Although moral education — development of social and emotional learning (SEL) — has been dispensed to children for several millennia through scriptural instruction, sermons and moral science and civics textbooks, the idea of developing formal SEL syllabuses and curriculums — the “missing piece” of education — is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1994, a multi-disciplinary group of US-based educationists, teachers and child rights activists promoted the not-for-profit CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social & Emotional Learning). Since then, especially in the new millennium, the proposition that children’s social and emotional education is as important as academic learning has acquired worldwide traction.
In 2012, Unesco, with support from the Indian government, promoted the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace & Sustainable Development (MGIEP) for attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Back home in India which has a historic compassion deficit rooted in the hierarchical caste system, there’s a welcome even if belated, awareness of the importance of dispensing formal SEL. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 defines the purpose of education beyond academic learning: to “build character, enable learners to be ethical, rational, and compassionate” citizens.
Moreover, with social tensions and religious, caste and class antagonisms having sharpened in recent times, sentient educationists, teachers and social reform activists are highlighting the importance of teaching kindness and compassion towards less fortunate citizens and animals. In particular, upper and middle class children need to be especially encouraged to practice greater empathy, compassion, care and consideration towards the majority of citizens struggling for food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare at the bottom of the country’s iniquitous socio-economic pyramid.
In our cover story this month we highlight the importance of parents and educators teaching children to practice everyday kindness and compassion. We present several movements launched worldwide to enable children to develop social and emotional intelligences. These revolutionary initiatives of NGOs and activists include the Be Kind Movement founded by UK-based film producer Premila Puri and the Kindness Is Everything movement started by Kirsten Garvey, a USbased social reformer. To build a harmonious society at peace with itself parents and teachers need to encourage children to practice small acts of kindness and compassion within their families, peers and local communities on a daily basis.
There’s much else in this issue of ParentsWorld. Check out the early childhood story on foods to avoid during pregnancy, and adolescence feature written by nutritionist Vasanthi Senthilvel advising parents about common teenage eating disorders. Also highly recommended is the special essay by Australian academic Kate Highfield on why parents should focus on the quality rather than quantity of children’s audio-visual media screen time.
