G7&8 – Moral Education 〜Exploring the Senses〜

At GKA Secondary, Moral Education classes are based on SEE Learning (Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning), a framework developed by Emory University in the United States.
In Grade 7 and Grade 8 Moral Education classes, students are currently learning about resilience — the ability to recover and adapt in challenging situations.
In recent lessons, students explored the strong connection between the mind and body, and practiced bringing their attention back to their senses when experiencing stress or emotional difficulty.

In our daily lives, people often instinctively seek comforting sensations when under stress. For example, we may crave sweet foods when feeling overwhelmed, or unconsciously fidget with objects when nervous. These are natural responses that help us calm and regulate ourselves.

During this lesson, students intentionally explored these sensory experiences in order to better understand what helps them feel calm, safe, and emotionally balanced.
For example, some students felt relaxed when smelling rosemary, while others felt the scent was too strong. Some students preferred soft and fluffy textures, while others found rougher textures more calming.

The same sensory experience can feel very different from person to person.
Through this activity, students reflected on what “comfort” means for them individually and carefully explored the ways they can support their own emotional wellbeing.

Learning how to restore and care for oneself is an important part of developing resilience and overcoming difficulties. We hope this experience encourages students to better understand themselves and value their own wellbeing.