“Are you happy, my child?”
“I don’t quite know, mom!”
This is no complex math,
You may wonder!
Isn’t that so simple to know?
Whom do we turn to,
When in times of trouble?
We learned this through
equal parts observation
and social emotional learning.
Do you often step into others’ shoes?
Perspective-taking, the hero behind empathy.
Is it mirror neurons playing the original hero?
Certainly, here’s pitting Nature Vs Nurture.
“You’re my best friend,
I’ll be happy to share my tiffin with you.”
Socialization at 4 years done right!
“High-five, uncle!”
“Hey smarty! What an entertainment!
She’s really a treat to have around.
Sunshine, chirpy lil’ sparrow, pleasant personality,
thanks to social-emotional learning
for the fabulous relationship skills.
She’s doing well in school too,
not coming to me as a surprise,
all the opportunities to develop
positive peer relationships are finally paying off.
Fringe benefits? You may ask,
confidence, trust, empathy and a lot more.
Swimming reflex, cook up the origin!
when a child is thrown into a deep pool,
that’s a defense mechanism,
don’t you mistake it for problem-solving?
One can’t equate a pool of water
to a pool of opportunities conducive for
developing responsible decision-making.
I’ve started running a fever,
do I communicate honestly to my teacher?
Or wait till my favorite food gets served?
Responsible decision-making at play.
To sum up
and wrap this free verse,
let’s bring together
the 5 core components of
Social Emotional Learning.
Self-awareness,
Self-management,
Social awareness,
Relationship skills,
Responsible decision-making.
Moral values and interpersonal skills
sell us or sell us short,
let’s all help toddlers and preschoolers
to inculcate these ideal aptitudes,
since the tender formative years
so that we step into a world of
nicety, generosity and minimal conflict.
This is a free-verse poem centered around Social Emotional Learning. It is indispensable learning that needs to be imparted to children right from toddlerhood so that they are groomed to be well-adjusted teenagers and adults. One can perceive Social-Emotional learning as a catalyst in the holistic development of an individual’s personality.
Artwork by- Netra Bhave
