After reading the guide that was provided in the portfolios and the information that we got in our exceptional learners course, I now have a better understanding of what SEL (social, emotional, learning) is. The six steps that were provided were as follows:
1.
Create a simple structure to use (and update) to
gain insight into how to best collaborate and learn together.
2.
Have open conversations about the “unspoken
rules” in your class (or within working groups).
3.
Co-author a class mission statement.
4.
Build better questions together.
5.
Learn from your mistakes by exploring them
together.
6.
Make the learning process as transparent as
possible.
This list will help me as an
educator better shape my classroom to include these steps to build a more
connected classroom. The one I want to specifically pay attention to is step
five because musicians, no matter who, always make mistakes. I want my students
to be able to go through mistakes (mine included) to make sure that they understand
that making mistakes will happen and that it is ok because they can be used as
lessons for the future. If I made a mistake during my performances and recitals
in my undergraduate degree, I often was self-deprecating and thought that I didn’t
work hard enough. Thanks to my professor, I now understand that these mistakes
happen, no one notices most of the time, and that it can be seen as an opportunity
to grow. I want to be as supportive of my students as my professor was with me,
and this is a solid way that I can make sure my students know that their
mistakes do not define them as musicians.
I will also be using step six often because I want my students to know my expectations and what goals I have for them to succeed as musicians in my classroom. I want to scaffold rehearsals in a way where I list the sections and music that we will be working on and what goals I have for that day regarding the passages. This will give my students the opportunity to plan rehearsals and set individual goals to help them check them off by the end of rehearsal. Setting smaller goals and scaffolding the learning plans help students to understand what is planned for their education.
Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI loved the simple format that you presented in the SEL information in. I also want to use these collaborative procedures with students to cultivate an environment where students feel comfortable to dive into conversations about their mental health and grow in their understanding for others and themselves.