Saint Paul Public Schools
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Want to Know More? There are several fields of thought and practice that inform the work of The Poetry Lab. This method (using small groupwork as a forum where students learn to use creative writing, journaling, and poetry as a healthy coping strategy) is founded in several fields of thought. including: 1. Social Group Work 2. Bibilotherapy/Poetry Therapy 3. Resiliency 4. Spoken Word as a Culturally Relevant Tool to work with youth ----------------- One field of thought that the Poetry Lab is founded on is the notion of resiliency. Resiliency promotes protective factors in helping reduce risks and encouraging positive social development. Profiles of resilient children include: social competence, problem solving skills, autonomy, and a sense of purpose and future (Center for Mental Health In Schools). Additional protective factors include caring and support and youth participation and connectedness. This method provides youth a sense of belonging, a reduced sense of isolation, and increased confidence and sense of competence. This strategy aims to increase these particular protective factors. If youth have healthy strategies available to them, as well as ongoing support through a meaningful community, they are less likely to succumb to un-healthy coping strategies when they are struggling with depression or difficult life circumstances. The circles offers support, a place for positive peer relationships, an opportunity to talk about teen issues and the chance for students to share their writing with others, increasing youths belief in the value of self, and their stories, while understanding themselves and others in a creative/respectful way. --------------- The Poetry Lab teaches urban youth who receive special education services that written/spoken self expression can be a healthy coping strategy. The Poetry Lab emphasizes positive mental health promotional messages and skills for at-risk youth, and fosters pre-literacy skills and interest for youth. Through the development of the Poetry Lab, we provide students a safe place to understand themselves and others, and to share their stories. By engaging urban youth in creative self-expression we are increasing their sense of connectedness, hope, competence, confidence, and ability to use writing as a healthy way to manage lifes struggles. The Poetry Lab is an effective way to build community, empower the voices of youth, and increase adolescent protective factors mitigating against at-risk behaviors and emphasizing positive mental health messages and skills. This process also fosters pre-literacy skills, interest and comfort with writing skills that a youth can bring into other academic areas. |