Throughout history there have been wars, tornadoes, hunger, famine, protests that have left behind burdens in some regions of the world. But no one ever imagined that the pandemic would not only leave pain, sequelae, broken families, poverty, fear, and a hard sting to be removed in every corner of the world.
The pandemic impacted everyone’s lives, but the experience was different depending on the stage of life in which it found each person. How did the adolescents live it with their particularities? What consequences has it left them, to what extent it has been necessary for them to work on their emotional states, because it is important to attend to emotional well-being in the classroom?
For many parents and teachers it has been normal that during the return to school, students experience anxiety, fear, uncertainty, stress, despair, frustration, anger, sadness or anguish due to confinement, it is of the utmost importance to help them reduce the intensity , duration and frequency of all these emotions that surround them.
A new work is added to the teachers and lies in increasing the emotions that promote learning and coexistence such as curiosity, interest, kindness, empathy, confidence, enthusiasm, gratitude, optimism, among others.
Therefore, it is important to address moods through dialogue, empathizing with them in order to build healthy behavioral habits, implement self-regulation strategies before starting classes, which will give them confidence. The need to be with their peers and socialize was one of the strongest consequences they have experienced, because this type of coexistence humanizes the boys, being face to face with their peers causes emotional well-being. The other becomes part of the development, understanding the brain of the young is complicated, if a boy is asked what is the worst that can happen to him, surely the answer will be, “that they separate me from my friends”.
What to do then?
We must transmit security to counteract fears, consciously reinforce the affective bond, so that students know that there is a figure that supports them, contains them and is there for them, despite the fact that they cannot physically get close, words and actions They will keep you together and close.”
Practice tranquility without denying reality; if the teacher seems safe, the students will be too, so it is very important that the adult is self-regulated”. I hear you, I understand you, you are not alone, it can be a good start.
Finally, we must not forget that the emotional well-being of each one of the students is equivalent to quality of life.
*Carolina Beltrán Rodríguez is a teacher in Teaching, Academic Director of upper secondary level, Lucerna University.
