Privacy Dialogue journals are places of private exchange. Teachers should never share the journals without permission of the student. Students are free to share their journals, and teachers simply ask permission when they want to do so. This imparts a feeling of trust, confidentiality, and ownership all the better to encourage more writing and develop further writing skills. The first entries are written by students.
Teachers can suggest ideas if the students are stuck.
But it is important that students write first because that underlines the fact that it is students themselves who have the power to choose the topics. If students are not used to making choices in these matters, this may be difficult at first. Be patient and encouraging. They will come around. Here is Janie's first entry.