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Social & Emotional Well Being and Hands-on Learning

Students do best when they are actively engaged in hands-on learning in a classroom environment that fosters social and emotional well-being.  RAFT joins hands with Stanford's Cleo Eulau Center Resilience Consultant, Lisa Medoff, Ph.D., and EnCorps to share ideas and thoughts on how new teachers can best prepare for success in the classroom and in their professional careers.  Teachers are given many ideas on how to foster resilience, to create positive classroom and school communities, and how to promote emotional and social competence.  Motivating students involves preparing goals, addressing communication, engagement, and identifying a positive sense of self.  Hands-on learning benefits students (and teachers) by addressing these concerns through collaborative groupwork, team building, multilevel interactions, active listening and risk taking, engagement, communication and organizational skill building.  These skills promote a positive environment in which to learn and are also required within the STEM framework.  RAFT kits and idea sheets give teachers an easy opportunity to use hands-on learning that make STEM connections and concepts of team building and self-confidence come alive!

Jeanne Lazzarini, RAFT Math Master Teacher and Activity Developer

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