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Bringing Kindness into the Classroom: Learning About Emotions
Learning to be kind and understanding is super important. As teachers, we want to help kids understand their feelings and be good friends. This is called Social Emotional Learning (SEL). It can be tricky, especially when we have students with special needs, like autism. But with some helpful ideas from experts like Richard Davidson and Patricia Jennings, we can make our classroom a kinder place for everyone.
SEL is all about teaching kids how to understand and manage their feelings, set goals, show empathy, make friends, and make good decisions. Richard Davidson says that mindfulness, which means paying attention to the present moment, can help a lot. “Mindfulness practice helps in cultivating a stable and clear mind, which is crucial for the development of empathy and compassion” (Davidson, 2014). Patricia Jennings agrees and says that mindfulness can help teachers and students feel better and connect more. “Mindfulness practices help teachers to manage stress and improve emotional resilience, which directly impacts the quality of their interactions with students” (Jennings, 2019).
Teaching SEL to students with autism can be hard. These kids might have trouble understanding social cues, managing anxiety, and expressing their feelings. In the past, as an educator, i found it challenging understanding children with Autism as this was a new experience for me and my fellow teachers. Sometimes the students showed emotions we didn’t know how to handle.
However, we found that making special plans for each student, focusing on what they needed most, really helped. We kept a consistent schedule because kids with autism feel better when they know what to expect. Working closely with special education teachers and parents also gave us great ideas and support.
Watching our student grow more confident and better at handling emotions showed me how powerful kindness and understanding can be. Teaching kindness and understanding in school is very important for everyone, especially for kids with different needs. Therefore, with patience, creativity, and teamwork, we can make our classrooms a happy and supportive place. Moreover, by doing this, we’re helping to grow the kind and caring leaders of the future.
References
Davidson, R. J. (2014). A Buddhist view of happiness. In A. Ie, C. T. Ngnoumen, & E. J. Langer (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell handbook of mindfulness (pp. 1072-1086). Wiley Blackwell.
Jennings, P. A. (2019). Bringing mindfulness to teachers: A professional development guide. W. W. Norton & Company.
Growing up is hard. As children’s bodies and brains rapidly change, they’re also grappling with the new ideas and influences that will shape who they become. When we talk about social-emotional learning, we are really talking about how social-emotional competencies emphasize your ability to learn and teach. These are competencies that all people and all learners need to develop throughout the lifespan. People need to invest their time and energy in this area in order to be able to make a positive contribution to their lives and the lives of those around them.
Your post is informative, especially for teachers who are dealing with children with autism. Your personal experience offers insights and practical guidelines that one can put into practice when one comes across autistic students. You also mention the importance of collaboration in solving students’ problems. The mention of Richard Davidson and Patricia Jennings and their contributions to mindfulness piqued my interest. I look forward to engaging with more work from these authors. Thank you for teaching us with your personal experience. Your practical guidelines will go a long way in making our classrooms kinder for everyone.
Imagine a classroom buzzing with kindness! SEL (Social-Emotional Learning) equips students with emotional “superpowers” for friendship, goal-setting, and empathy. Mindfulness, like focusing on the present moment, helps build compassion (think Richard Davidson & Patricia Jennings).
Students with Autism might face unique challenges. But with personalized plans, predictable routines, and teamwork with parents and specialists, we can create a winning team! Witnessing their growth in confidence reminds us why kindness matters. By fostering it, we nurture not just academic skills, but the kind and caring leaders of tomorrow. Let’s build classrooms where every student feels like a superhero!
You brought up an excellent point, Michelle, on how students with special needs might need to be taught a little differently about SEL skills than neurotypical children. Awareness of one’s own emotions and those of others is very difficult for children with autism. Skills for self-awareness can help in this area as children need to be aware of and understand how their emotions can affect their behaviour. Emotional regulation may even be more important with these children. Thank you for bringing up this very important issue. I wish we had more time in the course to discuss SEL skills with special needs’ learners.