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Children are at the center of our world each and every day. They are our axis – we spin around their needs and focus our energy on what is best for their education, development, sense of security, and well-being. We work to ensure they are safe, fed, supported, learning, and healthy. But are we doing […]
There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” ~Mr. Rogers Research tells us that acts of kindness release hormones that contribute to your mood and well-being. When you perform an act of kindness, you are not […]
Welcome to our 4-part series focused on helping young children unpack those heavy backpacks toppling over with big and little emotions, and how we can help ourselves in the process. In this first part, you will learn why it is important to help kids identify emotions, and recognize the physiological signs related to emotions, and […]
Halloween is quite literally at our doorstep complete with pumpkins, giant spider webs, inflatable monsters…and Trick or Treat bags waiting to be filled. This Halloween is still haunted by many ghouls and goblins – social distancing, little ones with no vaccine available, scaled-back celebrations and events, and real masks to wear under our costume masks. […]
It’s a month into the new school year and children are still adjusting to their new classroom, new teachers, and new routines. A child, Chloe, arrives at school already in the midst of a tantrum. Chloe’s mom looks frustrated and is raising her voice. What do you do? While this situation is all too common […]
When it comes to our children’s emotional and social well-being, there are ways to ensure the autumn of our uncertainty doesn’t become another winter of our discontent Most schools are planning for in-person classrooms this fall, though debates continue across the country over vaccine and masking requirements for protection from the Delta variant. We are […]
It’s the night before the first day of school. Your child is feeling so excited about their new classroom, making new friends, and meeting their teachers for the first time. They have been asking all the big questions: Will I like my teacher? What will my classroom look like? Will I make friends? They even […]
This is no ordinary Back to School season. When classrooms moved online last year, parents got a front-row seat to daily classroom life, from listening to remote “circle time” to trying to engage and motivate children slumping disengaged in their chairs. It gave many parents a first-time opportunity to participate in their children’s schooling, including […]
Making new friends is so important- it can be rewarding and exciting, but it can also be scary, prickly, and intimidating. Friendship looks different for everyone – it doesn’t always mean liking the same things, having the same interests in common, or participating in the same kinds of play all the time. Young children, especially, […]
Take a moment and reflect: what is our first response when our child has an angry emotional outburst? Is it to stop the behavior? Or is it to understand what’s behind the anger, help them understand what’s behind the anger, and how to manage it? In a recent article in the Boston Globe Magazine, educator and parent Deborah […]
Imaginative and creative play is important for every child. Having fun exploring and discovering their world whether indoors or outdoors is essential in developing the foundation for social, emotional, and cognitive skills. In fact, play is a child’s work. ~Dr. Donna Housman Founder of Housman Institute and creator of begin to ECSEL At long last we can finally […]
In a recent webinar, Dr. Housman spoke to a group of over 3,000 early childhood professionals on “The Power of Emotional Intelligence from Birth to Age 8.” The webinar was framed around the impact the pandemic has on children, as well as educators and caregivers. As we move toward our “new normal”, and a new school […]
As co-teachers at a begin to ECSEL school, we have experienced countless moments where ECSEL language, tools, and techniques are so vital to shaping children’s emotional learning and overall character development. One of our favorite tools to use in our classroom is Our Emotions Board. When should I use Our Emotions Board? Whether it be a transitional tool in […]
As this tumultuous school year winds down we are all owed a deep breath! And yet we also need to reflect on what this unprecedented time has taught us and think forward to what lies ahead in our “new normal.” As we slowly emerge from one pandemic, we are in fact facing another — one […]
The beginning of May marks the launch of Mental Health Awareness Month, and I am again reminded of just how much children’s mental health is at the core of the work I do as a begin to ECSEL educator. All of my interactions with and responses to the children I teach comes from a place of sensitivity […]
There is a growing appreciation that emotional intelligence is more than a wish list of optimal social skills. Emotional intelligence is a set of competencies that enable you to understand and manage your own emotions and those of others—a critical prerequisite to lifelong learning, relating and relationships, and personal and professional growth. But perhaps the […]
