For early childhood educators, there is always a push to make sure that children are “ready for Kindergarten”. For many parents and providers that means that children must be proficient in early math, science and literacy. And, while children should definitely be exposed to all of these concepts in a play based setting, there is a growing body of evidence showing that prosocial behavior is the greatest predictor of later school success.
What exactly does this mean for educators, and how can we make sure that we are supporting children with opportunities for social emotional learning?
Family childcare, with low ratios, continuity of care ( children generally stay for more than a year) and mixed age groups provides plenty of opportunities for social emotional learning. There are a number of ways that you can make sure that your program is structured so that children benefit from these learning opportunities.
When meeting prospective parents, be sure and let them know about your commitment to social emotional learning and how it will impact children’s confidence and ultimately school readiness.
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