Permission Slips

Permission slips give us a practical and familiar way to think about what might
get in the way of us talking about how we feel, asking for what we need, or trying something new. Their primary function is to serve as explicit intention setting.

Most students are familiar with caregivers signing permission slips, but they
have never been asked to think about what they may want to give themselves
permission to do.

Permission slips can be useful tools for teaching us to give thought to what we might need from ourselves and others in terms of support, and they can even help increase accountability.

If the classroom is a safe space to share what we wrote on our permission slips, the sharing process can build connection and trust.

Permission slips can help build a safe container in the classroom before
discussions, presentations, or quizzes—whenever there is a situation in class
where students might feel worried or apprehensive.

This resource is part of a collection of courage-building concepts and tools that can be integrated into the classroom. You can explore more of these resources here.