What Is Social-Emotional Learning? And Why Is It Important?
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a skill which a child has to learn which helps them survive and thrive in this world. It is the most important skill and every teacher and every parent must look after kids and help them develop these skills. It starts way before when your child is in preschool or primary.
What Is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Kids don’t know how to manage their emotions, get along with other people around them, and cope with fear and stress. These are the skills a kid has to learn in order to survive in this rapidly changing world.
If you have experienced your child throwing tantrums at a grocery store or getting scared of a stranger and many of those surprising moments seem cute but the reality is your child doesn’t know how to react. It is their way of asking for help.
But don’t worry! It is more normal than you think. They are supposed to go through this phase. Every child does. That’s where SEL will help.
SEL will give your kid the skill, knowledge and attitude needed to manage their emotion, understand the situation, develop empathy, make decisions faster, have healthy relationships, and so on.
Social Emotional Learning will lay out the foundation for our children so they can thrive better and grow into responsible adults. And choosing the right school will make it easier for your child.
(Source: Wikipedia)
The Three Key Elements Of SEL
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Self Awareness
Self-awareness is understanding yourself better than anybody. Being able to identify our own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and behaviour.
Self-awareness requires the ability to know how everything is connected. How do your emotions, and thoughts provoke something to influence your actions. Everything is interconnected once you understand it.
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Social Awareness
Feeling compassion, empathising with others and understanding others are the key components of social awareness. SEL will give your child the ability to put themselves in other person’s shoes and understand what they are feeling. There are over seven billion people on other and every one is unique in their culture, language and emotions. Having social awareness will help your child create healthy and long-term relationships with people.
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Self Management
Feeling emotions and empathising is great but there’s a time and situation for everything. Self-management will teach your child how to control their emotions. They shouldn’t be too sensitive or just emotionless. This also includes the ability to manage stress, delay gratification and impulse control.
Why Is Social Emotional Learning Important?
It is a vital skill every student should learn because it is a crucial life skill. Social-emotional learning teaches them the ability to understand themselves, develop a positive self-image, be responsible for their actions, and have better relationships with their colleagues. It also helps them develop confidence and self-esteem.
Social-emotional learning will act like a toolbox for your kid whenever the need arises. It can have many benefits for your child. This includes:
- A positive attitude
- Knowing & managing themselves
- Better social skills and social life
- No anxiety & depression
- Increased performance in school & better grades
- Improved relationships with family, peers & teachers
- Better and sound decision-making capability
These were a few tips about the importance of social-emotional learning for your child. As parents, there are so many ways you can teach your child. Either by telling them different types of stories, making them watch a good movie filled with emotions, etc. Teachers also do their part by monitoring children and conducting various activities in school which can help the students, and also by reporting everything the child does to their parents so both of them are on the same page when it comes to the child’s overall development. Choose the best school for your child and they will help make him a responsible adult.