The following article is really exciting for me to read. Right after college, I taught in a preschool. It was an amazing experience and really helped me understand what development looked like in the real world as opposed to the textbooks that I had read in college. The kids and their families were fantastic. Really sweet, really active, and really curious. Of course, there were also some challenges and some of which centered around social-emotional issues. Social-emotional issues, just like any other areas of development, can spiral out of control if they are not addressed-and addressed early. In my work with older school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults they often mention that their social-emotional difficulties started when they were very young. When asked about how long they have had a particular difficulty, a common answer is "as long as I can remember." I know that this is an anecdote, but there is research to support the importance of early social-emotional development. This article focuses on the importance of this for kids living in poverty, but it is true for all children.
If a child has a hard time understanding that he should not knock over his friend's block creation (a form of empathy), this can lead to rejection. Probably not the first time it happens, but if it happens repeatedly, the other kids in the class are going to be wary of building or creating things when that child is near. This may lead other kids in the class to reject the building-destroyer and rejection is hard on kids. I know that it may seem like I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. After all, most kids who unwittingly bulldoze other kids' masterpieces will learn not to do it anymore. However, if a child takes too long to internalize this knowledge, they may be known as the kid who plays too rough and his classmates may have already learned to avoid him. Kids pick up on rejection much earlier than we think and it can really be painful-especially the ones who struggle with their emotions in general. Of course, there are things that parents can do at home to help facilitate this emotional understanding, but school can play a part as well. Once the child goes off to school, it is important to continue these lessons with both explicit and more implicit/authentic teaching of social-emotional development. I applaud these researchers and Head Start for integrating this into the classroom and professional development curriculum. In my opinion, all programs working with preschool children should include a social-emotional component. Check out the article and let me know what you think in the comments:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/07/14/330761945/teaching-four-year-olds-to-feel-better?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20140714
How can these social-emotional skills be sustained? There is no easy answer, but I think that it can start with what parents do at home. Maximizing your child's social-emotional skills is one of the greatest gifts that a parent can give a child-and one of the most difficult. I would love to hear from parents about how they build their children's social-emotional skills. What is most challenging about this? What areas do parents feel that they need support? Put your answers in the comments, tweet me at @fpschDrSweeney, or email me at ssweeney@fpsch.com.
If a child has a hard time understanding that he should not knock over his friend's block creation (a form of empathy), this can lead to rejection. Probably not the first time it happens, but if it happens repeatedly, the other kids in the class are going to be wary of building or creating things when that child is near. This may lead other kids in the class to reject the building-destroyer and rejection is hard on kids. I know that it may seem like I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. After all, most kids who unwittingly bulldoze other kids' masterpieces will learn not to do it anymore. However, if a child takes too long to internalize this knowledge, they may be known as the kid who plays too rough and his classmates may have already learned to avoid him. Kids pick up on rejection much earlier than we think and it can really be painful-especially the ones who struggle with their emotions in general. Of course, there are things that parents can do at home to help facilitate this emotional understanding, but school can play a part as well. Once the child goes off to school, it is important to continue these lessons with both explicit and more implicit/authentic teaching of social-emotional development. I applaud these researchers and Head Start for integrating this into the classroom and professional development curriculum. In my opinion, all programs working with preschool children should include a social-emotional component. Check out the article and let me know what you think in the comments:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/07/14/330761945/teaching-four-year-olds-to-feel-better?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20140714
How can these social-emotional skills be sustained? There is no easy answer, but I think that it can start with what parents do at home. Maximizing your child's social-emotional skills is one of the greatest gifts that a parent can give a child-and one of the most difficult. I would love to hear from parents about how they build their children's social-emotional skills. What is most challenging about this? What areas do parents feel that they need support? Put your answers in the comments, tweet me at @fpschDrSweeney, or email me at ssweeney@fpsch.com.
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