SETTING THE STAGE TO UNLOCK POTENTIAL

In this series on unlocking student potential in classrooms, we deep dive in to what makes a conducive environment for teaching learning in our schools. We reflect on the rationale for such an environment, the pedagogical approaches, the skills, and structures to sustain it while pegging the discussion on holistic education, a central idea in our policy documents, to help students thrive in their present and future. l

Gobally, two significant shifts in the way we think have impacted teaching- learning processes in schools over the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. These are Inclusion and Social and Emotional Learning. Both are byproducts of a world shifting towards democracy and acknowledging equality of opportunity for all people. Inclusion is a space for all, regardless of their background or ability. It rests on the premise that this is an environment where equitable opportunities allow everyone to thrive. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) / Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEEL) is a pedagogical method that teaches crucial skills to create an environment of inclusion. Globally, five key areas are considered as drivers of this equitable space- self awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. This symbiosis between the two thinking creates a synergy making these natural partners in education and society.

SEL/SEEL is the pathway to develop skills to understand and manage emotions, define and realize goals, feel and demonstrate empathy, establish, sustain, and preserve positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Social means skills related to interactions with others, such as communicating, empathizing, and maintaining positive relationships. It involves being aware of other people's perspectives, feelings, and backgrounds, and learning to interact with them constructively and cooperatively. Emotional means the process of recognizing, understanding, and managing one's own emotions and developing empathy for the emotions of others. It involves skills like self awareness, self-management, and the ability to process feelings in a way that leads to responsible decisions and positive interactions.

When do children learn the skills of social and emotional learning?

According to child development milestones, typically children begin to learn social and emotional skills from infancy and continue to develop them throughout their lives. This process starts with infants developing trust with caregivers. It continues through early childhood when self-awareness develops. It grows further as children recognize emotions other than their own, leading to more complex skills like empathy, cooperation, and managing emotions in later childhood and adolescence

In the age band of 2-3 years, they move from parallel play to give and take exchanges and interactions, as adults help them learn about taking turns and considering others. From the age 3-4, they begin to enjoy interactive play, share toys, and take turns. They also begin to show and verbalize an array of emotions and involve in pretend play.

In the age band 4-5 years, there is a move towards increased awareness of their individuality, friendships, and being cognisant of people's thoughts and feelings better. Play and structured and rule-based games with peers leads to discernment of what is right and wrong. Children, most often accompanied by parents/ grandparents interact in the home and in the immediate neighbourhood space. Between the age 5-6, the instances of group play, conversations, ability to do tasks independently are apparent. They begin to show empathy, reaching out to a friend with words of comfort, and are aware that everyone has multiple emotions at once and can process it.

The 6+ age band is when children step in to a more diversified world other than home and neighbourhood- school. By the age 7-8 they are more aware of how others perceive them and can distinguish between fantasy and reality. They may form a sense of humour and join clubs or sports teams.

Between the age 6-12, true friendships, a sense of esteem, and confidence develop. Children learn appropriacy, as they learn to manage difficult emotions. The age band of 13 18 or adolescence, teenagers steer through complex relationships, better regulate their emotions, and work on impulse control as they explore their values and identity.

Why is there an emphasis on inclusion and social and emotional learning now in schools?

School education has historically evolved to be competitive, stressful, and punitive. Being caught up in the rat race, to be successful academically, and professionally often the emphasis is on discipline, rigour, rote, and memorization as a method to nurture future citizens; a one size fits all approach.

This approach goes against the very nature of the child, instead of bringing out their innate developmental need. It is the blurring of this space that adds to the complexities of teaching-learning as we know of it today.

When we peg the purpose of education to this outcome, the process flows in a specific way. The purpose and outcome define what the mechanism to reach it would look like as would the method to measure it.

Education systems around the world are now realising the need to implement social and emotional learning as a key component to build a more peaceful and compassionate world for all.

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We have child centric, critical thinking, empathy, holistic, multi perspective jostle with rigid structures weighed in by a cram heavy curriculum, packed timetables, and unrealistic examinations, tests, assessments to measure competencies. It is not just the curriculum, the extra-curricular pursuits, and the assessment that needs a makeover; the language, gestures, biases, and prejudices, that adults bring as a hidden curriculum into the child’s experience itself need an overhaul. To nurture child centric, critical thinking, empathy, holistic, multi-perspective the classroom and school engagements a child experiences through the 12 years of schooling must be re-examined.

What would a classroom enriched in SEL and Inclusion look like? What would children nurtured in these classrooms dream of? How must adults engage with children across age bands and why do they need to do so are quintessential questions we must deal with urgency.

What does support and training for teachers look like? What must be done to understand what works best for a child to thrive? If this is the question we can reflect upon as educators in the school ecosystem, we are then on our way to building that classroom that unlocks every child’s true potential

By Schoolastic Team