KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
I'm not an expert in this area, I'll just write from my heart and my personal experience. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Empathy are buzz words in education right now. Regardless of whether you teach science or any other content this is applicable to all educators.
We'll often lament that we don't have enough time to teach our content how on earth can we teach SEL. I argue that if we don't we'll lose time down the road when students can't be productive AND we'll lose the opportunity to build relationships with our students. It is these relationships that benefit student learning more than any other strategy you can implement in the classroom or lab. Now I'll dare say, that it will even emotionally benefit you as the teacher!!! If we expect students to be vulnerable and share their emotions and learn to be empathetic we must too. Here's how I know this. Last school year, my sister died. This school year, my mother died. School was my escape from my emotions of grief and sorrow. I didn't want to talk about it at school, even with colleagues. Once the first month past and my wounds weren't as fresh, I was ready to share more. While it might feel like a risk at first, it is worth it. First I did the "Baggage Activity"* with my students. Here is a link to get the details of how to guide this protocol: www.today.com/parents/how-do-teacher-s-back-school-baggage-activity-t161457. After my students shared their baggage, I gathered them into a circle and told them about my losses. I shared how the loss of my mother opened the wounds of the loss of my sister from last year. I told my students that I expected them to share with me what they go through so that I could help and support them and so I must not be a hypocrite. I shared with them the healthy habits I use in my life to help myself cope during these hard times. Perhaps this was the most empowering step for me. I was being a teacher at the same time I was reminding myself (5 times in one day) that there are a lot of positives in life. My advice is that when you're ready to share your grief/trauma/sorrow, do so on an appropriate level and use it as a teachable moment. Be a role model for your students. Be the person who shows them they are not alone and that there's a light at the end of even the longest and darkest tunnels. *Breen, Kerry. “Why This Teacher's Back-to-School 'Baggage Activity' Went Viral.” TODAY.com, 28 Aug. 2019, www.today.com/parents/how-do-teacher-s-back-school-baggage-activity-t161457.
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AuthorNadene Klein, M.Ed. has been an educator for over 25 years. She brings a passion and love for science to the classroom and through this blog to you. Archives
March 2024
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