s father was an alcoholic and that girl is dealing with mental health issues.
Yet, the group felt safe in their confiding. The teacher held the group in a way that allowed the students to open up and take their lives seriously if only for an hour. They revealed other selves that are usually kept hidden.
I asked how it felt to share so openly and the girl answered, “at first, it was intense but then it seemed like I was seeing people for the first time. It was a really great class.”
Social Emotional Living 