Children in secondary schools are to be taught "emotional intelligence" as part of the national curriculum in an attempt to combat a growing tide of rudeness, violence and lack of respect.

 

With the debate about the lack of civility among young people reaching a new pitch, ministers are planning to roll out "social and emotional" intelligence classes to help children to cope with anger and frustration without resorting to violence or swearing.

The programme will be integrated into the curriculum, and will teach pupils about fair play and dealing with adversity.

 

The new moves to instil good manners in young people is the latest attempt to deal with what many politicians and commentators bemoan as a blight on British society, making streets, schools and communities unsafe and unpleasant. The worry is that children no longer have the authority figures to look up to and that the state has to an extent take on the responsibilities that belong to parents.

 

From September secondary school children will learn basic values and "golden rules" such as: "We are gentle, we are kind, we work hard, we look after property, we listen to people, we are honest, we do not hurt anybody."

Jim Knight, the schools minister, is to announce the plans to introduce the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning Classes (Seal) in secondary schools after pilots found that it had a dramatic effect on improving behaviour in primary schools, including on attendance records and marks.

 

The policy is likely to provoke accusations that this is the latest example of the nanny state, and that the Government should leave it to parents to drum into their children moral values.

 

Nick Gibb, the shadow schools minister, said he feared the programme would dilute academic teaching. "This kind of stuff is ghastly. Schools have really got to focus on the core subjects of academic education and teaching children how to learn," he said.

Teachers who took part in the scheme in primary schools found there was a calmer atmosphere in the classroom, a significant reduction in truancy and fewer bullying incidents throughout the school. Difficult children who were frequently disciplined for swearing and abuse discovered their behaviour improved and found it easier to integrate with their peers.

 

In Plymouth, a primary school where the scheme was piloted found there were no serious behaviour incidents after a year of introducing the programme.

 

It probably won't work. It'll be pointless to those who are already well-behaved and those who aren't probably will just laugh at it or not even turn up.

Anything that encourages good manners has to be good, but the problem is that it's all well and good teaching this in schools, but it has to be continued at home in order for it to succeed. I work in primary education and unfortunately I'm seeing more and more children who aren't being brought up with the basics of good manners and behaviour. We can only do so much.

I didn't need lessons in good manners from my teachers at school, my parents taught me good manners, respect and the basic dos and donts.... Just what the fukk is wrong with parents these days ffs...? Why are so many people out there having kids and just not bothering their arses to do the right thing..? Seriously, I think it's about time we just started castrating people and sterilising them if they cannot live up to their responsibilities, and taking the kids they do have into care or put them up for adoption for their own and society in general's, fukkin' good.... I dont give a sh!t how reactionary that sounds... to qoute Chris Rock - "Some things I'm conservative about, some things I'm liberal about..".

I agree with Scott ... some people have such little sense of control and responsibility, they should just have their d!ck's chopped off. if i went around stabbing people i wouldn't be allowed a knife, would i??

 

i agree with tilly also, it can only be good if people try to teach manners, but i'm not convinced it'll work.

Edited April 29, 200718 yr by Andrewy

OFFS!!!!

 

 

I can't even begin to rant on this topic!!!

 

What the hell do the government think we do in schools - teach them bad manners??? :blink:

OFFS!!!!

I can't even begin to rant on this topic!!!

 

What the hell do the government think we do in schools - teach them bad manners??? :blink:

 

 

lol... but tbh i dont really think its your job! teachers should only be supporting the example the parents are supposed to lead with. what does the future hold? all these ferral chavs popping out kids and not bringing them up right... the future for politeness and respect in society is bleak.

oh and "Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning" ????

 

yes is know as SEAL ... and has been being taught for years - why the f*** are they announcing it like it is something new?????

What the hell do the government think we do in schools - teach them bad manners??? :blink:

 

Wonderfully put ICR.... I was ranting about the whole idea of specific "good manners" classes, and anyway, it really isn't the job of teachers to teach the absolute basics of good manners and respect anyway, there should really be the assumption that when a kid does start school they kinda know how they're meant to behave because parent should be hammering it into them.... I had it drummed into me by my folks that if I ever got into sh!t at school I was gonna be in serious trouble when I got home.... Teachers are only there to act in what is known as loco parentis, ie, in the temporary place of a parent while a kid is at school, the teacher obviously does have responsibility to the children under their charge, but they are only acting as guardians, not as the actual parent....