Dr. Leahcim Semaj

Psychologist | Author | Quantum Transformation Facilitator
The Semaj MindSpa — Where Mind, Spirit, and Science Meet

Speaking at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s 2024 Education Symposium, psychologist Dr Leahcim Semaj highlighted the importance of problem-solving and anger management skills, which are vital in addressing issues like bullying in schools. He suggested incorporating social-emotional learning activities, such as classroom check-ins and non-verbal expressions of feelings, to help students understand and express their emotions daily. Dr Semaj also emphasised that the home should be the first school for teaching these skills, with parents playing a crucial role in shaping children’s social development before they enter formal education.

“One of the most important skills lacking in the Jamaican landscape is problem-solving skills and anger management, and that is the cornerstone of what happens in an emotionally intelligent situation. The person learns to manage those things, and it starts with the school,” said Semaj.

“Some schools have become some very brutal places, coarse, and one issue is with bullying because there are children who are afraid to go to school because children can be very unkind to each other. The whole school has to be reprogrammed, but how do we make this a comprehensive ‘whole-school’ approach?” Semaj continued. “We should integrate social emotional learning into the curriculum, and it is not an add-on. It is an integral part, a dedicated social emotional component and a crosscurricular integration, with daily emotional intelligence activities.”

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise and understand one’s emotions and those of others, the ability to use that information to guide one’s thoughts and actions, and the ability to empathise with others. thereby building better relationships.

Semaj suggested several activities that schools could incorporate into their daily activities to help children learn emotional intelligence, including allowing students various avenues to express themselves non-verbally.

“There is a host of student exercises that we can carry out to make sure the students understand and get the concept, and one of them is the classroom check-in. I have seen things like when a child comes in and you have some emotions posted on the wall, and you tell a child‘just pick one and drop it in the box, or pick one and put it on your shirt to show what are you experiencing today’. Create opportunities for students to share how they are feeling and what they need from others,” said Semaj. “There are some options when you walk into the classroom for you to tell teacher that you want the teacher to shake your hand or give a high-five or a hug.”

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/esponsored/20241203/addressing-bullying-classrooms