It is fun to be a kid. It seems they do not worry about anything. When we watch school children at play in school, it looks like they are so happy that they have no cares in this world. Children have worries, too, and it is important that as adults supervising and looking after their welfare, we look into their concerns and understand that these concerns are real to them.
One concern that they have is grades. Even if at times, it seems some of them do not care if they get passing grades or high grades, they worry that they will not be able to maintain their grades. Many students are grade-conscious. It is crucial to remind children that perfection is not expected but learning is.
Another concern is social anxiety. They are very concerned if they fit in and make friends. They worry about what others think of them. They do not like being teases and being left out. It will help if you can talk to them about social situations and how they can effectively cope up with the situation. It can also help if you can advise and suggest ways to make friends and on how to be one.
Unmet classroom expectations and the feeling that the school is unorganized give stress to children. Help them deal constructively with the feeling and offer help to come up with solutions to their problems.
Being part of the team or taking part in a school program is also a concern for them. Even being picked for games during recess is also a concern. Tell the child that there are always other opportunities. Play with the children and practice the skills they are interested in. Encourage group play and encourage children to play together.
Being bullied is probably one of the biggest concern. Ensure that children are safe from bullying. Be watchful and guard bullying instances and possibilities. Take necessary precautions and actions.
Address concerns of children to be able to help them have the best experiences in school that they can take with them until adulthood.
References:
Bar-On, R (2006). “The Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence (ESI)”. Psicothema18: 13–25.
Goleman, D. (2006), Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships
Lantieri, L. and Goleman, D. (2008), Building Emotional Intelligence: Techniques to Cultivate Inner Strength in Children
By: Mrs. Aline S. Manlapid | Teacher I | BEPZ Elementary School | Mariveles, Bataan
