1. 1 Who benefits What is the big fuss about When children develop/learn Where children learn Why we need to make sure children develop these skills

2. “ If a child doesn’t know how to read, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to swim, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to multiply, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to drive, we teach. If a child doesn’t know how to behave, we……..... …….teach? ……punish? Why can’t we finish the last sentence as automatically as we do the others?” Tom Herner (NASDE President ) Counterpoint 1998, p.2) 2

3. Definition of Social Emotional Development  “the ability to understand, manage, and express the social and emotional aspects of one’s life in ways that enable the successful management of life’s tasks such as learning, forming relationships, solving everyday problems, and adapting to the complex demands of growth and development” (Elias, Zins, Weissberg, Frey, Greenberg, Kessler, et. al., 1997, p. 2) 3

4.  How the focus of Kindergarten has changed.  Developmental Tasks for Kindergarten.  Environmental affects  Psychoanalytic Theory  Behavioral Theory  Social Learning Theory  Cognitive Developmental Theory 4

5.  Who benefits?  What is the big fuss about?  When children develop/learn skills?  Where children learn skills?  Why we need to make sure children develop/learn these skills? 5

6. Who benefits?  Children  Parents  Teachers  Schools  Communities 6

7.  The ability to form and sustain social relationships  The ability to regulate emotions and behavior  The ability to cooperate in a prosocial manner with others and with the rules of school and society 7

8. What is the big fuss about?  Students need to be taught emotional intelligence skills in a repetitive way that makes positive behaviors as automatic as negative ones  Our emotions are our personalities and help us make most of our decisions. 8

9. “ To reach a child’s mind, a teacher must capture his heart. Only if a child feels right can he think right.” Ginott 1972 9

10. When do children develop/learn these skills? 9-12 months  Behavior- at this age you will need to set limits for your baby – save “NO” for safety issues 12-18 months  Behavior- for safety, now is the time to set a few limits. 10

11. 18-24 months  Behavior – your child is starting to understand rules and consequences - so now is the time to teach your child the right way to behave. 24-36 months  Behavior – the testing twos – your child will test his independence – temper tantrums and use of the word “no” 11

12. 3 years  Sharing – show how to share – give your child a toy in return for one of his toys – choose toys to share – practice 4 years  Behavior – ways to help your child behave 5 years  Behavior – handling back talk, lies, and acting out 12

13. Kindergarten is the prime time in young children’s lives to lay strong foundation for trusting, mutual relationships among their families, schools, and communities. 13

14. Where do children learn these skills?  Home  School 14

15. Key Social Skills:  Greeting others  Showing eye contact  Making a request  Getting someone’s attention  Following instructions  Accepting criticism  Resisting peer pressure 15

16.  Clearly, fostering social and emotional competence is and should be a primary goal in the kindergarten classroom. Teachers need to understand the various aspects of social and emotional competence, and what nourishes their development. They need developmentally appropriate goals and standards for such competence, which should be taken seriously as the goals and standards f or academics. 16

17. Teachers must have appropriate ways of evaluating social and emotional competence that focus on observing children’s behaviors in social interactions in the natural settings of the classroom and playground. Given the enormous importance of social and emotional competence for success in school and life, there is no aspect of the teacher’s role in the kindergarten year more important than promoting this competence (K Today Teaching and Learning in the Kindergarten Year p. 55) 17

18. Resources Civitas, United Way Success by Age 6, & United Way. (2007). Your Child @ ________ : Highlights of What’s Happening at this Stage of Your Child’s Development… [Brochure]. A.L. Mailman Family Foundation. Copple, C., Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children Birth through Age 8. Washington, D.C.. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Epstein, A. S. PhD. (2009). Me, You, Us: Social-Emotional Learning in Preschool. Ypsilanti, MI: Highscope Press. Mindess, M., Min-hua, C., & Brener, R. (2008). Social – Emotional Learning in the Primary Curriculum. Journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. 63(6), 56-59. 18