Beyond the ABCs: How to Integrate Social-Emotional Learning into Early Childhood Education
by Deb Grill, School Psychologist and Assessment Consultant for Pearson
We’ve heard a lot over the past few years about the ongoing mental health crises affecting students and young people. Educators and allied professionals are working tirelessly to address and improve this situation, yet these discussions typically involve older children, particularly in middle school and high school. What about our young kids still early in their educational journey? What can educators and caregivers do to ensure their mental health is considered and supported?
I recently joined an episode of Pearson’s new podcast, “Building Bridges: Strengthening the Educator-Caregiver Relationship”, to talk about how social-emotional learning (SEL) can be incorporated into early education classrooms and curricula, and why this is important for young children’s mental health. We covered a lot of important details about the benefits of SEL in education and the ways educators can engage caregivers to participate in this learning process.
Challenges and opportunities with SEL
In the episode, we discussed how SEL and social skills are related but not synonymous. SEL is the process wherein a child or student is supported in developing skills to navigate interpersonal relationships. Social skills, on the other hand, typically focus on verbal and nonverbal communication. The two skill sets are interconnected, which is why it’s important that educators support both in the early education environment.
Yet, achieving this can be difficult because of the multiplying demands on educators’ time. There are also differing opinions among caregivers and families about where SEL skills should be taught. Many caregivers feel that schools should focus on academics, not SEL concepts that touch upon mental health.
I shared some ideas for connecting with caregivers who are thinking mostly about the three Rs:
- Starting with collaboration, communication and clarity in mind — the “three Cs” that are vital for building trust with caregivers.
- Focusing on the benefits for kids, both behavioral and academic.
- Ensuring screenings are meaningful and transparent.
- Having school-based supports in place for children in Tier 2 or Tier 3, per the Pyramid Model, who will benefit from additional outreach.
Leading with empathy and working together with caregivers can make all the difference in supporting children’s social-emotional learning and development — both in the classroom and at home.
The importance of structural supports
Another point we discussed on Building Bridges was how valuable it is to support educators in these efforts.
One school psychologist or one counselor can’t do this alone, and we talked about how important it is for administrators and other school staff to lighten the workloads of their fellow educators whenever possible. This will enable early childhood educators to have the time they need to develop SEL curricula and materials, as well as implement activities that share these lessons with students.
Diagnostic staff also need time to conduct assessments and screenings. The Department of Education is increasingly advocating for universal screenings to ensure young children’s mental health needs are met, and we can make this a reality with thoughtful planning and appropriate resources.
We know it won’t be easy, but it will drive better outcomes for the children we’re committed to helping every day.
Find out more about SEL by listening to the episode
Working with caregivers and colleagues to enhance SEL in education is a big topic, and in the podcast episode, we discussed numerous ideas for reaching out to families and setting educators up for success. We also addressed how to work with young children on the topics encompassed by SEL so they can have the greatest impact.
As a parent myself, I know how important it is to connect with educators and collaborate on all aspects of our kids’ development. As a school psychologist, I also know how important that relationship is to educators.
I’m happy to have shared some of my experience and perspective with our listeners, and if you’d like to learn more, check out the entire episode of “Building Bridges: Strengthening the Educator-Caregiver Relationship”. For more resources that help support SEL integration in early childhood education, check out our Behavior Toolkit.
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