The inability to express the feeling of the mind is called Alexithymia. Although we are less aware of such kinds of problems, the term “emotionally unavailable” which is widely used by the modern generation is quite known to us. There are a large number of people in the world who are suffering from this problem but they don’t know the way to resolve it. After a few instances of the negative experience, they completely stop acknowledging their emotions. Basically, the young generation is becoming the victim of these problems, due to the lack of proper emotional guidance. The solution to this problem lies in the incorporation of social-emotional learning in school education. Being one of the best English medium schools in Kolkata, Calcutta Public School understands how important it is to enable our students to express their feelings freely. We seriously consider this fact to prevent an entire generation from severe emotional problems which might negatively affect their future. Social and emotional learning not only influences our physical and mental health but also impacts our upbringing and every aspect of our adult lives. 

What is social-emotional learning?

Social-emotional learning is completely different from the concept of the traditional process of learning. It is entirely related to the learning of social and emotional skills.  It is a process that deals with the development of self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills which is vital not only for school life but also for professional life and achieving success in later life. It is essential for creating a strong foundation for positive, long-term effects ranging from effective problem-solving and maintaining self-discipline to impulse control and emotion management. Several research has brought out an inner relation between the skills that are taught in social-emotional learning programmes and the practice of positive behaviour, achieving academic success and healthier life choices. That is why Calcutta Public School, one of the leading  schools in Kolkata prefers to incorporate social-emotional learning, as practising this from a very tender age will result in incredible progress in all areas of knowledge. 

Why is learning social-emotional skills essential?

Becoming an adult from a teenager includes countless mental ups and downs. The journey is no less turbulent than a roller coaster. Sometimes adolescents ask for assistance from their elders and sometimes they decide to do things by themselves. In some cases, they even stop responding to others which ultimately leads them to depression and isolation. Calcutta Public School, one of the best schools in Kolkata, has pointed out that engaging students in social-emotional learning provides several benefits. The benefits are listed below.

1. Motivation to attend school on a regular basis. 
2. Less impulsive social response.
3. Achieving better grades in exams.
4. Reduced emotional distress.
5. Increased engagement in class.
6. Fewer attempts to break the disciplinary rules. 
7. Ability to freely express their emotions.
8. Issues like bullying will be reduced.
9. Better and improved mental health.
10. Gaining emotional stability.
11. Maintaining healthy relationships with others.  

The social-emotional learning is not a recent idea, but still, a large number of schools don’t pay enough attention to it. But at Calcutta Public School, we have already implemented these concepts of social-emotional learning to secure the mental health of our students. Our students are able to resolve their emotional confusion and settle their emotional turmoil very easily which positively impacts their academic performance greatly. 

Steps that are taken by Calcutta Public School to incorporate social-emotional learning.

Although the matter of the implementation of processes to incorporate social-emotional learning seems utterly impossible to most schools, Calcutta Public School has already done it without much hassle. Apart from being one of the best English medium schools in Kolkata, it is also the leading one in making the students fully equipped with social-emotional skills. We have integrated social-emotional skills with our existing curriculum. Most importantly all of us work collaboratively to create a conducive climate and culture. 

• We encourage the students to practice the habit of showing respect and empathy to all in school, be it the corridors or classrooms. 
• We never follow an imposing curriculum where the students feel stuffy. Our curriculum promotes critical thinking and lateral thinking skills. 
• We always remain conscious of the social and emotional problems of the students, as these become the main reason for indulging in foolish acts like bullying or mental torture.
• We teach students to respect diversity and be inclusive of others. 
• All the elements that are necessary to make the students learn social-emotional skills like interactive activities, exposure to the stimulation of real-life experiences outside the schools, or becoming aware of the different parts of the community are nurtured in the best way. 
• We often indulge in various types of philanthropic and social activities and community service programmes. We have also recently organised “VINTAGE VIBES”,  a charity fete for the underprivileged.
• Our annual sports meet gives the students wonderful chances to mix with a large number of students who belong to different grades and different ages. 
• An annual exhibition programme is held every year where one will find a variety of exhibits which are artistically and scientifically mapped out and moulded by our students. An amazing display of more than a hundred models from various departments like general Science, Biology, Social Studies, History, Physics,  Chemistry, and Geography is presented. Bestowed with the title of a top school in Kolkata,  we try hard to make the students engaged in such activities and encourage the students to participate actively in such programmes throughout the whole year. Apart from this we also arrange countless cultural programmes and fets and fests. 
• We make the students aware of their social responsibility.
• Necessary guidance sessions are provided by the experienced school counsellor. 

Final words 

Adolescence is an important stage of life when students need the maximum emotional guidance and that is why Calcutta Public School tries hard to and takes every possible measure to make the students competent with social-emotional skills. Age is not a barrier to helping students to learn social-emotional skills. Being one of the leading and Best English medium schools in Kolkata, we focus on social and emotional competencies as these help the students a lot in living a healthy life. 

FAQ

1. What is called social-emotional skills? 

The term ‘social-emotional skills’ refers to the learning of processes that allows a child to understand and manage emotions. Developing these skills is very much necessary in childhood as it impacts the future life of the students. It helps a child to feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, set and achieve positive goals and make responsible decisions.

2. How a school can help students in developing social-emotional skills?

A school can take several steps to help the students to learn social-emotional skills. The atmosphere of the class should be warm enough so that the students can relate their emotions easily. More focus should be given to building new relations and maintaining existing relationships. It is necessary for teachers to make inclusive disciplines. The schools should implement a border definition of student success. 

3. What are the three most important social-emotional skills that a student should learn?

It is necessary for a student to learn social-emotional skills in childhood as it will help them to build and maintain new relationships as well as control their emotions in the most effective ways. The most important three social-emotional skills are:

• Recognising the sadness of a particular person and asking them if they are ok or not. 
• Ability to differentiate the ways that should be followed at the time of presenting yourself in front of your parents and friends. 
• Gaining a deep understanding of your thoughts and emotions and becoming able enough to top relate to others.

3. How can social-emotional learning help a person in different areas of life?

Calcutta Public Schools, one of the  Best English medium schools in Kolkata, says that social-emotional learning helps a person in all the different fields of our life. In professional life, it allows a person to communicate effectively with assertiveness and implement problem-solving skills. To build a healthy, creative and successful work environment learning these skills is highly necessary. When it comes to our social life, we can say that social-emotional learning is the best tool that helps us a lot in creating and maintaining positive relationships with others. Additionally, it also provides us with the required assistance to express empathy and control strong emotions. The ultimate result will be the improvement of public health and safety. For the students, social-emotional learning is highly beneficial for creating a solid foundation that provides necessary support to the students for achieving both personal as well as academic success. The most excellent part is that when the students become well-equipped with social-emotional skills their learning ability increases automatically and a positive school environment is created. 

4. What can parents do to help their children learn social-emotional skills?

Although schools are regarded as the most important place where children become equipped with essential social-emotional skills, parents can also play a vital role in helping their children to learn social-emotional skills. Calcutta Public School, one of the Best English medium schools in Kolkata is advising that the everyday activities, interactions and chores in a house can be an effective way to help a child to learn social-emotional skills. Sometimes a child should be allowed to buy things from vendors or shopkeepers and should be taught to thank them.  Sometimes they should visit banks, offices or hospitals with the adults with a clear idea about what to do and what not to do. Share your daily experience of the day with your child and wait for their turn, don’t make them overwhelmed with questions. Help them to share their feelings instead of suppressing them. When your child is trying to learn something new, encourage them and never make them worried by highlighting the problem they may face. Continue one-to-one conversations with your child, as it will help a lot!

5. How can teachers at Calcutta Public School provide a social learning environment to support students’ development?Calcutta Public School is one of the best English Medium Schools in Kolkata. Here teachers provide opportunities and guidance for collaboration, encourage building positive relationships between students and provide feedback to help in their overall growth and development.