Get Connected with SEL and Service Learning!

Guest Blog Author: Joan Belschwender, Director, INSPIRE3 program (Formerly GenerationON Indiana)

Through the Service-Learning process (IPARDE- Investigation, Preparation, Action, Reflection, Demonstration, Evaluation) students have the opportunity to acquire, practice, and hone critical social-emotional skills. Skills practiced in context are more likely to be sustained.

Social Emotional Skills acquired and/or practiced through service-learning have the following benefits:

·        When students give their time, talent, or treasure, they can gain valuable soft skills in return. Service-learning not only cements what students are being in taught in schools, but also teaches them new abilities while enforcing SEL skills such as coping with demands, working in a group on a common goal, and problem solving.

·        Service-learning is a great way to impact pro-social skills, such as communicating, collaborating, and accepting assistance from others.

·        When students are engaged in service-learning they are able to see the impact they can have on others, which can impact everything from empathy, perspective taking, self-esteem — and can even protect against problem behaviors.

View our INSPIRE³ page on the IASP website under About: http://www.iasp.org/about-iasp/inspire3/ for service-learning information and resources.  

Contact Joan Belschwender for more information at joan.inspire3@iasp.org or by phone at 317-891-9900 ext: 201