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Social Emotional Learning

Resources
 Social emotional learning

Overview

julia allen small group lesson

High quality early learning environments focus on meeting both the cognitive and social emotional needs of young learners, otherwise known as educating the "whole child." Based on the knowledge that social emotional learning is an integral part of the instructional day, teachers ensure children receive opportunities to learn and apply social emotional skills in authentic settings. 

Social foundations, included in the Maryland Early Learning Standards, have been developed birth through kindergarten. Like other subjects, mastery of the social foundation standards is supported through intentional engagement with quality learning materials, play, teacher-directed instruction, feedback, and repeated opportunities for practice and mastery. In addition to these instructional experiences, teachers also integrate social emotional learning across domains in order to extend exposure and application. Social foundation skills include, but are not limited to:

  • Initiative: taking steps to beginning a task;
  • Planning: thinking about how to proceed;
  • Problem-solving: considering and attempting a variety of approaches to reach a solution;
  • Persistence: continuing a task even when faced with obstacles;
  • Reflection: taking time to think about what has just happened;
  • Self-confidence and competence: feeling competent and proud of achievement;
  • Community: demonstrating a commitment to building relationships and working with peers;
  • Empathy: expressing compassion and concern for others; and,
  • Conflict resolution: being able to find and honor solutions to social conflicts.

Standards

 Social Foundations Domain Standards Links to an external site. (Maryland's Guide to Early Childhood Pedagogy, Birth to Age 8, Standard Progression)

Instructional Materials

All Pre-K teachers are provided with Connect4Learning to support SEL instruction. All kindergarten teachers are provided with Caring School Community kits to support SEL instruction. Minutes for SEL instruction are detailed in grade level core components. The additional resources included in this page support SEL instruction in all early childhood classrooms.

Mind in the Making

"Mind in the Making Links to an external site. (MITM), developed by Families and Work Institute (FWI), is an unprecedented effort to share the science of children’s learning with the general public, families and professionals who work with them. Based on Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs (HarperCollins, 2010) by Ellen Galinsky, president of FWI, its mission is to promote Executive Function Life Skills in adults and through them in children in order to keep the fire for learning burning brightly in all of us.

mind in the making

Mind in the Making has partnered with First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides books and educational materials for educators serving children in need, to curate a groundbreaking 'Mind in the Making' Book Collection that combines children's books with tips for building Seven Essential Life Skills.

Reading lists grouped by Life Skill with links to download the corresponding tip sheets for each title."

Seven Essential Life Skills

      • Focus and Self Control
      • Perspective Taking
      • Communicating
      • Making Connections
      • Critical Thinking
      • Taking on Challenges
      • Self-Directed Engaged Learning

Visit Mind in the Making: First Book Links to an external site. for the reading lists, downloadable tip sheets, and age bands.

 

cc_by_nc_sa This course content is offered under a  CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike Links to an external site. license. Content in this course can be considered under this license unless otherwise noted.