207 teachers trained as social emotional learning ambassadors

DIMAPUR — The Department of School Education (DoSE), in partnership with Dream a Dream, has successfully trained 207 teachers across 176 schools in Nagaland as social emotional learning (SEL) ambassadors.

The initiative aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aimed at nurturing empathy, self awareness, emotional regulation and healthy interpersonal skills among students, while creating a positive and inclusive learning environment, stated an update from the department.

It informed that the final batch of 73 teachers completed their training in Dimapur on October 4, bringing a total to 207 trained teachers from all 16 districts of the state.

The training was conducted in two phases each lasting two days with a three-month gap between phases to allow teachers to reflect on their learning and experiences.

The first phase, held in June 2024, was focused on building self-awareness, helping teachers appreciate their unique strengths and encouraging them to explore facilitation as a teaching approach, rather than just instruction.

The second phase, held from late September to early October, emphasised developing compassionate teachers, who could build deeper connections with their students by empathising with their backgrounds and needs, understanding child adversity and focusing on strength-based approach rather than punishment and detention.

The training sessions were conducted using experiential methods that involved fun activities, reflection and hands-on participation.

One teacher said, “We need to look deeper to understand children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. I’m grateful to Dream a Dream for helping me see from a new perspective.” 

The inauguration of the final training was attended by the DEO of Dimapur, Neivizolie Meyase, wherein he encouraged teachers to adapt to new teaching pedagogies and advancements with the changing times.

He encouraged the participants to utilise such opportunities to enhance their skill with the help of organisations with specialised expertise coming forward to support education systems. 

It mentioned that Dream a Dream, a Bangaluru-based non-profit organisation, has been collaborating with Nagaland’s education system for two years to integrate life skills and holistic assessment into schools.

The training programme was another step towards transforming education in the state by empowering teachers to nurture the overall development of their students.