This I Believe in the Classroom

Hundreds of teachers around the country—in almost every state—have embraced This I Believe as a powerful educational tool. Many have told us that our project was the most enriching writing assignment they have given in many years of teaching. To help teachers guide students through exploring their beliefs and then composing personal essays about them, we offer the following tools:

Where do you want to go?

• Download High School Curriculum
• Download College Curriculum
• Download Submission Agreement
• Download a poster and brochure
• Learn how others are using This I Believe in the classroom
• How to submit student essays
• Testimonials
• Contact Us

Educational Curricula

These educational curricula were designed to help teachers guide students in the writing of a This I Believe essay appropriate for inclusion in school writing portfolios. The curricula help students understand the concept of belief, explore their own values, and craft them into a well-written essay. They include sample This I Believe essays and related exercises. There are currently two curricula, one suitable for use in high schools, and the other for college. However, many educators have successfully adapted the curricula for younger age groups. Search the educator database for ideas on how to do so.

• Download the High School Curriculum (PDF)
• Download the College Curriculum (PDF)
• Download Submission Agreement (PDF)
• (Both require Adobe Acrobat)

Brochure and Poster for Use in the Classroom

Download this free brochure and poster to promote This I Believe activities happening in your classroom. The three-page brochure measures 8.5 by 11 inches and features tips for writing one's own This I Believe essay. The poster measures 11 inches by 17 inches and is ideal to hang in classrooms. Both documents are best printed in color. For best results, these documents may be printed at your local print shop.

• Download the Brochure
  (Requires Adobe Acrobat)
• Download the Poster
  (Requires Adobe Acrobat)

Learn How Others Are Using This I Believe in the Classroom

Search the educator database to see how others are using This I Believe in the classrooms.

Click here to participate in our effort to find out how educators are using This I Believe as part of their classroom experiences.

Submitting Students' Essays

Our preference for accepting essay submissions is through our online submission form (for students age 13 and older).

After you've asked parents or guardians to sign the Submission Agreement forms, your students can submit their essays online. When they begin the process, they will need to click the link at the bottom of the page that says "I Agree With the Terms of Submission." Since their parents have already signed the permission forms, it is okay if the students click this link.

On the next page, your students can copy and paste their essays into the field provided. There is also a field for "reflections" on having written their essay. This is optional.

After you have collected the Submission Agreement forms, you can mail them to us at the address below. Of course, we do accept essays through U.S. Mail as well, so if that is easier for you or your students, feel free to do so. Essays received through the mail do take a little longer to be reviewed, and those essays will not be placed in our online essay database.

Please note that if your students are age 12 or younger, we ask that you only submit their essays via U.S. Mail. It is the policy of This I Believe to comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which is aimed at strengthening protection for minors on the Internet.

Mailing address for Submission Agreements and/or essays:

This I Believe, Inc.
2424 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206

Testimonials from Teachers and Students

Click here to read more testimonials from teachers who have used This I Believe in their classrooms, as well as from students who have written and submitted essays.

Contact Us

Our staff is available to assist you with specific questions about bringing This I Believe to your classroom. Plus, we would love to hear how you are using these materials with students.