November 2023 at the SECD Lab
We hope everyone had a great end to the month of November and enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. Earlier this month, Dr. Elias was featured in a blog post on the Research Press’s website. Click here to see what they have to say about SEL and its immense value in school systems.
Dr. Elias also hosted a webinar with the Committee for Children titled “The Essential Synergy of SEL and Character Development.” When students have a positive purpose and a mindset of contribution, they can be more willing to learn and cooperate. In this webinar, Dr. Elias unpacked the integral connection between social-emotional learning (SEL) and character through social-emotional and character development (SECD). He explained how schools can prioritize SECD in character-driven environments and empower students to realize their positive purpose.
To register for future webinars or view recordings of past webinars, check out the links below!
In other exciting news, one of our undergraduate research assistants, Elsie Arina, successfully presented a poster this month at the ABCT conference held in Seattle, WA!
Self-Expression
Fostering self-expression in children is crucial for their holistic development, involving the articulation of thoughts and emotions through various means such as words, appearance, or actions. Encouraging this expression enhances self-confidence, independence, and creativity, enabling children to discover their unique qualities. Here are a few ways to encourage self-expression among students:
Using arts as a medium for expression
Talk to them about their feelings
Encourage exploration
Offer them choices
Let them develop their own style
Read the following articles and blogs for more tips:
How to Encourage Self Expression in Students (teachmint.com)
10 Activities to Encourage Self-Expression in Pre-Teens (scholastic.com)
How Invention Education Encourages Self-Expression | National Inventors Hall of Fame®
Importance of Encouragement
As a parent or teacher, the things you say and do can profoundly impact students, either uplifting them or causing emotional distress. Students absorb positive words and supportive actions, which fuel their motivation to achieve success. Encouragement can be a critical factor that influences whether students persist in their educational journey or give up. Here are a few ways you can encourage and uplift students.
Give positive feedback
Listen
Use positive body language
Show students their own success
Validate and be honest
For more information, check out these resources:
The Importance of Encouragement in Education (kentwoodprepschool.com)
15 Ways To Make Students Feel Encouraged (risevision.com)
Encouragement vs Praise for Teachers | Positive Discipline
Praise vs Encouragement: What's the Difference and Why it Matters (selfsufficientkids.com)
AI in Education
As the use of AI becomes a growing topic of conversation, it is important to address its use in a school setting to best benefit students’ education. If implemented well, AI can become a great resource and learning tool for students. For example, it can be used for personalized studying and generating feedback for students, as well as a tool to help with automated obligations for teachers.
However, there are a few disadvantages to the use of AI in school systems that we should note so that it can be implemented in the best way possible. First, AI lacks interpersonal skills, and students should be aware that it cannot replace instructors, but rather act as a tool and secondary resource. Additionally, the biggest concerns are AI’s potential bias and lack of privacy.
AI has the potential to transform education, yet challenges need careful consideration before widespread implementation in schools.
Related Resources:
Should schools ban or integrate generative AI in the classroom? | Brookings
Using AI Tools for Differentiated Instruction | Edutopia
Teaching Students to Use AI Tools | Edutopia
Embracing Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom | Harvard Graduate School of Education
AI in Education: The Advantages and Disadvantages (instrucko.com)
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