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Children’s Social and Emotional Competence
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Essential Elements
• Why It Is Important for Children to Become Socially
and Emotionally Healthy
• Defining Social and Emotional Competence
• How Social-Emotional Competence Fits into the Framework (logic
model)
• Pyramid Model
• The Family and Community Context
•The Influence of Culture and Temperament
1 hourwebinar
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Social and Emotional Health
Why is it important?
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ZERO TO THREEdefines social-emotional competence as:
“ . . .the developing capacity to experience and regulate emotions, form secure relationships, and explore and learn – all in the context of the child’s family, community and cultural
background.”
The Pathway to Improved Outcomes for Children and Families
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Strategies and Everyday Actions to BuildSocial and Emotional Competence of Children
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Concrete Examples of Everyday Actions to BuildSocial and Emotional Competence of Children
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Everyday Actions
• Help parents foster their children’s social and emotional
development
• Include children’s social and emotional development activities in
programming
• Help children develop a positive cultural identity and interact in a
diverse society
• Respond proactively when social or emotional development seems
to need support
Pyramid Model for Promoting Social and Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children
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Level 1
Positive Relationships and Supportive Environments:
• Universal/Foundational Level
• This can occur through relationships at home, school, or in the community
• Examples of phrases to strengthen relationships:
o “You worked really hard on that …”
o “It makes me so happy to see when you …”
o “That was such a great idea to do …”
o “Thank you for …”
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Quick Think
What’s one phrase/sentence that you believe each child should hear at some point
in their life?
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Level 2Social and Emotional Teaching Strategies:Indirect:• Hugs- proprioceptive and vestibular senses• Deep Breathing• Help label feelings- visual cues, verbal, nonverbal gestures• Problem Solving
Direct:• Story Books• Puppets and dramatic play• Visuals • First and Then• Tucker Turtle
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Level 3Intensive Individualized Interventions:
• Usually supported by a mental health specialist• May entail a formal positive behavior support plan
… Remember to first look at level 1 and 2 to see if the child has been properly supported. Often improvements in level 1 or 2 support, can
reduce the need for level 3 interventions
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Building Emotional Vocabulary
“Just as a child can’t sing along with the group when she doesn’t know the words to the song,
children who do not have the vocabulary to express feelings have a difficult time participating
effectively in social contexts.”
Mary Gordon, The Roots of Empathy
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The Kissing Hand
Social and Emotional Competence of Children
Quinn’s Bully• Tim explains what happened to his son Quinn. What does he say that indicates he understands how his son was feeling?
• What social and emotional skills are Tim and his wife helping Quinn to learn when they ask him about the bully?
• What solution did this family reach – together? How do you think Quinn did the next time he encountered the bully?
Culture and Temperament
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Culture:• May promote or restrict the understanding and expression
of social and emotional health. Moreover, cultural norms and values may provide guidance for the interpretation and evaluation of social behaviors and thus impart meanings to the behaviors.
Temperament:• Consistent individual differences in behavior that are
biologically based and are relatively independent of learning, system of values and attitudes.
Nurturing and Supporting Children’s Social and Emotional Competence
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Self-Reflection
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Ask yourself the following:
• Think about a satisfying relationship in your life. What makes it
satisfying?
• Think about the messages you received about relationships from
your family and culture as you were growing up.
• Think about yourself as a child. Do you behave in your
relationships with children the same way important adults
behaved with you when you were a child?
Homework
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With your colleagues, have a discussion about the following:
• Why is it important for children to have a healthy social and emotional
competence?
• What supports are available in your community to help families
promote healthy social and emotional development?
• What supports are available to help children in your community develop
healthy social and emotional competence?
• How can we help families and children develop satisfying relationships
that promote healthy social and emotional development?
Questions?
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