Do your children experience extreme emotions or cry whenever they want to express an emotion such as anger, disappointment, irritability, or even happiness? According to studies, alexithymia affects 13% of the world’s population. This is a state in which people are unsure of what they are feeling or how to express their emotions. Nowadays, teenagers and adults alike frequently use the phrase “emotionally unavailable.” For instance, people stop acknowledging their emotions after experiencing repeated heartbreak. As a result, an entire generation is facing a lack of emotional guidance with few resources to address it. A generation would not be this depressed if we had recognised the importance of social-emotional learning earlier. But it’s better late than never. Let us investigate how social and emotional learning (SEL) influences our upbringing and the significance of good mental and physical health.
What Makes Social and Emotional Learning Important?
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a rollercoaster ride. Children have an uncontrollable outpouring of emotions. They sometimes begin to rely on adults, and most of the time, they stop responding at all. Seeing a child suffer from depression would be the worst nightmare. Engage them in social and emotional learning, and one will notice that they will grow in these values very quickly:
No impulsive social responses
Fewer disciplinary issues
Reduced emotional distress
Motivation for attending schools
Improved engagement in classes
Better scores in grades
Though social-emotional learning theory is not new, schools and educational institutions have started making it functional recently. Implementing this theory is the best way to secure children’s mental health. Thousands of positive growths are seen inside them, like:
Students do not struggle with their emotions. They understand the importance of expressing their feelings.
Research says that in the last decade, the cases of bullying have reduced due to more focus on students’ mental health. Social-emotional learning for children has been at the core of it.
Emotions do not overwhelm students so quickly. They learn to take hold of them and analyse the root of their feelings.
Do you remember that you stopped speaking to your friend for a week after a fight? Social-emotional learning brings emotional stability, and children learn to maintain healthy relationships with classmates and teachers.
Social-Emotional Learning Benefits
Nowadays, children are often impatient and lack concentration. An unstable mental state is strictly responsible for that. This instability comes from their confusion about their emotions, and social-emotional learning helps them settle their emotional turmoil. Not only that, but there are numerous benefits of social-emotional learning from early childhood.
Enhance Student Motivation
All a person wants is acceptance be it social acceptance or acceptance from their loved ones. Social-emotional learning skills encourage students to be more accepted, willing to take risks, work towards goals, and love learning. Motivation always works as a tool for improvement.
Improves Learning Ambience
The inverse equation is also essential for students to respect their teachers. As a result, SEL is a skill that both students and teachers must learn. A mutual respect equation emerges and influences a positive learning community.
Reduced Behaviour Problems
Behavioral issues frequently cause skill deficits. Children excel in teamwork, emotion management, problem solving, and behavioural improvement.
Enhances Problem-solving
Skills Once they understand how to address their problems, children learn how to solve them. To begin, one must recognise a problem and admit that it is bothering oneself. We are frequently hesitant to do so. Social and emotional learning necessitates that we begin problem-solving with everyday events. For example, how not to handle a situation in which one may argue with their friends or express one’s displeasure openly—these minor issues are handled by SEL. Solving classroom problems teaches children to solve problems in their daily lives.
Strengthen the Space to Talk about Mental Health
Up until the last decade, mental health was the most under-discussed topic in society. SEL provides a space where one can talk openly about mental health with our children. In order to do this effectively, we must know how to deal with children’s issues. This skill raises them to the point where they can encounter trouble and try to solve it instead of hiding it from the adults. Therefore, social and emotional learning is essential for teachers as well.
Capability to Meet Goals
How does one land their dream career? This is not the story of one day. Instead, a journey that starts at a tender age, SEL helps students set their goals from an early phase of their life. They can plan their every action and opt for plans. They set attainable and practical purposes. Setting realistic aims is one of the most critical aspects of SEL.
Encourages Empathy
Some fundamental skills make up a complete human being. One of the most important is empathy. The most significant flaw that we as parents and teachers must recognise is assuming that all students already have this quality. What comes next is a focus on developing their empathy. Often, children must be explicitly taught how to consider the feelings and thoughts of others. Once they master these skills, resolving conflicts with peers, maintaining relationships, and being kind to others become more manageable.
Teaches Teamwork and Collaboration
Children who use their smartphones excessively become isolated. This is not just a platitude; child psychologists have conducted studies to prove it. Social-emotional learning is a viable option. This ability enables students to collaborate with teammates in both small and large groups. They learn to collaborate with people who have different perspectives and cultures than their friends. Being a good teammate means that your success will go a long way.
So we now understand the advantages and significance of social-emotional learning. Set some social-emotional learning goals for our children to thrive and have a better future. SEL is a process that takes time to develop. As a result, we must be patient and gradually instil these qualities in our children.