This workshop programme has evolved with an emphasis on the importance of emotions and the way in which both students and staff manage them in order to promote learning. It is very hard for children to focus or connect with classroom content if they feel worried, sad or over-excited. The same is true for teachers, and their management of their classroom can dictate how effectively they are able to teach their students. 

For this reason, the workshops implemented by JUCONI in preschools and primary schools have continued to provide children and teachers with the tools to manage their emotions and to make schools safe spaces to learn and work. 

The teachers who have attended the workshops are making use of the ‘emotion’s thermometer’, which is a visual tool for helping young children put a name to their feelings and their emotional intensity. Teachers have also participated in developing a ‘personal security plan’ for their schools.

During feedback, a teacher mentioned that “The workshops really make me think about my students and reflect on how their emotions might affect their academic performance.” Another teacher said “I have found the topics covered by the workshops to be very appropriate and I think that these tools will help us and our students greatly.” 

All participants would like to have more workshop sessions because they believe it is important to explore the tools for managing emotions in greater depth due to the responsibilities that they have in their roles. A teacher concluded that “This kind of workshop contributes to the security of not only teachers and students, but of all members of the school community.” 

During the past few months, JUCONI has worked with four schools resulting in sixty-six teachers attending our workshops. As a result, approximately 1041 children have directly benefitted from them.