It’s hard enough for parents to currently add being educators to their children as part of their day-to-day tasks, but distinguishing between the academic side of it and the aspect of socio-emotional health can even be more of a challenge. In fact, some might ask, is socio-emotional intelligence even relevant for children? , Director of the UM’s , is convinced it is. This is because when emotions run high, people act unpredictably, and children have to deal with this all the time. The current, unprecedented times are even tougher on children, who are predisposed to a whole lot of feelings that they have to make sense of.
He sat down with the Newspoint team to explain why, and how he would go about strengthening youngsters’ lesser emphasised but equally, if not more important aspect of their education – their socio-emotional health.
Q. How would you explain emotional and social intelligence to a youngster? Or to someone who is not familiar with the meaning of the term?
A. Social and emotional learning (SEL) addresses many of the issues young people are concerned and struggling with. These include understanding oneself, setting goals and striving to achieve them, understanding, expressing and managing one’s emotions, dealing with anger and sadness, turning challenges into opportunities, solving problems, making responsible decisions, understanding and communicating effectively with others, dating and relationships, dealing with peer pressure, working others a team, and resolving conflict constructively amongst others. SEL is about acquiring the skills of life, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness and interpersonal skills-, which enable young people to grow and develop as autonomous, productive, healthy and happy citizens in a fast-changing world.
Q. At which age do children in local schools start learning about their emotional intelligence? Is this the right time, too early, or too late, and why?
A. Children in kindergarten are provided with various opportunities through play and other multi-sensory activities to learn the basic social and emotional skills such as approaching peers positively, expressing needs clearly and appropriately, expressing frustration and anger positively, persisting in tasks, solving problems, playing and working collaboratively with peers, empathising with others, waiting for one’s turn, and resolving conflicts constructively. Such competences are embedded in the daily classroom activities of early years’ education.
These social and emotional processes are similarly present in the primary school curriculum, though in this instance they may have to compete for space with the academic content of the curriculum, sometimes finding themselves relegated to the fringes. Primary school pupils have weekly sessions by a visiting teacher of Personal, Social and Careers Education.
However, in both early years’ education and primary schools, there needs to be a more structured approach to the teaching of social and emotional learning, with more priority given to the subject, more time on the timetable and with the classroom teachers taking direct responsibility for the teaching of this content area.
International research clearly shows that SEL has more impact on children’s and young people’s lives if it starts as early as possible in children’s education, with the early years being crucial for the development of these competences.
Q. Can one correctly assume that the more focus there is on developing a social and emotional intelligence, the better the behaviour of the children will be, and the less violent, or egoistic, perhaps? Why?
A. Yes there is clear evidence that SEL has a positive impact on children’s and young people’s social and emotional wellbeing as well as their academic learning. Various reviews of studies and meta-analyses in the last decade, show that SEL leads to increased positive attitudes, prosocial behaviour, and academic achievement and to reduced social, emotional and behaviour difficulties, such as reduced anxiety, depression, suicide, substance abuse, delinquency and anti-social behaviour. These positive outcomes have been observed from early years to high school, and across a range of geographical settings and socio-economic backgrounds.
The evidence from these reviews suggests that SEL is an effective tool for the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, prosocial attitudes and behaviours, collaboration, and openness to, and appreciation of, individual and cultural differences.
Q. Could you give us an example from a school in another country, perhaps, which, according to you, is championing the education of social and emotional intelligence?
A. One school in particular which I remember well and which I wrote about in one of my books, was Blair Athol North Kindergarten and Primary School in Adelaide, South Australia. This was a multicultural and multilingual school serving a relatively marginalised community with 42 different languages, 65 % pupils having English as a second language and 60 % of the pupils on the school card.
It was recognised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as a model for school design for the 21st century. One of the key objectives of the school was to foster resilience amongst the pupils, seeking to build the capacity of the children to believe in themselves and take control of their learning by focusing on their competences and assets. It sought to create a culture of shared responsibility for feeling safe, respected and supported, through democratic and respectful relationships; nurturing and modelling positive values; addressing the physical, emotional and social well-being of the pupils; teamwork in building and sustaining positive partnerships with families and community, and caring for neighbourhood spaces.
As a KidsMatter school, it adopted a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing, with a specific curriculum in SEL across all the school grades (adapting a number of SEL programmes according to the needs of the school), the infusion of the SEL skills in the other academic subjects, and a school climate built on caring and supportive relationships amongst all the school community. I remember in particular the interest, positive belief, understanding and care shown by the staff towards all pupils in the school the active support of the school management to the staff, including active participation in decision making, provision of resources, and support in taking care of their own (staff) wellbeing.
Parents were very welcome and seen as a resource to support the school’s mission in supporting the students. Inspired by the Reggio- Emiglia model, the school sought to make use of the learning environment as the third teacher, with an open and flexible school design removing the traditional barriers between classrooms to encourage connectedness, collaboration and enquiry amongst pupils and staff. The school buildings were called ‘Neighbourhoods’, classrooms ‘Studios’, classes ‘Home Groups’ and classroom teachers ‘Learning Advisors’. The ‘Learning Commons’ were shared learning spaces that were joined to the studios, whilst the ‘Piazza’ served as a central meeting area providing a strong sense of belonging and connectedness.
Q. If the development of social and emotional wellbeing in children is something that is best done through face-to-face interaction, how can teachers, and parents, as the children's main educators, make sure that social and emotional development are still going on during a time such as the present?
A. SEL is even more important during the present time when many children may be anxious about what may happen to them and their families, deprived of their usual play and social activities and disconnected from peers, school friends and relatives such as grandparents. In this respect children, particularly younger ones, may need more attention and support as they make try to sense of this major life event and adjust to it.
One of the positive consequences of the pandemic is that parents are spending more time with their children at home and thus they are in a better position to provide more quality time and attention to their children.
An important issue for adults to keep in mind at this time, is to make sure that their behaviour sends the right message, providing good role models of reassurance, calmness, sense of control, emotional regulation, responsible decision making, solidarity and collaboration, and constructive conflict resolution. Parents also need to provide a daily structure in the lives of the children, with specific daily routines whilst providing space for flexibility as the need arises. This provides children with the stability and security they need in times of drastic change and stress. Encouraging the children to be actively involved in family routines and chores helps to reinforce the connectedness and sense of belonging amongst the family members.
Games with family members and other similar activities help to break the monotony and boredom of being locked in, while keeping the home as a place of fun and enjoyment, besides a safe base. Continuing their school activities online within a structured daily timetable in regular contact with the class teacher/s and peers and with the support of the parents, is necessary for both academic and social and emotional learning. Although social and emotional activities are best organised face to face, many activities and games can still be held virtually (many SEL programmes have interactive virtual activities as well), whilst as part of the home tasks, the teachers may suggest SEL activities in the forms of games which children and parents and siblings may then do together at home.
Prof. Cefai and some of his colleagues at the Centre for Resilience and Socio-Emotional Health, have recently published the latest version of the International Journal of Emotional Education (IJEE), which can be accessed in its entirety .
