• Social-Emotional Development and Approaches to Learning

    Social-emotional development focuses on the child’s increasing capacity to understand and regulate emotions, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships with peers and adults and make responsible decisions. By playing and working with each other, children practice their social skills with guidance and support from adults and peers.  

    Children’s attitudes and approaches to learning also influence their ability to learn. These include curiosity, initiative, interest, creativity, inventiveness, confidence, persistence and problem-solving skills. The child with a strong foundation in social relationships and a positive attitude and approach to learning is on his or her way to becoming a life-long learner. 

    You see the social-emotional development and approaches to learning curriculum in action as children…

    • build relationships with adults and peers
    • begin to feel and show empathy and respect for others
    • work and play with one another throughout the day
    • come together as a class for large group times such as music or group meetings, or to read together and begin to follow group norms
    • show curiosity by asking questions and displaying an interest in learning new things
    • work to manage emotions and solve problems
    • practice sharing materials with peers
    • explore and make connections with classroom materials and engage in a variety of experiences
    • engage with open-ended materials that stretch their creativity
    • practice skills that promote independence and persistence such as getting their coat from their cubby, cleaning up after snack, helping the group at clean up time, pursuing challenges, or sustaining attention to a task for an extended period of time
    • begin to take initiative as they practice making decisions throughout the day, move through routines independently, and initiate play with others
Last Modified on March 17, 2022