The Heart of Learning is in SELf-Led Learning

What is SELf-Led Learning?

SELf-Led Learning is a model based on the belief that classroom learning is first and foremost a social experience. Our brain state is optimized for learning when the threat level is down, the sense of healthy connection is up, and human needs are normalized. We can think clearly when we are not afraid, when our relationships are supportive and when our self-worth is reflected in the way our needs are met. In many schools, it doesn't take long for students to realize that much of their day is not about what they truly need, but instead, it's about what the system mandates. With SELf-Led Learning, instead of having students meet the needs of the system, the educators in the SELf-led system meet the needs of the students. This model produces students who value themselves and whose behaviors align with their self-worth. These social outcomes also produce academic outcomes. More students stay in school, more graduate, and more transition on to the next stage of growth. And because they've experienced school as a positive, responsive place, they are more likely to normalize and expect academic success for loved ones in their family life.

Our workshops are built from the following content.

• Foundational Principles of Trauma Awareness

• Needs and Need-Deficits as Motivators

• Therapeutic Principles for Trauma-Informed Teaching

• Building Connection through Needs-Based Responsiveness

• Cultural Context and Community Building

• Brain-based Learning

• Classroom Application

• Teacher Self-Care Tips

Why do we need it?

For too many students, school is a place of struggle, neglect, and shame. They see it as a system that just compounds the suffering that they are already experiencing elsewhere in life. Far too many don't thrive like they deserve; they merely "get by" until even that becomes unbearable. The numbers show us that we're obviously getting something wrong.

• Across the nation, nearly 18% of starting freshman fail to complete high school.

• In some areas, the rate is almost 30%.

• Currently, almost 30,000,000 adults in America have no diploma.

It's clear that we are missing something. At ASEST, it is our belief that we continue to look in the wrong place. As we like to say, "It' not the math. It was never the math." It's about connection. It's about self-worth. And it's about time we put the heart back into learning.