Every educator has their own unique background that can benefit a school community. Teachers who are just starting out can learn a lot from veteran teachers, who have years of experience, expertise, and knowledge. And educators who have been in the field for years can also learn a great deal from new teachers, who offer a fresh perspective and can bring different strategies and creative ideas […]
I often say that play is a child’s “work” – it is an essential part of a child’s life for their overall health, learning, and well-being through which they process their lived experiences and the world around them. Play provides children with a treasure trove of learning opportunities, and the toys they reach for and […]
We could all use an extra dose of sunshine and fresh air to shake off the last remnants of winter and feel more like ourselves again! Being cooped up inside for too long can certainly take a toll on your mental health, and the teachers and families of young children know this all too well […]
Community is an invaluable resource that, just like any relationship, needs to be nurtured and takes time to build. When we put time and energy into building meaningful connections, sharing our strengths and kindness–and understanding our own feelings and those of others, the outcomes can have lasting positive effects for generations. We all have periods […]
It’s a new year — a fresh start, a clean slate, and a much-needed reset. Educators and children have returned to school to continue the second half of the school year, making it the perfect time to give classrooms the “new year treatment” and breathe new life into your classroom environments. Why a Classroom […]
Book recommendations & activities are included! Halloween is almost here, which means feelings like excitement, fear, and even disappointment are starting to bubble to the surface for children everywhere. Don’t let their trick-or-treat bags get weighed down by big feelings this year! Dedicate time to helping children explore their emotions so they feel prepared, safe, […]
It’s hard to believe it is already November – leaves are falling off the trees, there is a chill in the air, and it’s the time of year when we are once again reminded to think about what we are most grateful for. With so much going on in our daily lives and in the […]
Welcome back to “begin to ECSEL School Stories,” a blog series where we address common challenges that early childhood educators face on their journey to support children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Throughout this series, we have explored ways to help children through their big feelings like anger and disappointment, provided strategies to support children’s development […]
Welcome back to our “begin to ECSEL School Stories” blog series, where we address common challenges that early childhood educators face on their journey to support children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Our last two installments focused on how to support children in learning and practicing important social-emotional skills like empathy and inclusion, and how to […]
Welcome to the third installment of “begin to ECSEL School Stories,” the blog series where we address common challenges that early childhood educators face on their journey to support children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Last time, we explored the important role that early childhood educators play in modeling, guiding, and teaching foundational social-emotional skills to […]
Introduction: The Importance of Early Childhood Educators Welcome to the second installment of “begin to ECSEL School Stories,” our latest blog series where we explore common challenges that early childhood educators face on their journey to support children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. Early childhood teachers are tasked with one of the most important jobs in […]
In classrooms nationally, we are seeing extreme rates of teacher stress and burnout, children navigating anxiety and trauma, behavioral issues, conflicts with peers, and a significant decrease in empathy and prosocial skills. Teachers feel unable to manage their own heightened emotions let alone redirect children’s behaviors or support their big feelings. What all these pieces […]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and to set the tone for the season and beyond, this blog is going to focus on an important part of our own mental health and well-being and the mental health and well-being of children: emotional regulation. Many children are currently navigating emotional meltdowns, social conflicts, chaotic transitions, and difficulty […]
It’s springtime! A welcome changing of the seasons brings some much-needed sunshine, warmth, and growth all around us. But, if you are an educator, you may be noticing some unwelcome changes in your classroom around this time of year – restlessness, dysregulation, children feeling “over it,” and teachers just trying to get through the day. […]
selIn this blog, you will learn step by step how to teach young children about emotions using storybooks, see recommendations on books about feelings, and be able to download an infographic summarizing how storybooks support children and their emotional intelligence. As caregivers and educators of young children, we are responsible for nurturing their development while guiding them […]
In this blog, you will learn what is Causal Talk (CT) and Causal Talk in the Emotional Experience (CTEE), how to implement these strategies, and why your own well-being is important to that of the children around you. Did you know that any time you talk with children about their own feelings, the feelings of […]
