Social Awareness

Social Awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.



Directions

Watch this video introducing social awareness.

What do you already know about social awareness?

What are some of the questions you have about social awareness?

Answer the reflective questions at the end of the video.

Directions

Explore some of the resources about Social Awareness listed below then respond to the reflection questions.


Reflection Questions: What are at least 2 key take aways about social awareness? How does/can social awareness benefit students and staff?


Directions

Watch Social Awareness in Students' Words. Explain how you might use this video or another of your choice to help students explore and discuss their own social awareness journey.


Directions

Read Read Social Awareness: An Introductory Guide. Identify a problem of practice in which you can cultivate one or more of the social awareness components mentioned in the article at your site or in your classroom. A problem of practice is an area of need that an administrator, teacher, team, school, or district identifies.

A Problem of Practice:

  • focuses on the design of the Curriculum and Environment

  • is observable: you can see evidence of the issue you want to address

  • is actionable: is within the classroom or school’s/district’s and can be improved in real time);

  • connects to a broader strategy of improvement (school, feeder pattern, system);

  • is high-leverage (if acted on, it would make a significant difference for student learning);

  • promotes expert learning.

Directions

Based on your problem of practice regarding social awareness, reflect on the following questions:

  • If students are not being successful in understanding social awareness, what could we do differently in the design of the curricula to ensure that each student is successful?

  • How can we be strategic in how we design learning and/or experiences so our time is spent more effectively around cultivating student social awareness?