My Summer Story

Use the space below to write your personal narrative about this summer. Remember to include vivid sensory details, dialogue or thoughts, and your reflections on how the experience shaped you.

Reflection Questions

1. What was the most memorable moment of your summer?

2. Did you face any challenges? How did you respond?

3. What did you learn about yourself through these experiences?

4. How might these summer experiences influence your school year ahead?

Teacher Coaching Script

This script provides exact phrasing, follow-up prompts, and affirmations to guide the one-on-one session.

Greeting & Warm-Up (2 min)

Teacher says:
"Hi [Student Name], it’s great to see you! I hope you had a wonderful summer. To get us started, can you think of one word that sums up your summer?"

If student responds with a word, follow up:
• "Why did you pick that word? Tell me more about what made your summer feel [student’s word]."
• "What’s one quick example that comes to mind when you think of that word?"

Affirmation:
"Thank you for sharing—that’s a really insightful way to describe your summer!"

Mini Reflection Chat (5 min)

Teacher says:
"Let’s dive a bit deeper. What was one highlight or favorite moment from your summer?"

If student hesitates:
• "It could be something simple—maybe a place you visited, an activity you enjoyed, or someone you spent time with."

After they share, ask:
"Did you also face any challenges over the summer? If so, what happened?"

Listen and then say:
"How did that challenge make you feel? What did you do to handle it?"

Affirmation:
"I appreciate you being honest about that. It takes courage to talk about challenges—and you handled it thoughtfully."

Ask:
"Looking back, what emotions stand out to you during those moments?"

Journaling Session (8 min)

Teacher says:
"Great reflections! Now let’s get these ideas down on paper. Here are your My Summer Story Pages and this slide deck of Personal Narrative Prompts."

Invite writing:
"Focus first on Prompt 1—capture a vivid memory by describing what you saw, heard, smelled, tasted, or felt. Then you can move on to Prompt 2, 3, or 4, whichever feels most inspiring."

Circulate and offer support:
• "Would you like me to model a sentence or show you an example?"
• "How’s it going? Do you need more time on one prompt or a quick phrase to get started?"
• "Remember: use dialogue or inner thoughts to bring your story to life."

Share & Celebrate (3 min)

Teacher says:
"You’ve written some powerful scenes—thank you for your hard work! Would you like to read a short excerpt you’re proud of?"

After student reads, respond with specific feedback:
"I really enjoyed how you described [detail, e.g., the sound of waves or the feeling of excitement]. That made me feel like I was right there with you."

Invite a quick positive activity:
"Let’s finish by choosing one positive moment from today’s work to carry with you—what feels most meaningful?"
Positive Memory Share Guide

Wrap-Up & Next Steps (2 min)

Teacher says:
"This was a fantastic start to your personal narrative. How do you feel about what you wrote today?"

Highlight growth:
"You captured strong sensory details and showed real reflection on how you handled challenges."

Set a small goal:
"For our next check-in, maybe try adding a bit more dialogue or expand on another memory. You’re off to a great start—keep building on this!"

Positive Memory Share

Today you’ve done some meaningful reflective and writing work. Let’s finish by noting one positive moment to carry forward.

1. What positive moment from today’s session stands out to you?

2. Why was this moment meaningful or encouraging?

3. How can you use that positive feeling or insight in the rest of your day—or throughout the school year?