Most high schoolers feel very much like a work in progress . As they move through school and learning they encounter excitement, boredom, accomplishment and confusion. Upperclassmen and especially seniors become increasingly aware that school as they know it will be coming to an end. They will cross from the land of having things decided for them to the land where they have increasing choices and responsibility.

When we run matrix groups with high schoolers, the theme is that of “moving toward your future”. We run a basic check in with them (see the April 22nd post) but it is mostly their group to run. We spend a lot of time noticing what they are moving toward as well as the  toward and away moves they are engaged in along the way  ( going to college/trade school, finding work, buying a car, coming in late/leaving early, struggling with relationships, etc.). The future often shows up inside them like a crossing over into a foreign land, a land with lots of promising opportunities and no guarantees. The urge to go back to what is safe and secure often shows up and is a natural reaction to what is experienced as foreign and confusing.

I begin each group by drawing a question mark on the toward side and write the word “uncertain”, along with whatever they identify as important to them. On the away side I write the word “fear”. The group uses the matrix to sort their experiences onto the board. They celebrate their achievements, notice when they are getting stuck (or just get stuck and notice later on) or “losing steam” and learn to ride the bike of taking their fear along for the ride across the bridge to wherever they seem to be pointed. As they get closer to the end of the year their minds churn up sticky thoughts (” I don’t know what to do”, ” I have to have it all figured out” ) along with the excitement of anticipating the next chapter of their lives. It is always a mixed bag. They can look back and see where they have come from and look ahead to see where they are going. Using the matrix helps them keep developing their own unique perspective as they continue the journey to whatever is across the bridge.