Frequently Asked Questions
What is the intended age for Jot Journal?
We believe that you know your youth best. Although the intended audience of Jot Journal is for youth between the ages of 7-12, some youth younger than 7 and older than 12 may also benefit from Jot Journal. The questions are written broadly - so youth newer to the skill of writing may write shorter responses and youth nearing adolescence may write more detailed responses.
2. I am educator and I am interested in using Jot Journal in the classroom. Can I do that?
We have gotten a lot of inquiries from educators on how to implement Jot Journal within schools. We are developing ways to adapt Jot Journal for 1 adult who connects to many youth- stay tuned!
If you are interested in using the current version of Jot Journal to be used in an educational setting, consider the following factors:
Some educators are recommending Jot Journal to parents and parent groups as a way to support social and emotional learning in educational environments.
Jot Journal is intended to be between 1 adult and 1 youth. If one Jot Journal is used between several youth, it may make the connection process more challenging because responses may be seen by others. As can be seen from our Set It Up page in Jot Journal (one of the first pages of the journal, see below), the youth and adult decide who can see the responses. To ensure the young person’s privacy, we recommend that you clearly discuss who may see Jot Journal.
The majority of questions in Jot Journal can be answered between an educator and a youth. However, a few questions may not be applicable to the educator- student relationship. For example, a couple of questions prompt participants to engage in activities in the larger community or reference a longer-term relationship. Some educators may find that these prompts fall outside of their role.
As you consider incorporating Jot Journal into your educational institution, we encourage you to do so while following the legal and ethical guidelines dictated by your profession and your organization’s policies and procedures.
3. I am a mental health provider and am interested in using Jot Journal with clients. How should I do that?
Mental health agencies and providers have seen the value of using Jot Journal. If you are interested in using the current version of Jot Journal to be used in a therapeutic relationship, consider the following factors:
Some mental health clinicians are recommending Jot Journal to parents as a way to support mental wellness in conjunction with therapy.
Others are considering using Jot Journal within the therapy room, especially if the goals of therapy align with improving self-esteem, self-care, developing coping strategies, and enhancing social relationships. If you are a mental health provider interested in using Jot Journal within the therapy room, please note that a few questions may fall outside the scope of your professional role. For example, some questions reference a longer-term relationship or doing activities outside in the community. However, the majority of the questions support emotional and social health.
As you consider incorporating Jot Journal into your clinical practice, we encourage you to do so while following the legal and ethical guidelines dictated by your profession and your organization’s policies and procedures.