What COVID taught us about Early Childhood Education

With a light at the end of the tunnel there are a few things that COVID-19 has brought to the fore front. One being we are social beings, and it is essential that we are incorporating social emotional curriculum into our children’s overall curriculum. 95% of our pathways developed by the time we are five years old. That not only shows the importance for social emotional curriculum but for early learning as well. Here are 4 reasons that you should make sure that your child’s academic curriculum should also include social emotional curriculum as well.

1. Social emotional curriculums help young children develop positive peer and adult relationships. Children’s emotional well-being during their early years has a powerful impact. Children who are emotionally healthy are better able to establish and maintain positive relationships with adults and peers.
2. Children who have a foundation with social emotional curriculum can self-regulate and have a toolbox of resources to turn to when big emotions are taking place. When a social emotional foundation is established children are very quickly able to observe the situation and discover the proper way to handle an emotionally charge scenario.
3. Children are better able to demonstrate and show empathy when introduced to emotions and self-regulation at an early age. Empathy is an essential skill needed to make connections and build relationships.
4. Children feel understood when they can express their emotions and discuss how to respond to those emotions. By giving the tools and teaching social emotional curriculum to children we are empowering them to be in control of themselves and bond with others.
   Feelings and emotions change frequently, sometimes from one moment to the next. It is essential that we guide children on ways to cope and respond to emotions. However, they can not do that with out a foundation of identifying emotions and learning to self-regulate so it is our job as parents and educators to provide a social emotional education to our children and students.

Ms. Michaela
Social Emotional Coordinator