Neuroscience Brain Research on Social/Emotional Learning

We all know that a child's brain is being shaped by the experiences that he/she comes across with. Therefore, as educators we need to promote positive learning experiences. We can do this by training the mind on how to react when a child is faced with either a negative or positive experience. This is called social/emotional learning. When children come to school they are anxious and the more anxiety we put them in the less working memory they will have. Research states as mentioned in edutopia.org; that if we promote social/emotional learning we lower the anxiety of the child therefore, we improve cognition and we get better academic performance. Research also states that social/emotional learning improves skills of emotion regulation and social adaptation. Furthermore, social emotional learning produces beneficial brain changes. Social/Emotional learning qualities are patience, calmness, cooperation and kindness are skills that can be trained. In conclusion, research further indicates that education shapes the child's brain and produces alterations that lay the foundation in all future learning. As educators we should promote social/emotional learning. I would like to provide more social/emotional learning activities in my classroom especially with my middle school students because they are adolescents and at this age the brain shows more changes during social/emotional experiences.