These are dramatic times for teachers. In educating children, we have a difficult and demanding
role. Like no other, our profession is responsible in ensuring that children develop emotionally,
socially, and academically. As society evolves in complexity, so does our role. With so many
social and emotional issues influencing directly a student’s potential for learning, we can no
longer guarantee our success in educating children relying only on academic expertise. The fact
is that, like adults, in coping with today society’s pressures and demands, children are paying a
heavy emotional toll too. At alarming rates, more and more children and adolescents are
experiencing all kinds of stress and trauma reactions, and at all levels of severity. This can turn
into a chaotic scenario for teachers if it catches us ill prepared.
Since children’s affective and emotional status strongly influence how they perform in the
classroom, it is imperative for teachers to become acquainted with how students develop and
function socio-emotionally. If we are going to remain effective in doing our job –thriving rather
than simply surviving—we need direct access to the current ideas and latest development in
psycho-education, a therapeutic educational model that blends psychological, sociological,
biological, and educational theories and research.
How Habitually Disruptive and Acting-Out Students Benefit from a Therapeutic Model
