Children are our reasons to hope for a better future. It is common for parents and the society in general to cater to the needs of children and ensure that we are doing our best for our future generation. Research shows that what children need are teachers who have developed Social and Emotional Competencies. Here’s why:
The Ripple Effect: Research shows that when teachers are trained in the SEL framework, they are able to traverse through their own intricate emotions better. And also help their students to regulate their own emotions.
Mirror Neurons: Neuroscientists have discovered that humans and other primates too have mirror neurons in their nervous system. Mirror neurons help us simulate not just actions but emotions too. So if teachers are not supported to regulate their stress levels, you guessed it right, the stress permeates to the children too.
Strong and Supportive relationships: SEL empowered teachers are more able to create respectful and assertive classrooms for children.
Conflict Resolution: Classrooms are a common place for conflicts. It is important for children to learn the art of conflict resolution from these experiences. And SEL helps teachers to enable their students to be better at conflict resolution.
More Empathy and More Compassion: SEL empowers teachers with the ability to practise and nurture empathy and compassion more and more in their classrooms which in turn helps their students learn these important values.
Teaching children is a huge and complex responsibility. A teacher juggles dozens of tasks every moment to provide a safe space for children to learn and grow. Teachers also take multiple split second decisions to help their children meet their learning goals. Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that teaching is a challenging task and it needs to be supported. Social Emotional Learning(SEL) framework provides exactly what teachers need to navigate their everyday classroom situations with grace and competence. And thereby help students to become better at academics and also become better human beings.
