Ankita Pokharel
Educators often consider it a success when their class is silent. They assume that creating a quiet classroom signifies compliance and well-being, mistaking silence for engagement or harmony. It’s important that each silence is monitored and looked at beyond the surface. What teachers would claim as good behaviour reflected through smiles or silence may mask deeper emotional struggles. Beneath the composed exterior could lie many challenges, such as anxiety, stress, or fear that, if unaddressed, could lead to long-term mental health concerns. A responsible teacher must ensure their students receive support to address the struggles they are going through.
Students are adept at masking their emotions, often reflecting a face of calmness while struggling and being surrounded by hidden turmoil. This bottling of emotions is sure to manifest in meltdowns or withdrawal at home or any other place, making it crucial to spot and address these struggles early. A teacher’s job is not just teaching students; it’s more about nurturing, understanding, and listening to them to support them academically, socially, and emotionally. And why not? They spend the majority of their time with the teachers, giving them not just a professional responsibility but a compassionate imperative. If teachers try making excuses stating it’s not their job to counsel or help their students, they are in the wrong profession and are the culprits to those innocent hearts seeking solace and relying upon them for everything.
Brutally stated, but true: stress and unresolved emotional challenges are sure to escalate, leading to mental health concerns that require greater attention and intervention later. It is important to support students in their emotional well-being, which goes hand in hand with both academic and personal development. There are a few practical strategies educators can utilize to effectively address some of the more hidden emotional challenges. The day can start with a check-in using some visual tools: a stoplight system—green for good, yellow for okay, and red for needing support—or an emoji chart that allows students to communicate non-verbally.
Group activities such as working in pairs and teams engage students to establish social skills by developing their peer relationships through socio-emotional practice in a friendly setting. Building a culture of kindness, for example, noticing and honouring the acts which demonstrate empathy or compassion, creates a classroom climate that’s both positive and inviting.
Evidence-based practices, such as mindfulness or deep-breathing exercises, in teaching emotion regulation skills, arm them with tools to manage stress effectively when learned during calm moments. Integrating social-emotional learning into the curriculum further supports emotional literacy through tools like feelings charts and age-appropriate literature. Communicating expectations allows students to feel safe and included; this helps them be themselves without judgment. Educators who model healthy coping mechanisms can teach students constructive ways to deal with difficult emotions. The opportunity for creative self-expression can allow students who are struggling to articulate their feelings to communicate through the medium of art, writing, or other creative outlets that foster emotional growth and understanding.
This also seeks strong collaboration among educators, parents, and staff, which is one of the keys to a comprehensive support system in which students are embedded. Collaboration offers a multi-dimensional method of addressing the needs students have academically, socially, and emotionally. When these stakeholders effectively come together, they foster a learning environment where every student feels genuinely seen, heard, and valued.
Educators provide the class perspective by observing learning habits, behavior, and interaction within the group. They also tend to be among the very first to note the early stirrings of emotional or school problems.
Being receptive to feedback and embracing it with a positive attitude, parents can provide insight into the child’s home life, routine, and personality. They can also give valuable context about the triggers and strengths of the child emotionally.
Other contributing professionals in the school, including counselors, special educators, and administrators, bring specialized knowledge and resources to bear in ensuring that interventions match individual needs.
All these put together give the support system a holistic view of the child and, hence, more effective strategies. The early recognition of signs that children are struggling emotionally allows intervention at an early stage, thereby avoiding potential longer-term mental health issues. Through the use of a caring, nurturing classroom and collaboration with parents and other professionals, a teacher can provide a secure environment for students to grow socially, emotionally, and academically. Emotional check-ins, mindfulness, and the teaching of kindness will help learners cope with their feelings and use healthy ways for their management. As such, it is a fully rounded approach toward education, whereby students are accorded with the wholeness of emotional growth, much as they are given academic success.