Emotional education is gaining traction as a formal school subject, with psychologist Lucas Malaisi—president of the Fundación Educación Emocional—advocating for its integration from kindergarten through secondary school. By teaching students to recognize and regulate emotions, proponents argue that schools can improve student well-being and reduce symptomatic behaviors, moving beyond traditional academic subjects like language and mathematics.
What Is Emotional Education and Why Does It Matter?
According to Lucas Malaisi, emotional education creates designated spaces within schools for students to express, identify, and regulate their feelings. Malaisi emphasizes that this process is not therapy; rather, it is an educational strategy designed to boost emotional intelligence and empathy. By putting feelings into words—such as labeling sadness—students can diminish the intensity of their emotions and build better self-awareness.
The “marshmallow experiment” serves as a foundational study for emotional intelligence. Research showed that children who could delay gratification to eat two marshmallows instead of one later demonstrated higher social skills, better academic performance, and improved economic outcomes in adulthood compared to those who could not regulate their impulses.
How Is Emotional Education Being Implemented?
Legislation for emotional education has already been approved in several Argentine provinces, including Jujuy, Tucumán, Chaco, Corrientes, and Misiones, with Salta recently granting it media sanción (preliminary approval). Malaisi notes that while these laws provide a crucial “metamessage” that talking about feelings is legitimate in schools, the implementation remains uneven. He observes that private institutions, which often possess more resources and autonomy, have adopted these programs more readily than schools in vulnerable areas, where a lack of teacher training and political decision-making persists.
Should Emotional Education Be a Separate Subject?
While many global models treat emotional education as a “transversal” topic—integrated into other subjects like mathematics—Malaisi argues that a dedicated curricular space is essential. He contends that when reliance is placed solely on a transversal approach, the responsibility is often diffused, leading to a scenario where “if I don’t work on it, it doesn’t matter.” Malaisi suggests that the ideal strategy combines both: a specific hour for emotional education alongside a transversal approach across the broader curriculum.
The Impact of Digital Life on Emotional Health
The rise of digital consumption has complicated the emotional landscape for adolescents. Malaisi describes the impact of cell phones and social media as “brutal,” noting that international trends in countries like Australia, Denmark, and England include restricting social media access for minors under 16 and banning mobile devices in schools. Personally, Malaisi practices “intermittent digital fasting” to manage his own exposure to these platforms.
FAQ: Understanding Emotional Education
- Is emotional education the same as therapy?
No. Malaisi clarifies that it is an educational strategy to promote health and build skills, not a therapeutic intervention that would overtax teachers. - Can this curriculum prevent school violence?
Yes. By addressing the root causes of emotional dysregulation, schools can prevent the escalation of systemic problems that often manifest as violence. - What is the role of self-love in this framework?
Malaisi posits that self-love is the foundation for all other relationships. By teaching children how to manifest and cultivate self-love, educators can help them build a stronger sense of purpose and personal coherence.
Malaisi defines his current professional purpose as “awakening consciousness” through education. He suggests that individuals can begin this process by acknowledging their own emotional needs and aligning their daily actions with their true feelings.
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