Enrichment · Wellbeing

Questions that get a
group thinking about itself.

Pick who is in the circle and what to talk about, and get a deck of questions that people can actually answer out loud, each with a follow-up for when the first answer is short.

Deal a deck of self-reflection questions

The worked example is made up: a grade 7 advisory deck and a staff meeting opener. Answers are spoken, not saved; the page keeps only the cards and your notes.

Loading the deck maker. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Enrichment · WellbeingFree

What you finish with
A deck of 6, 10 or 15 discussion questions for one group, each with a go-deeper question, a think-then-share timer, and cards starred or marked used so the next circle starts fresh.
Who it is for
Teachers and advisory leads in grades 3 to 12, school counselors running groups, youth leaders, and adults opening a staff or team meeting.
Format
Browser card generator with saved decks and a two-phase timer. Prints the cards to cut out or as a list; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Wellbeing space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Choose who is talking and one or more themes.
  2. Set the ground rules: one voice at a time, anyone may pass.
  3. Open the first card in the present view and start the timer: think quietly, then share.
  4. Use the go-deeper question when an answer is short.
  5. Mark the card used, star the ones worth repeating, and note how it went.

Make a discussion deck

Why talk about yourself in a group

Six themes, six kinds of questionStrengthsWhat am Igood at?What doothers see?ValuesWhat mattersto me?Who do Iadmire?GrowthWhat did Ilearn from amistake?ChoicesHow do Idecide?When do Ipause?Who I amWhere do Ifeel likemyself?What is nextWhat am Ilookingforward to?Six themes, six kinds of questionStrengthsWhat am I good at?What do others see?ValuesWhat matters to me?Who do I admire?GrowthWhat did I learn from a mistake?ChoicesHow do I decide?When do I pause?Who I amWhere do I feel like myself?What is nextWhat am I looking forward to?
Drawn for this page. A mix of themes keeps a weekly circle from turning into the same talk.

Self-awareness is a learnable skill

Self-awareness, knowing your strengths, values and feelings, is one of the five skill areas most school social and emotional learning programs teach. A large analysis of 213 school programs found better social skills, behavior and grades on average for students who took part.

Saying it out loud

Putting an experience into words helps people notice and name what is going on. A short, concrete question (“when did you last help someone?”) is far easier to answer than a vague one (“tell us about yourself”).

Keep it safe to share

These cards ask about everyday life, not private pain. Anyone may pass. If someone shares something that sounds unsafe, follow up privately and bring in a school counselor; in a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 in an emergency.

Sources

  1. Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405 to 432. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
  2. Taylor, R. D., Oberle, E., Durlak, J. A., & Weissberg, R. P. (2017). Promoting positive youth development through school-based social and emotional learning interventions: A meta-analysis of follow-up effects. Child Development, 88(4), 1156 to 1171. doi:10.1111/cdev.12864
  3. Lieberman, M. D., et al. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421 to 428. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.x
  4. CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning: the five competency areas, including self-awareness (casel.org).
  5. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Questions were written for this page; the example decks are made up. These cards are for everyday group talk; they are not therapy or an assessment of anyone. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.