‘Learning to Live Together’: training early childhood educators to promote socio‐emotional competence of toddlers and pre‐school children

Abstract

This paper describes a training program -'Learning to Live Together' -for early childhood educators working with toddlers and preschoolers in daycare or nursery schools. The training aims to provide educators with (a) research-based knowledge on socio-emotional development, and on social 'learning opportunities' offered by daily social and emotional events in the group setting; (b) specific intervention skills that support socio-emotional development; (c) The program further explores and clarifies the overt and covert attitudes and beliefs educators may hold concerning children's socio-emotional development, and concerning their own role in promoting this development. The training program consists of 12 workshop meetings guided by an early childhood expert. These are followed by four small-group consultation meetings that offer videoobservation of challenging children. The program is divided into four units: (1) understanding young children's group experience; (2) toddlers learn empathy; (3) toddlers learn to play together; (4): toddlers learn to resolve conflicts. RÉSUMÉ: Cet article porte sur le programme de formation -'Apprendre à vivre ensemble' -destinés aux éducateurs travaillant avec des jeunes enfants en crèches et jardins d'enfants. Le but de la formation est de mettre à la disposition des éducateurs : (a) une connaissance, fondée sur la recherche, du développement socio-émotionnel et des 'occasions d'apprentissage' offertes par les événements sociaux et émotionnels quotidiens ; (b) des capacités d'intervention spécifiques qui soutiennent le développement socio-émotionnel ; (c) en outre, le programme explore et clarifie les attitudes et croyances, implicites et explicites, des éducateurs sur le développement socio-émotionnel des enfants et sur leur rôle dans la promotion de ce développement. Le programme de formation se compose de 12 rencontres en ateliers animés par un spécialiste de la petite enfance, suivies de 4 rencontres de consultation en petits groupes offrant des observations en vidéo d'enfants problématiques. Le programme est divisé en quatre unités: (1) Comprendre l'expérience des groupes de jeunes enfants. (2) Les jeunes enfants apprennent l'empathie. (3) Les jeunes enfants apprennent à jouer ensemble. (4) Les jeunes enfants apprennent à résoudre des conflits. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Dieser Beitrag beschreibt das Trainingsprogramm 'Lernen sich zu vertragen' für Fachkräfte, die Klein-und Vorschulkinder in Kindergarten und Krippe betreuen. Das Programm informiert Fachkräfte (a) über forschungsbezogenes Wissen zur sozio-emotionale Entwicklung des Kindes sowie über die täglichen sozialen Lernmöglichkeiten bei sozialen und emotionalen Ereignissen im Gruppenkontext; es vermittelt (b) spezifische Präventionsmaßnahmen zur Unterstützung der sozio-emotionale Entwicklung des

A qualitative study of early childhood educators' beliefs and practices regarding children's socioemotional development

“…They have been associated with less aggressiveness and problematic behaviour, positive peer interactions and the development of motivational and learning processes important for academic achievement (Curby et al, 2009;O'Connor & McCartney, 2007). However, research has also suggested that emotional support and sensitive caregiving is a necessary but not sufficient condition for fostering children's socioemotional development and skills (Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010). The presence of other conditions in the childcare environment, such as developmentally appropriate activities that promote social and emotional skills and competencies (e.g.…”

“…The presence of other conditions in the childcare environment, such as developmentally appropriate activities that promote social and emotional skills and competencies (e.g. play, positive peer interactions; Bodrova & Leong, 2008;Hollingsworth & Buysse, 2009;Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010), organisational support (classroom organisation and materials, setting up routines, anticipating problems, prevention and redirection of misbehaviour) and strategies to help children learn (experiential learning, scaffolding, encouragement and support to take initiative and voice ideas; Curby et al, 2009) are also necessary for a positive impact on children's socioemotional skills and competence.…”

“…At the same time, educators' beliefs about child development and appropriate pedagogy, although sometimes only moderately (McMullen et al, 2006;Wang, Elicker, McMullen, & Mao, 2008;Wen, Elicker, & McMullen, 2011), mediate the adoption and use of different practices, teacher classroom organisation and management, daily interactions with children, classroom climate and socialisation processes (Lara-Cinisomo, Fuligni, Daughterty, Howes, & Karoly, 2009;Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010;Trivette, Dunst, Hamby, & Meter, 2012), thus influencing child developmental outcomes (Hedge & Cassidy, 2009). …”

Effect of Self-Regulating Behaviour on Young Children’s Academic Success

“…The LtLT consists of both workshops and consultation meetings where teachers focus on learning about young children's experiences in group care, how children show empathy and learn to play together as well as how children resolve conflicts. Further, LtLT gives educators a set of tools to use throughout the teaching day in order to promote children's emotional competence (Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010). The LtLT program has shown considerably good outcomes for teachers as "early childhood teachers reported that the program has changed their understanding and attitude towards their role vis-à-vis social and emotional development of children" (Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010).…”

Teachers' contribution to the social life in Finnish preschool classrooms during structured learning sessions

“…Teachers' pedagogical knowledge and sensitivity to children's needs, as well as their comfortable presence with children and their pedagogical contribution to children's development and learning have been recognised in several studies (e.g., Birch & Ladd, 1998;van Manen, 1991), and the opportunities to study such important features of teacher-child interaction through quantitative and variable-centred approaches are limited. Furthermore, as existing studies with a clear emphasis on teachers' practices or pedagogical decisions of teachers are relatively few in number (e.g., Hännikäinen & Rasku-Puttonen, 2010;Rosenthal & Gatt, 2010;Yan, Evans, & Harvey, 2011), it is necessary to add to the limited understanding by exploring individual classrooms and teachers. In addition, as children in preschool classrooms are soon transitioning to primary school, it is worth bearing in mind how daily interaction in the Finnish preschool classrooms is related to the children's preparation to formal schooling.…”