Learning as a Science
TASK 4
Teaching Social and Emotional Skills
Western Governors University
, 2
Impact of Self-Awareness
Teaching self-awareness skills to students can have a profound impact on their growth
and development. It is critical that educators help teach self-awareness techniques to students of
all ages and abilities. This will help students have a better understanding of what areas of
themselves are their strengths and what areas they may want to improve. Self-awareness skills
are also crucial to help students identify their feelings, as well as the feelings and actions of
others around them. “When people are self-aware, they understand their strengths and challenges
and know what helps them thrive. They also understand that how they see themselves could be
different from how others see them” (Morrin, n.d.) Students are in a constantly evolving
environment that will force them to collaborate with others and throw unpredictable challenges
their way. By equipping them with various self-awareness skills, we are ensuring that they have
the tools to succeed and collaborate with others from all backgrounds.
Self-Awareness Skills Activities
Numerous effective instructional strategies can be used to teach self-awareness to
students. One instructional strategy that can be implemented in the classroom to promote self-
awareness, is the focus on a growth mindset as opposed to a fixed mindset. “A growth mindset
means that you believe your intelligence and talents can be developed over time. A fixed mindset
means that you believe intelligence is fixed—so if you’re not good at something, you might
believe you’ll never be good at it” (Smith, 2020) Cultivating a growth mindset helps student
acknowledge their areas of strength and areas of improvement. It also helps students recognize
that learning is a process which in return helps them self-identify where they may need extra
support to improve their personal learning experience. To help set the tone for a growth mindset,