Writing with At-Risk Youth: The Pongo Teen Writing Method (It's Easy to W.R.I.T.E. Expressive Writing)

This book describes a specific program for teaching and mentoring expressive writing by at-risk youth—a program that can generate transformative change in the teens, and generate significant new satisfactions for you. When young people write personally and creatively, it helps them to overcome challenges in their lives. They feel better, think more clearly, are more self-confident, and are better able to relate to others, including their helpers. This personal creative process is enriching and enlivening for everyone. It brings emotional clarity and meaning to everyone. It brings closeness, in addition to learning and growth.Welcome to the Pongo Teen Writing Method. Contents 10 Series Overview: About the It’s Easy to W.R.I.T.E. Expressive Writing Series 12 Foreword 16 Preface 20 Chapter 1. Childhood Trauma and the Benefits of Writing 26 Chapter 2. Pongo, Openness, and a Unique Joy 40 Chapter 3. The Special Role of the Writing Mentor 54 Chapter 4. Poetry as the Expressive Medium 64 Chapter 5. The Pongo Approach to Teaching Poetry 74 Chapter 6. A Model Pongo Writing Project 90 Chapter 7. Keeping Everyone Safe 96 Chapter 8. Introducing Poetry to Youth 104 Chapter 9. Overview of the One-on-One Process 112 Chapter 10. Taking Dictation 120 Chapter 11. Improvising Poetic Structures 132 Chapter 12. Using Fill-in-the-Blank Activities 144 Chapter 13. Overview of the Group Process 152 Chapter 14. The Challenges of Group Process 168 Chapter 15. Publishing Teen Poetry 176 Epilogue: Next Steps 186 References 190 About the Author 192