Implementing Morning Pages in Your Classroom

As educators, we know that writing can be a powerful tool to help children regulate their emotions. It’s linked to lower rates of depression, stronger social and emotional learning (SEL) skills, and improved emotional processing. To help take advantage of these benefits, I’ve adapted a practice called morning pages to set my students up for calmer, more emotionally regulated days in the classroom.

The idea of morning pages comes from Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, in which adults write by hand in a journal first thing each morning as a brain dump to quiet a racing mind. In my classroom, I’ve seen how the practice has given my students a low-stress routine to begin the day that allows them to release whatever is on their minds.

INTRODUCING MORNING PAGES

To get started with morning pages, it is important to set students up with the materials they need and ensure that they understand how to engage in the practice and why it is helpful. In my classroom, I give each student a journal at the start of the year to use exclusively for morning pages throughout the year. I let them decorate the cover however they like, so it feels personal and safe.

Next, I explain what morning pages are—the process of journaling to start the day—and why we are going to complete them each day. I keep this explanation simple and concrete: “Sometimes we come to school with big feelings or busy thoughts already swirling in our heads, and that can make it hard to focus. When we write those thoughts down, they lose some of their power over us, and our brain and body can feel calmer.” This language helps students understand why we’re doing this and gets them invested in the practice.

Finally, I let students know that they are welcome to write whatever they want; there are no rules. Students don’t need to worry about spelling, grammar, or making sense of what they write—they can write, scribble, or doodle whatever comes to mind.

I’ve found it helpful to share with students examples of morning pages I create that show imperfect handwriting, repeated thoughts, doodles, etc., to show them that this process isn’t about getting it “right.” I never draw attention to spelling or whether something even makes sense, reinforcing that the point is simply to let thoughts out, not to produce polished writing.

BUILDING A daily journaling ROUTINE

Once you’ve introduced the process, it is important to actually create a routine of it so that students reap the benefits of calming their minds and feeling better prepared to tackle the day ahead. In my classroom, I set a timer for five minutes each morning after our schoolwide announcements are complete for students to write.

While they are writing, I play calm instrumental music and model the same behavior I ask from my students: I write along with them. My writing during this time, rather than circulating, lets students be more honest and vulnerable, since they know the practice is private. It also gives me a few minutes to separate from whatever else is going on and show up more regulated and present for my students.

As part of the process, I encourage students to reflect on how they feel after writing. I don’t always have them answer out loud, but I always ask students to at least think about and notice how they feel when the timer goes off.

As you work to build the routine, it’s important to remember that it takes time to click. One student told me flatly that they hated writing and barely put anything on the page for the first two weeks. When I learned that this student loved comics, I suggested they draw comics about their thoughts and feelings instead. By the end of the year, that student was filling entire pages.

ALLOWING STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR PAGES

While a key component of this practice is that students can write without having to hand anything in, I give students the option to have me read what they’ve written if they want. When the timer goes off, students either put their journals away, or put them into a bin on my desk if they want me to read what they’ve written that day.

Sometimes students want to tell me something exciting going on outside of school or share something they are nervous about. If students are going to share their writing, it is important to be prepared if a student shares something that needs to be addressed by a social worker or counselor, so I encourage teachers to have a plan in place to escalate anything if it arises.

I also recommend consulting a school social worker or counselor if you notice a pattern building over time: repeated references to feeling lonely, not fitting in, feeling empty, or having a hard time feeling happy. Catching those patterns early can make a real difference in getting students the support they need.

USING MORNING PAGES TO INFORM SEL INSTRUCTION

Over the course of the year, students share more and more with me as we build a trusting relationship. When I’m able to read what students share, I can often identify patterns that inform my teaching. For example, if several students are writing about friendship struggles, I can add more read-alouds or SEL time focused on peer conflict. If students are writing about pressure to get good grades or perform well in sports, I’ll bring in lessons on positive self-talk.

This keeps our SEL time responsive to what students are actually experiencing, without ever singling out an individual student.

Our morning pages practice has helped students find a sense of calm that they can carry throughout the school day. It has helped them better regulate their own emotions and develop a more trusting relationship with me as they share the things that are on their minds. Plus, morning pages can help students develop their writing stamina and confidence.