Socio emotional education at school

Maggi M.

Editrice Berti

Italian

English

Socio emotional education – school – self-esteem – experience – empowerment

Book

Teachers.

Over 100 pages

The book is the outcome of 10-year socio-emotional workshops taken place in various schools located in Northern Italy. The book is divided into three parts: the first part consists in the theoretical approach of the topic titled “Promoting health at school – Educational relationship, learning and class management – communication in class – socio emotional education and school empowerment”. The second part consists of a rich documentation concerning the projects carried out in different schools and of three practical handbooks to be used with students in class. The aim is to give teachers the necessary tools to work properly, so that they could carry out with students some activities to promote self-esteem.The first handbook is called “Dentro di noi il Bosco della felicità”, “we are happy inside” and it is addressed to students attending the first school years of primary schools. It is a sort of socio-emotional alphabetization or first approach where children get in contact with their feelings and with group work.As for the remaining school years of primary schools (Calimero project), for the students attending lower secondary schools as well as high schools (progetto Filo Diretto), there are two handbooks that include a series of activities related to the self image, the discovery of the own self-awareness and self-esteem, communication and physical response. In each of the three handbooks you will find at first an explanation about how to carry out activities and then a series of worksheets with a short presentation. The third part focuses on the evaluation of some projects carried out in the past, where you can read the outcomes along with the evaluation methods and instruments. The book that joins theory with practice is a good help for educationalists and teachers who are interested in emotional education.

Socio-emotional education is a complex method that focuses on relationships. It develops a sort of intelligence which is called “emotional Intelligence” by Goleman or “personal intelligence” by Gardner.Gardner (1987) speaks about personal intelligence and identifies the difference between intrapersonal intelligence – that means getting in contact with the own self thanks to the own experiences and emotions - and interpersonal intelligence – that means getting in touch with other people, with their emotions, sharing experiences, supporting each other in case of difficulties, collaborating and being involved. The method described in this book develops this intelligence, promotes empowerment and enhance the life skills that the World Health Organization states as necessary for human life. You can be a genius, a remarkable thinker or a famous scientist, but if you lack in “humanity” and emotions, you will experience an inner division. This method considers two aspects of the educational mission: the teacher-student relationship and the student-student relationship. The former identifies strategies for effective communication (authentic messages and need for help), the latter involves group management strategies (circle time). In this field Mr Marco Maggi gives his support to develop self-esteem in guys. A positive and real self-esteem is necessary for a healthy development because it avoids passive resignation and arrogant individualism and it makes you consider other people as a resource, develop skills to get in touch with them, develop abilities to face life. The activities suggested by Maggi rich in valuable descriptions, worksheets, questionnaires, are a useful tool for those who want to enhance empowerment of young people.

Don Milani