Three Dimensions of Learning: Emphasizing the Emotional Aspect

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Carolyn Teague’s Three Dimensions of Learning help parents get to know the emotional part of their child and develop them further into well-adjusted individuals.

When seeking individual development, people tend to prioritize either the cognitive or physical aspects; society also rewards this–such is why the stereotype of a tiger mom (common among Asian parents) pushing their children to pursue their studies or physical activity without hindrance is a relatable one. 

But this approach neglects a fundamental part of what it means to be a well-adjusted, holistically formed human being.

And that part is the emotional aspect. 

Most people, teachers and parents included, tend to think of emotions as something that needs to be disregarded or, at the least, suppressed–at best, it is a quirk of the child and, at worst, it is a hindrance—especially in discussions of a child’s development and assessment of strengths and weaknesses.

Emotions are almost always categorized as weaknesses. 

This is a very destructive way of viewing things and ignores the totality of the human experience. Because of certain misconceptions about psychology and the scientific method, a growing number of people think that emotions are ultimately an obstacle to becoming rational and successful individuals. The studies on everything regarding the subject disprove those assumptions to hell and back. Emotions, as it seems, are quite important to create healthy and sociable individuals.

What Skills Are Developed and Improved through Learning about Emotions

In Carolyn Nooks Teague’s Three Dimensions of Learning, the affective aspects of child development are touched upon, especially as a means by which parents can get to know the emotional aspect of their child—by connecting with children through emotional engagement, as well as through cognitive and physical activity, parents are put in a better position to properly cultivate their children’s personal growth.

Here are the primary skills that find great benefit in developing the emotional aspect of the child:

1. Self-Awareness. This skill is not just about being cognizant of one’s shortcomings and achievements; it is the ability to self-reflect and engage with the turbulence and stillness of their emotions. Self-awareness helps children get an earlier grasp on their thoughts and how to properly deal with them. It aids them in understanding themselves better and clearly establishing what it is what they want in life and what their goals are.
2. Temperance. If self-awareness helps children develop a path for themselves, temperance allows them to stick to it. A poor grasp of self-awareness sometimes leads individuals to develop dreadfully low self-esteem; sometimes, the opposite happens. This is because they have yet to learn restraint and how to position themselves properly against and among others. By developing their temperance, individuals learn how to navigate their emotions and sort out their thoughts.
3. Harmoniousness. If temperance helps children keep to themselves, harmoniousness is what allows them to mesh well with others. A good understanding of self-awareness helps an individual establish a goal and idea of themselves, while a good understanding of harmoniousness helps an individual place those goals and ideas within a group. It is the ability to empathize and relate to others, improving an individual’s capacity for open-mindedness and socializing. Remember, though, that someone who does not get along with others is different from someone who will not get along with others. The former might be someone who has problems engaging with people, while the latter might have other issues they need to deal with before anything else. When children become harmonious, they will feel good when surrounded by others.
4. Cordiality. If harmoniousness is being aware of others in a group, being cordial is knowing how to deal with others interpersonally. The ability to establish and maintain good relationships with others is a key part of human development. Remember, no one can survive alone. This means that people need to learn how to rely on one another to succeed in life and that building lasting and productive relationships is key to living a well-adjusted life. Cordiality lets children develop bonds that resonate with them throughout their whole lives.
5. Rationality. If cordiality is how to interact with people, rationality is when to do it. Although usually defined as a cognitive process, rationality also requires the person’s emotions to arrive at the correct judgment. Rationality not only helps assess interpersonal situations, but it also covers decision-making and introspection. The myth is that being rational requires one to forego their emotions, but this is a terrible lesson for children. Being rational means learning how to make decisions based on good logic and reasoning, and sometimes that involves going with your emotions.