Rewards Of Undertaking Social And Emotional Learning Program

By Crystal Labbe


The skills learnt at a tender age determine the character of an individual later in life. Social and emotional learning defines a process through which adult and children acquire attitude, knowledge and skills and how they learn to apply them with compassion. Such skills are important in managing emotions, understanding the emotions, setting and achieving personal goals.

Individuals learn how to feel and show empathy as well as ways of establishing and maintaining positive relationships. They know how responsible decisions are made and the implications such decisions have on their lives. SEL programs provide a supportive environment that is challenging, meaningful and engaging.

Emotional intelligence is essential for children between the ages of 3-6. Their positive skills are reinforced, they connect with academic work and improve overall performance. Offering such skills at the tender age leaves a lasting impression. The young children hardly depart from the path that the program sets them on.

Active participation of parents and teachers in the lives of children is crucial. They should become active participants in designing school programs. Active participation sends a signal to the child about the presence of support and the goodness of such programs. They create a positive atmosphere around such activities and thus generate positive talk. The child has the courage to identify the things he can do and not focusing on the impossible.

Knowledge of various emotions helps students to pin point their exact feeling. They easily identify what they are capable of accomplishing. This is a positive reinforcement that is transferred to other areas of their lives. Extending a similar trend at home provides holistic support.

The parent, educators and surrounding community is required to provide models that can be followed by the young minds. The child has a person to look up to. In this sense, he will not be engaged in futile search for a character to emulate. The things such a child is told to do must be visible in the surrounding. Role models affirm the positivity of the character that the young minds are pursuing.

The tender age presents the best opportunity for learning. This is the formation stage before other ideas gain roots in their lives. Such children experience lesser conflicts and are easy to control. They respond well to corrections in case a fault is committed. Their behaviors are socially acceptable allowing them to easily interact with those around them.

An emotionally intelligent child can easily trust his ability, institutions and people around him. He has high self esteem and greater control for his emotional reactions. This prevents rush decisions or slow action which can be detrimental depending on the situation. A child can identify the positive and negative impact of a particular emotion and make the right decision.

Emotional distress affects character formation and makes children less likable. This affects their ability to socialize. The result will be better academic grades in tests and overall. The inclusion of parents, educators and surrounding communities removes the inconsistencies that might exist in these learning platforms that are crucial during formation. The level of support for each child varies and must be identified at the beginning of every program.




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