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UCSB Researcher Makes Case For "Emotional Education" Starting in Kindergarten

A UC Santa Barbara professor emeritus is advocating for young children to be educated in “emotions.” 

Sociologist Thomas Scheff says there’s a problem with how people deal with their feelings.

“Modern societies tend to ignore emotions, and that’s a big mistake,” he said.

In his paper titled “An Emotion Problem in Cooperative Education” that was recently published in the journal “Medical Sciences,” he makes the case for instruction in emotions beginning as early as kindergarten.

“Children can learn very early that the best way to deal with emotions is to think about it and talk about it," Scheff said.

There’s a way teachers can start the conversation with their young students.

“Have them tell about the best moments in their lives. That leads to laughing and crying. So, that opens up the whole avenue,” he said.

Scheff said this makes it easier to talk about the more difficult things so that they can better understand and manage their feelings over time.