Education system should prepare students to handle emotions

Recently, I had an experience that made me question whether our students are able to manage and respond to situations involving emotions appropriately. In an exchange with a student, he responded using hurtful words.

The use of words or language, verbally or written, can have a profound effect on one’s emotions. Just as cyberbullying, with the use of defamatory remarks, can cause much affliction to the victim, the use of insensitive words, especially to one who is already experiencing intense emotion, can often aggravate the situation.

It is never easy to experience and control or manage negative emotions, especially anger. Our education system should prepare students to react to such situations appropriately.

Schools have counsellors to help students deal with such issues. But perhaps we could schedule weekly or monthly half- or one-hour sessions on dealing with emotions and responding appropriately in writing or verbally.

During these sessions, students could be taught the significance of emotions in daily life and, in particular, the possible adverse effects of responding inappropriately to someone who is already experiencing intense emotions.

They must be made to realise that their response, in whatever form, can have an effect on a person’s psychological well-being. Words can contribute to social disharmony by engendering feelings of distrust and hatred.

In our pursuit of academic excellence and knowledge, we must bear in mind that emotions form a very important part of students’ lives. Managing these emotions and responding appropriately to someone else’s are important, as they go towards preventing disharmony, which can threaten the social fabric.