Learning through emotions

So many times in the classroom what our students need to learn has nothing to do with our content. The bigger life lessons, however preparing students for life can often be taught through content.

I was recently in a school and saw some children’s pompoms proudly hanging on the wall. What I was excited about was the sign under the display. “We have been Persistent.” The fact that the teacher understood that it was not the pompoms that were the focal point, but rather who the students are becoming because of the teaching and learning, was evident. Making pompoms takes time and persistence, and there would have been many a frustration in the process. It is in this struggle and frustration that true learning often takes place – but only if we look for it and reflect it back to our students.

Like the butterfly emerging from the cocoon, it is the struggle that makes the butterfly strong enough to fly. If you help a butterfly out of its cocoon it will almost always die.

How often do you let your students truly struggle, get stuck or frustrated? Do you allow them to develop the skills necessary to get unstuck, to strengthen their abilities so they can fly?

Negative emotions such as frustration, anger or disappointment are feelings many teachers often try to avoid in the classroom, however these emotional states can send powerful messages and create deep learning to help students become strong and resilient.

Anthony Robbins describes 10 emotional states and the message they provide us:

Here is an overview…

Uncomfortable: This emotion equates to boredom, mild embarrassment, being impatient and feeling uneasy. The message of these feelings is to change your emotional state, clarify what you want and take action towards your goals.

Fear: includes worry, concern, anxiety, apprehension and feeling scared. The message of fear is to prepare to deal with something or perhaps someone, change your focus and become confident.

Hurt: is usually about a sense of loss. This message is simply that your expectations are not being met and you need to clarify what must change in order to move forward. This change may be in your perception of the situation and your need to look at it from another point of view, or changing your actions to get a different result.

Anger: this emotion covers being irritated, enraged, furious, livid and rage. It often points to your standards not being met by yourself or others. To move beyond this emotion it is useful to adjust the way you are communicating or the manner in which you are behaving.

Frustration: often feels like being held back or having something prevent you from moving forward. You may need to change your approach and think flexibility. Einstein was quoted as saying that the definition of insanity is to “Do the same thing, and expect different results.”

Disappointment: encompasses feelings of sadness and defeat. You may need to refine your goal or change your outcomes to a more appropriate and achievable target.

Guilt: is often manifest as regret and is a signal that you have violated your own standards. Again this emotional state requires you to modify both your perception and your behaviour and align yourself with your true values.

Inadequacy: is the feeling of being less than or unworthy. To move away from this feeling it takes a commitment to do something to better yourself and requires practice.

Overloaded: is often displayed as overwhelmed, hopelessness or feeling depressed. The message of this emotion is to decide on what is most important to you, put these in order and start with number one. Taking even a small step forward at this point can create the momentum to keep going in a positive direction.

Lonely: is a feeling of being separate, different or unconnected. The message here is that you need to connect and to take action.

Sometimes the struggle is exactly what we need in our lives. If we go through life without obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. Teach your students that having negative emotions are fine – they are just messages to help us grow and develop into successful functioning adults.