Background: The writing prompt project is a simple way to promote healthy relationships in schools that involves students, takes minimal classroom time, gives teachers options for how involved to be, and extends over time so it can be more impactful than a one time activity. The project goal is to give voice to healthy student beliefs that might not otherwise get expressed. We hope this will help cultivate and normalize healthy attitudes and beliefs among students.  

Instructions: On one day ideally at the same time all students in the school write for 3-5 minutes a response to the same question, i.e. “What makes a relationship healthy?” Before the writing activity all teachers are provided with small squares of colored paper for students to write on (use 3 or 4 different colors). Students are informed that they should not put their name on their writing, that writings will be posted in the school and may be used on posters or for student based activities. (If students don’t want their anonymous writing used they should indicate this on their paper.) After students write, teachers collect the writings and a project leader collects the writings from teachers. The project leader (or a community partner) then goes through the writings and discards any writings that are inappropriate i.e. contain swear words or jokes. Writings that are controversial but serious should remain as the lend credibility to the project. 

Prior to conducting the writing prompt the project leader introduces the project to staff i.e. during a staff meeting. Most schools announce the prompt at a designated time over the loud speaker so the whole student body writes at the same time. Staff are given a heads up 10 minutes before the announcement so they can brief students, hand out papers and ensure students have a pen/pencil.

Follow-Up:

Level One: All appropriate responses are posted somewhere in the school where students congregate and are likely to read them i.e. outside the cafeteria.  Students are informed of where.

Level Two: The project leader or community partner selects 10 to 20 writings and makes small posters that use the writings. Posters are placed over water fountains, inside bathroom stalls, etc.  Some schools use student art in posters and some keep the posters very simple.

Level Three: This level includes classroom-based or club based activities to deepen the project’s impact. Activities are based on student writings, and staff should be provided with a sample of 10-20 writings to work with. An example of suggested activities are:

1. Read a writing prompt response and ask students if they agree with it.  Why?  Does the writing reflect how students treat each other in friendships? Dating relationships? What would you do if you saw someone being treated poorly?  Are there things we can do or say? Let’s make a list of our ideas. Which is your favorite? Let’s practice what we might say or do using our list of ideas.

2. Give students a list of 12 writings. Ask them to choose one that feels most important to them.  Ask them what they chose and why.  This can be done as a pair and share activity and then students report out.  

3. Give students a list of 4 student writings. Ask them to choose one that feels most important and put them in groups according to what they chose. Tell them to explain to each other why they chose what they chose – and then report out to the class.