Writing for Wellbeing
- Liz Newman
- May 16
- 2 min read
I think we can all agree that we would like our students to have a great sense of wellbeing and balance in their lives.
Unlocking academic achievement is only one part of our duty of care as educators, and our pastoral responsibilities are often the reason why we started, and what makes us stay, in the job. We care about young people, and we want them to leave school as well rounded individuals who can regulate their emotions and be resilient in the face of any adversity they may face when they leave our care.
I have always been curious about the link between creative writing and wellbeing, and writing for wellbeing specifically. So much of what we do as English teachers is teach a formula for writing to suit a particular exam spec, or, at best, offer creative writing as an extra curricular activity, a 'bonus' for students who are particularly passionate about writing in their own time.
What if we viewed writing as an essential way students could connect with themselves and process their emotions, and their busy, ever changing lives? This introspection could be vital to maintaining healthy relationships and contribute to their sense of wellbeing.
This brings me to the most precious and rare commodity we have as teachers: time. I am sure most English teachers would agree that more time for creative writing would be lovely, that their students would certainly benefit from writing prompts which urged them to connect with their imaginations whilst simulataneously serving some kind of therapeutic purpose. Alas, when faced with what we would like to do and what the exam boards stipulate, the pressure on us to meet deadlines and achieve the best exam results for our students often trumps time for creative expression.
So, I put it to school leaders, could creative writing feature in PSHE or citizenship lessons? The research suggests it would be a great idea.
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