Laws of Life: A literacy-based intervention for social-emotional and character development and resilience

Abstract

Laws of Life is a literacy-based intervention that allows students to identify and articulate the principles by which they live their lives. In the urban context, such an intervention is vital for reclaiming children's interest in writing and helping them to more intentionally guide their lives and their futures according to positive core values. The principles of Laws of Life are
presented through the example of an eight-year project in Plainfield, New Jersey, a highly disadvantaged urban community in the United States. The importance of such interventions in helping children find resilience despite unrelenting stressors is discussed.