If we want a concept to stay in our students’ memory and for that memory to last, there is one essential ingredient: emotion.

Our memories are often associated with an emotion. Humans are not machines; we are emotional beings, often guided by impulses, moods, personality, and, ultimately, what we call emotions.

Of course, if we set our minds to it, we can memorise endless facts, but in our lives, we’ve learned countless things that, over time, we no longer remember. On the other hand, curiosity sparks attention in the listener, which translates into a higher level of learning.

 

The role of emotions in the learning process

We can teach our students very little if the learning process is not mediated by emotions. It’s incredibly difficult to get them interested in what we’re explaining if we can’t capture their attention by motivating them effectively.

We could say that nothing captures attention more than turning something that seems monotonous and boring at first glance into something curious and captivating. Therefore, we can affirm that a great teacher is one who, with the same resources as another, can teach with emotion and transmit that feeling to their students.

Today’s students have new concerns, so classes can’t be taught the same way as before. We must:

  • Incorporate active methodologies.
  • Promote cooperative learning.
  • Encourage critical thinking.

In this regard, working with emotions is also essential. Nowadays, what matters isn’t just what you know (which is VERY important), but what you can do with what you know. Knowing how to apply the knowledge previously learned in the classroom takes precedence because it demonstrates that the student:

  • Has truly understood what they’ve studied.
  • Has internalised it.
  • Can apply it through hands-on experiences.

Emotions are part of this process because for something to move us, emotions must be present to facilitate a useful learning process that genuinely generates a positive impact on the development of students’ skills.

If we can create a space that also allows for educating to support students’ personal development, we will have achieved one of our goals as educators.

A vibrant, creative, affective, and motivating environment exponentially fosters learning and student participation because we can only learn if there is emotion. That’s where the key lies.

If teachers educate with passion, students will learn with the same passion, and the learning process will be more positive and fruitful.