SCHOOL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING I
School should not only teach children to read, write and count, but also to relate appropriately to themselves and to others. This is achieved in various schools in Canada, in which children are endowed with intra and interpersonal skills. The experience is related by M. G. Rincón (2012), whom we will follow in this chapter.
Training in intrapersonal skills, and this is especially important for the less fortunate, is directed towards self-control, stress management and the identification of emotions. These form the basis for the development of interpersonal skills.
- INTRAPERSONAL SKILLS. We will mention the following:
1.1 Self-control: Children can learn to control themselves to the extent that they are required not to interrupt, wait their turn, be silent, accept a refusal, resist a provocation or postpone the desire to play because they have a job to do.
1.2 Managing stress is a very useful skill for shy, restless and irritable children, as well as for the impulsive. They can be taught to manage stress by identifying:
- the stressors or situations that cause it,
- the physiological signals it generates,
- the thoughts that tend to increase it,
- how to approach it, to see it in its true and objective dimension,
- how to prevent avoidance behaviors such as lying, isolation, denial of the problem or self-responsibility in it,
- as well as to recognize situations over which they have no control.
1.3 Identifying emotions, being able to name them and even estimate their intensity is important, so that the child can express what happens to him and his need to resort to disruptive behaviors, such as shouting, hitting, tantrums or rudeness, is less.
That is why it is necessary to help him acquire a broad vocabulary in terms of emotions and feelings. This way the child will be able to formulate clear messages that will be very useful when it comes to initiating a process of peaceful conflict resolution.
- INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. These include hygiene and presentation, smiling and eye contact, courtesy and greeting, truthulness, empathy, communication and conflict resolution.
2.1 . Hygiene and a clean and pleasant presentation are pleasing to all, whereas the opposite induces rejection. If there is an infestation of lice in school, the person who has an unkempt appearance will probably be blamed.
2.2. Smiling and eye contact, skills that are usually acquired during the first months of life, are very useful to establish first contact with others throughout life.
2.3. Courtesy, greeting others, saying “thank you” and “please”, waiting for their turn to speak, are skills that lay the foundation for more complex social relationships.
2.4. Truthfulness: for children, as for adults, is essential to generate credibility and, therefore, respect. Although between 3 and 6 years of age the distinction between the real and the imagined may be vague; between the ages of 10 and 11 the truth, mutual trust, fulfilling promises and keeping secrets are essential aspects to preserve friendship.
In a next chapter we will write about empathy, communication and conflict resolution, as fundamental aspects of the process of socialization and emotional education of students in some Canadian schools.
Many other aspects related to this topic will be found in WHAT DO I DO NOW? NO ONE TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE A MOM! You can also check in this same blog Psychology as pedagogy And Is it better for my child to be competitive? as well as visit Facebook Urquia Larralde (psykia), Twitter @psykia20 and Instagram @psykia20
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BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE:
María Guadalupe Rincón (2012): School Bullying, Trillas, Mexico.
