The school is a vitally important facility for the public that serves society and molds it into a better shape and a brighter tomorrow. All over the world, the quality of education that the schooling system provides its young ones directly correlates to the kind of society it is. The social awareness, intelligence, and general knowledge of its people correspond to how well the educational system has served them.
Students, frankly speaking, are the outputs of that system. The mechanical purpose of the school system is to train them to know information, but the true purpose of education, fulfilled by teachers, parents, and school faculty, is to create a well-rounded, reasonable, capable, and confident person. This means that a school not only has to care for its educational purposes, but also provide social and emotional support and training to its wards.
What Are the Best Practices for Supporting Students Emotionally? Why Is It So Important to Do So?
Children are unpredictable, temperamental, and emotionally volatile. It is the duty of all to treat them with the utmost respect and care since every action can and does have lasting effects that persist through the child’s further life. It is important to learn how to resonate with the child, recognize the problems they face, and help them deal with them effectively while strengthening their emotional core.
We’ve listed a few ways that teachers can provide emotional and social support to their students, which have been tried and recommended by educational experts and mental health professionals alike:
1 Ask Questions and Listen
The easiest way to engage with students is usually just by asking them how they’re feeling. Children these days have been born into an uneasy climate, and it usually takes its toll on their mental well-being. Simply asking them about their day, how they’ve been, and if they’re having any worries, improves their disposition and lets them process their emotions. Listen carefully to their responses and answer responsibly.
You can also integrate this exercise into classroom routines, such as asking students to pick out emoticon cards that define how they are feeling, having them write down and read aloud a few things about their current surroundings and feelings, and having the students actively talk and interact with one another. Practicing expressing their emotions and understanding them is a big step in being able to conquer them.
2 Establish Clarity
Being a predictable and reliable presence is very important when dealing with students. Even if it may seem boring, knowing that the same teachers, and friends will greet you in the morning classroom is comforting and safe. Ask questions to students about what they think their schedule should be like, and communicate concrete plans with them. Plan regular classroom activities such as art, games, etc., and do them regularly. Let your students know clearly what exactly will be happening during their time in the classroom so that they feel aware and in control of their surroundings. Additionally, you can ask the student’s parents to participate in creating similarly stable timings at home.
3 Focus on Social and Emotional Development
As a teacher, you should guide your students through social and emotional development. Have them confront those issues safely, through various means and exercises. The effectiveness of these methods differs from person to person, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. However, it is important that you as a teacher remain impartial, friendly, and accepting.
Some exercises for social and emotional development include:
- Journalling: Have your students write down their day’s activities, emotions, and anything else they would like to add, clearly. This teaches them to form their thoughts into words.
- Hold Class Meetings:Help them form better interpersonal relationships through regular, friendly, and purposeful interactions.
- Speak Optimistically: Make a conscious effort to use positive terms and sentence endings.
4 Ask Parents to Assist You
The parents and guardians of the students under your care are equally responsible for their mental and social well-being and development and are uniquely suited to assist you in that regard. You can discuss their children with them and compare notes. Collaborate and work together with the parents to figure out ways to help out your students.
Additionally, put yourself in the shoes of a parent. See how you can help your own children, and also how to communicate with the parents of your students. Ask them, if necessary, to support and protect the student from the pressure of any kind, such as academic or societal.
Teachers have an extremely important responsibility towards their children; they have to support their emotional well-being and raise them to be able to work with them. A student that is in tune with his emotions and has been given proper social and emotional support usually becomes a confident, in-control, and capable person further out in life, and so helping them in these crucial initial steps is the bedrock for their entire lives and the well-being of society as a whole by extension. Thus, teachers must take this weighty responsibility to heart, and act accordingly.