For many K-12 educators, the goal of school is to prepare students for college. Once there, however, many young people face a situation full of consequence, a situation that all their years of schooling never once addressed: how to get along with a roommate?
Academics matter, but success in life (happiness included) depends as much on the quality of our relationships; with a college roommate, co-workers, a boss, friends and family.
A small but growing number of schools recognizes this and, starting from a young age, teach whats called Social and Emotional learning.
In this program, we visit a school where learning to recognize feelings (ones own and others) and how to handle them before they get in the way are just as important as traditional academics.
How do they do it? And whats the result?