Lana’s newest HIT academic coach reinforces social and emotional learning foundations that lead to academic excellence and emotional growth.
I consider it both an honor and privilege to serve as Lana’s newest High-Impact Tutoring (HIT) academic coach. I was assigned to work with a cohort of students at H.D. Woodson High School in mid-March. While I am adjusting to the rhythm and flow of the program, I’ve found that the school culture at Woodson promotes student excellence and accountability. The teachers, administrators, parents, and staff support social and emotional learning (SEL) both in and out of the classrooms. For example, I have witnessed a student-centered approach during student transitions between classes, lunch, and dismissal.
I believe there is a direct connection between a student’s mindset and academic achievement. This is why social and emotional learning as a foundation is so important. Benjamin Barber, an eminent political theorist, once said, “I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures…I divide the world into the learners and non-learners.” Thoughtfully, what would make a student or anyone a non-learner? We were born to learn. Born with an intense passion to learn. We walk and talk today regardless of how many times we have fallen or struggled to put words together. Simply, the more we do something the more we create connections in the brain that not only help us remember how to do something but also help us improve at whatever it is we are learning to do.
Students have a choice. Mindsets are just beliefs; however, they are powerful beliefs. I look forward to embarking on a journey with my students as they academically excel and socio-emotionally mature.