Curated by the Knowledge Team of ICS Career Gps
Education
Social and Emotional Learning: The Real Gap in India’s Education System
Excerpts from article by Setu Loomba and Priyasha Chawla, published in THE WIRE
Last year Delhi government schools introduced the ‘Happiness Curriculum’ framework integrating social and emotional activities into academic structure. SEL is a sum total of a number of skills: understanding one’s own emotions and that of others, managing those emotions to maintain healthy relationships and making socially responsible decisions. As with academic skills, social and emotional skills are transferable. These skills manifest themselves in how individuals manage their feelings and behave in different social situations.
The significance of social and emotional learning
Indian educationists acknowledge that SEL is important. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) underscores the importance of SEL to ensure holistic development of children and states that education system must aim to “develop good human beings capable of rational thought and action, possessing compassion and empathy”. The chapter on Early Childhood Care and Education gives SEL comparable importance as other academic competencies. The road to achieving this goal will determine the efficacy of this move.
SEL makes it easier for the child to transition from a familiar home environment to that of a preschool, and from a preschool to a primary school. The expectations placed on children increase at every stage – from following instructions to emotional regulation in wider and newer social interactions. SEL facilitates in fulfilling these expectations. Research shows that it also quickens the process of development of other academic skills in the early years. The positive outcomes are not limited to a child’s early life but also include career readiness, healthy relationships, and improved mental health.
The urgent need to include SEL in the school curriculum has been reinforced by Pratham’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2019: Early Years, released in January 2020. This is the first large-scale exercise that collected data on a number of developmental indicators relating to learning, including social and emotional abilities of young children in the age group of four to eight years in rural India.
Assessing empathy among children
The activities conducted as part of the ASER 2019 highlighted some important findings. One of the activities, for instance, assessed child’s ability to control her impulses in a situation of conflict. Children were asked what they would do if their friend snatched their only toy while playing. Almost a quarter of all eight-year-olds gave responses like “will beat or fight with friend” suggesting that they would opt for escalating their anger. Only 2.5% of them said they wish to talk to their friend and ask for the toy back, pointing to children’s unfamiliarity with conflict resolution strategies like communication.
Older children are more likely to give responses that could lead to conflict escalation. Another activity assessing a child’s ability to empathise revealed that three out of five children (58.5%) who could identify all emotions correctly gave empathetic responses. In comparison, of those unable to identify emotions correctly, less than one in three (31.3%) children gave empathetic responses.
It is obvious that children who understand emotions apply this knowledge, like conflict resolution strategies, to comprehend how others feel, understand their perspective, and show compassion. When so many young children fail to identify simple emotions, it is unreasonable to expect them to empathise with others.
It is important to ensure that in addressing the various issues discussed in NEP 2020, the need to promote SEL is not lost. A small investment in SEL at an early stage can go a long way in making Indian citizens more responsible community members. This ought to be a national priority.
Career
Writing your thoughts down can have a positive impact on your career
Excerpts from article by Kim Thompson, published in Career Rescue
Journaling can be a great way to help grow your career by connecting your thoughts with actions. Most life changes, especially the ones unexpected such as a job loss, can clutter your mind with decisions, and putting your ideas down on paper can be a significant breakthrough.
A career change is an emotional experience, and it can be very challenging to sell your abilities to a potential employer when your thoughts are not clear on what you want to do next. Even though job searching is based on techniques and strategies, you can’t discount the emotional aspects of finding employment.
In a study, job seekers who wrote about their emotions in losing their jobs were more likely to find new positions than those who did not write about their feelings. The study focused on a group of professionals who had been laid off and were invited to participate in a project that involved writing for just 20 minutes a day for five days.
According to the study, more than half of the expressive writing treatment group found full-time employment in the eight months after the study, compared with 24% of the writing control group and 14% of the non-writing comparison group. The results are interesting and support the idea that emotions influence your job search and acknowledging them can lift your spirits.
Journaling doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require some effort to make it worth your time. When you acknowledge your thoughts on paper, you gain clarity, and it helps you communicate your ideas to others, especially when networking with others.
One of the areas that create stress for job candidates is how to convey their interests and why it makes sense for an employer to hire them. While job candidates may know their value deep down, communicating your interests and skills to a potential employer can be challenging.
Journaling helps clear your head and gives you ample time to connect your thoughts with words for creating tools such as your personal branding statement.You can start journaling by merely noting your thoughts in a free-flowing brainstorming way, or you can be more structured.
For example, working for a tough boss can put a dent in your self-esteem as well as the extra stress of putting up a strong front when you want to run. Journaling your thoughts help you develop a coping style and give you more awareness of toxic encounters.
Journaling is an excellent tool for career growth in figuring out what’s wrong with your job and what’s right. Start by writing down your thoughts daily before work or after. Over time you will see themes emerge that give you great insights into what you are missing in your career.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article mentioned above are those of the author(s). They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of ICS Career GPS or its staff.)
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