PART I: Why Students Need To Inculcate Social-Emotional Skills?
Social and emotional skills are critical for children to become complete individuals. This article discusses the reasons why schools should identify their importance and emphasize them.
The emphasis on social and emotional skills has not always been seen at par with that on academic achievements in school environments. However, as more research is surfacing, it is becoming clearer that social emotional skills and academic success are, in fact, two sides of the same coin. This brings into perspective the extraordinary significance of social and emotional learning.
To Boost Confidence
Social and emotional skills empower children to trust themselves. Their heightened social quotient gives them the courage to raise their voice and be heard in group situations. They become comfortable in their own skin, a valuable skill that many people struggle to achieve well into adulthood. When students can eliminate unnecessary distractions and acquire the ability of self-control, they can also focus better. These factors combine to help them give a boost of confidence, which is incredibly important for a healthy growing child.
With a better emotional quotient, it becomes easier for students to navigate through different groups of people, understand them better and learn more. Strong social and emotional skills take out the unfounded fear of the unknown and encourage students to know more. They find it easier to approach their teachers when they do not understand concepts. They do not face difficulty in talking to other students hailing from diverse backgrounds. They are curious, and that helps them learn more and learn it quick.
Students with enhanced social and emotional skills understand the power of cooperation and have the ability to harness it. They know how to empathize with others, communicate effectively, and make friendships. As they cooperate with other students, they also prepare themselves for the real world. No wonder they do better in life as they grow older.
To Be Effective
Whether it is a classroom environment, the playground, a competition, or any other surrounding, it is important for students to be more effective. They can do this by reading a situation better, showing persistence, being self-motivated, and by demonstrating an ability to overcome the challenges. In Daniel Goleman’s book, Emotional Intelligence, he calls it a “different way of being smart”. He says that this is the intelligence that empowers people with lower IQ to do even better than people with a higher IQ.
As the kids with social and emotional skills grow up, they maintain better relationships, achieve more at the workplace, and are happier in their life. Their skills help them make the best out of their talents and IQ.
Social & Emotional Skills are Important
Social and emotional skills are the keys to a successful and happy life. Kids and adults need them to go through life every single day. Schools should find expert-backed programs like SEL Adventures to teach students social and emotional skills at a younger age. They should understand that these skills are as important, if not more, than the academic skills they learn at school.