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Why Do We Emphasize Social and Emotional Development?
Why Do We Emphasize Social and Emotional Development?
Each person, with all his or her special and unique qualities, develops in a social context. Knowledge is constructed through social interactions. Knowledge can be and is: cognitive, emotional and social. We all construct our world by means of social interactions with people and things. We bring our private worlds to the social arena, and it is the constant construction and reconstruction of our private and public world that results. This construction is dynamic and open-ended. Encounters with new ideas cause us to change our construction of knowledge. Our changes reverberate and cause others to change. This influence is often compared to throwing a pebble into still water, with increasingly larger reverberations in the water. However, one of our teachers suggested it is more like throwing a handful of gravel into still water. Each individual pebble causes innumerable actions, reactions, and interactions.
Because we at NCCL understand the world as socially constructed, we are aware of the social environment. Although we, like all people and institutions, operate under many implicit assumptions, we are as explicit as we can be about social assumptions. We are purposeful about the arrangement of our environment, objects in our environment, what we do, what we say and how we say it. As children develop we as teachers try to both scaffold that development, guide the child, and provide learning experiences that lie within the area of challenge for the child. But it flows both ways, we are changed as we teach by those we teach.
A new study reported in the American Journal of Public Health shows that when children learn to interact effectively with their peers and control their emotions, it can have an enormous impact on how their adult lives take shape. And according to the study, kids should be spending more time on these skills in school.
How we foster Social Emotional Growth in Group 1 (K, 1st, & 2nd Grades)
How we foster Social Emotional Growth in Group 1 (K, 1st, & 2nd Grades)
Social-Emotional Characteristics
Social-Emotional Characteristics
Children are moving from parallel play to cooperative play.
They are egocentric but beginning to recognize that others’ may have different feelings and opinions.
They are learning to share, take turns, compromise, and cooperate.
They are learning to use words to describe their own feelings and are beginning to show empathy.
Children are beginning to shift away from adults being most important to peers being most important.
They are developing a conscience and becoming more independent.
Some Ways We Foster Growth in the Classroom
Some Ways We Foster Growth in the Classroom
Morning arrival activities—set the stage for a positive day, socially.
Dramatic play – Children have a chance to play at being a grown-up and learn to negotiate and work cooperatively.
Cooperative games during math and spelling
Presenting and offering positive feedback during author’s chair
Inventing games and playing during recess
Field trips – “Communicating around a common experience is the easiest way of linking an individual with others, of connecting individuals to each other.” John Dewey.
Modeling kindness and empathy
Setting clear limits for physical and emotional well-being
Tips for Parents
Tips for Parents
Help your kids use “I statements” about what they like or don’t like and help them verbalize how that makes them feel, ie: I like it when you… It makes me feel…
Have play dates with a variety of children from your child’s group. Outside of school time with peers helps cement relationships.
Model acceptance and discuss appreciation of diversity.
Set clear limits for both physical and emotional safety. ie: It’s not okay for you to ….
Encourage play!
Be consistent with bedtime. Set a routine and make sure your child gets enough sleep.
How we foster Social Emotional Growth in Group 2 (3rd, 4th, & 5th Grades)
How we foster Social Emotional Growth in Group 2 (3rd, 4th, & 5th Grades)
Social-Emotional Characteristics
Social-Emotional Characteristics
Children this age are very concerned with fairness issues, but because they mostly operate on a concrete level, they focus on the letter—rather than the spirit—of the law.
They enjoy working cooperatively in groups, and they can often work productively and socialize.
Although they often make grandiose plans, children this age generally find it challenging to follow through. But they are also resilient and bounce back, ready to try the next big plan.
Especially at the older end of this age range, kids are prone to complaints about health and require a large number of band-aids.
Their use of language becomes more varied and complex. They become both more precise and more imaginative, using language to describe carefully and also to engage in wordplay.
Some Ways We Foster Growth in the Classroom
Some Ways We Foster Growth in the Classroom
Morning Meeting – We provide a structured, reliable way to start each day, offering children a low-stress opportunity to re-enter the world of the classroom.
Homework folders – While children want to succeed academically, they often need help organizing their materials and time. By using folders and homework sheets, they are shown a way to keep track of work.
Small-group and paired activities – To capitalize on this age’s propensity for working together, we plan activities and games that allow them to share their ideas and skills with others.
Special days and celebrations – Children take on an active role suggesting, planning, and carrying out these special events.
Museums – To share what they have learned about a particular topic, the children prepare for and present exhibits and activities (and food!) for the rest of the school.
Tips for Parents
Tips for Parents
Gaining empathy, understanding and ability to take another’s perspective takes a long time and many, many repetitions. Be patient and persevere.
Learning to handle conflict is very important now. Using the Eye to Eye system of conflict resolution is helpful. Children can learn that: conflict can be resolved through mutual understanding; resolution may include compromise.
It is important to help children recognize that conflict is a common part of life and that much can be learned through conflict, about issues, about others and about themselves.
The expanding social world is important. Children in this group take up activities and drop them. Help your child choose one that you and your child agree will be ‘for the long haul’, and let your child try out others.
Invite friends over (more than once). Help your child test the waters with new friends.
Keep bedtimes regular and reasonable. Children need sleep at this age.
Have a routine for going to bed that helps leave the day behind. We recommend no electronics in the bedroom. Reading to your child is a wonderful way to help with going to bed.
Provide enough fuel to make it through the day. Healthy food matters.
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