What is the school’s role in social and emotional development?

A simple question: why do we send students to school? The obvious answer is to learn. However, as I think about the question, I don’t think the answer is that simple. Yes, I think years ago this might have been the answer, but when I think about the modern world the answer doesn’t make sense. Nowadays students can learn anywhere. We live in an information age, where answers to questions are a simple Google search away. Online schooling for K-12 education continues to increase, and students can literally learn from anywhere with internet access.

So think again. Why do we send students to school? We send students to school for the environment. When I think of a school, I typically think of a safe caring place where students are encouraged to interact with each other while learning. I think of a place where students have the opportunities to explore their interests and where adults encourage them to follow their dreams. Students can learn anywhere. School has to be more than a place to learn or why would we send our kids there? K-12 education is not meant to be a daycare with an emphasis on learning, but it seems like that is what it is turning into in the United States.

So what can’t students get anywhere? I think the answer is social and emotional development. We cannot accept sending our students to schools where kids sit in rows and columns while the teacher stands in front and lectures all day. We cannot accept testing becoming our main way of measuring success. We cannot accept that safety is enforced by metal detectors, cameras in the halls, and discipline. School starts to feel more like a prison than the safe caring place listed above.

There is a disconnect between what school environment is expected to be, and what it actually is. However, teachers need to shove as much information into their student’s brains, because they are measured on their students’ academic performance. Testing students is important to make sure our students are competing with the best students in the world. Safety is important because students have become more physical in school.

None of these things are accomplishing what they are supposed to. Teacher measurement based on student performance has put more stress on teachers. Teachers have to be serious as their jobs depend on it, and overall their performance is decreasing. Testing puts stress on students. We take away recess and art classes and fun, because they are not directly related to student success. However student success is decreasing. Discipline and video cameras are supposed to stop students from getting in trouble, but it doesn’t.

So what is wrong? We focus too much on academic development, but forget about social and emotional development. As I said before, students can learn anywhere! Our schools are backwards! If we develop students socially and emotionally, then students can be better prepared to develop academically. You want to measure teachers? Measure them on how they connect with students. Measure them on how they encourage students. Measure them on how many times they make students smile. You want students to perform better? Give them back their recess. Give them back their art classes. Give them back their fun! You want students to behave better? Teach them about themselves. Teach them about others. Teach them about teamwork. Make them feel comfortable. Discipline doesn’t work anymore, because lots of students like to be out of class and lots of parents don’t hold students accountable. If we did a better job of getting students excited about school, then discipline might work, but right now lots of students hate school.

We need to change. We need to develop leaders. We need to develop thinkers. We need to develop nurturers. If we do this, we will develop academic success.