ALASKA ACADEMY: Jupiter B2 Class – Exploring and Naming Emotions

There are times when our little ones suddenly feel “uncomfortable”—they might be sad, worried, or angry—but they don’t know how to name that emotion or understand why they feel that way.

To help the children of Jupiter B2 class understand these “expressions,” Teacher Leah took them on a very special “emotional discovery journey” called “Expressing Emotions.”

Gently and skillfully, Teacher Leah told stories, described emotional states, and encouraged the children to mimic facial expressions for when they are happy, sad, or angry.

With colored paper, glue, and scissors, Teacher Leah also guided the children in creating faces, each one showing a different emotion. Every child was excited and delighted to “decorate” emotions in a fun and natural way.

The English lesson with Teacher Leah felt more like a conversation. It was a place where the children not only learned new vocabulary and pronunciation but were also “listened to, so they could learn how to listen to themselves.”

A Message for Parents

Please talk with your children more often, truly listen when they speak, and patiently encourage and guide them to share their emotions and thoughts. When children have the chance to express themselves, you will understand them better, and they will become more confident in communicating with others.