Social Emotional Learning
About Social Emotional Learning at Woodmeadows Montessori
Social and Emotional Development is the core of our school community. Research by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning(CASEL) indicates that social competence and emotional wellbeing are critical to the young child's brain development, future school success, and emerging cognitive abilities.
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Our teachers prepare learning spaces that actively support the social and emotional development of your child. We engage respectfully when addressing a child's needs and provide opportunities for self-correction and reflection to build self-esteem, a relationship of trust with the teachers, and a sense belonging in their classroom.
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Identifying and expressing feelings:
Young children need to be taught the vocabulary of emotions and feelings, and how to read facial expressions and body language.
Our teachers read the children books about feelings, talk about their own feelings, and discuss emotions and feelings when conflict between students arises. In time, our students begin to:
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Identify their own feelings
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Identify the feelings of others
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Better control their impulses, frustration, and anger
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Use techniques for self-calming
Self-reliance, autonomy, and a sense of control
Our teachers acknowledge each child's need for control, autonomy, and empowerment. A child's sense of control over his/her world grows as he/she becomes more and more self-reliant.
In the classroom, our students are encouraged to be responsible for their own self-care, such as hanging up their coats, washing their hands, and dressing themselves.
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Grace, courtesy, and respect for others
Our teachers use modeling and guiding to teach each student basic etiquette, classroom routines, and to think of others.
Our students practice polite greetings and introductions, making eye contact, and raising their hands before speaking during circle time.
They are encouraged to develop respect for others by sharing materials, waiting patiently for their turn, and using polite phrases like "Please" and "Thank you".
Socializing, empathy, and conflict resolution
Making friends, functioning as part of a group, cooperation, and conflict resolution are all important life skills included Social and Emotional Learning. We begin each school year with "Getting to know you" activities that help the students learn about the interests of one another and classroom norms. Our teachers also encourage an atmosphere of inclusion on the playground and help students learn how to:
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Invite others to play
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Join a group already at play
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Be resilient if their attempt to join a group is not successful
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Over time, our students gain an awareness of both their own feelings and sensitivity for the feelings of others.
Leadership
As a student's social and emotional skills grow, he/she becomes a leader in the classroom to his/her younger classmates. Our older preschool and Kindergarten students often exhibit many of the following leadership behaviors:
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Modeling of appropriate classroom behavior
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Mediating in peer conflicts
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Nurturing and caring behaviors towards other students
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A greater acceptance of individual differences
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Teaching skills and lessons to younger students
