Pupils need social emotional learning

Teaching is different from what it used to be. Fifty years ago, the main disciplinary problems were running in halls, talking out of turn and chewing gum.

Today’s transgressions include physical and verbal violence, impoliteness and, in some schools, drug abuse, robbery, assault and murder. The result is that many teachers spend an inordinate amount of time and energy managing classroom conflicts.

As violence increases, pressure for safe and orderly schools increases.

Such an increase in schools and society has led teachers to ask: Why is this violence occurring?

Three influences help answer this question: changing patterns of family and community life; how society has redefined vio- lence as acceptable; and easy ac- cess to weapons and drugs.

Today, children are more isolated from parents, extend- ed family members, and other adults than ever before.

One suggestion would be the introduction of social emotional learning. Satish Dullay, Mayfair West