Hind Louali Discusses How SEL Can Improve STEM Outcomes

 


It has become vital for educators of today to support students’ social emotional learning (SEL) in and out of the classroom. Hind Louali French School of Austin-Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau points out that the goal of SEL initiatives largely involves developing certain cognitive and behavioural competencies, like self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Nurturing such skills with the help of intentional activities in the classroom helps students to take responsibility for their actions as well as make good choices in academia and beyond.

Hind Louali sheds light on how SEL can improve STEM outcomes

Social-emotional learning impacts the manner in which students collaborate and communicate with others.  Students who have good communication skills would be better positioned to air out their views on a particular concept and explain their perspectives in a profound manner. Social-emotional skills also have a significant impact on social behaviours. Individuals with good SEL skills tend to be good listeners as well, which makes it easier for them to draw differences and correlations and ultimately come up with better ideas. Such capabilities make it easier for students to collaborate and come up with better solutions.

SEL skills can significantly help in lowering academic stress among students. Students can reach out to their peers through collaboration, and obtain solutions to intricate concepts and projects. Students would also be better positioned to engage more with their peers and learn how to set SMART Goals and cultivate means to achieve them.

Innovations are meant to bring about a positive change in the lives of people. Understanding of human problems is therefore vital for innovation.  SEL learning fosters a sense of empathy among students, leaning on which can help improve STEM education outcomes, as students are able to better understand human pain.  Empathy has a positive impact on the design thinking process. Tapping into the power of empathy makes STEM learning more meaningful and impactful.

SEL puts emphasis on self-awareness, which enables individuals to be better informed of their weaknesses, strengths and potential. When people are aware of their strengths, they will be in a better position to set goals and work on achieving them. When pursuing STEM education, SEL makes it easier for students to grasp that learning is much like an ongoing process much like having to deal with different people in life. It helps students to learn through mistakes, and makes them motivated to pursue higher goals even after experiencing failure. STEM activities at times prove challenging to students, which can cause students to lose interest in science subjects. However, as they build perseverance and resilience to learn despite limitations, the students can work to improve themselves and their abilities.

Hind Louali French School of Austin-Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentions that SEL plays an important role in elevating creativity and problem-solving skills which leads to innovations and breakthroughs. It is instrumental in fostering a culture of learning to listen to others for diverse and fresh perspectives. Understanding and managing emotions, along with fostering quality relationships, enhances students' ability to collaborate and communicate effectively. This also leads to cognitive flexibility, allowing students to switch between tasks and manage classroom anxiety more efficiently.

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