Social-Emotional

Importance of Social-Emotional Skills

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Research has shown that early social-emotional skills are related to how socially, emotionally, academically and professionally skilled we are later in life. For example, having higher social-emotional skills prior to school age is associated with long-term:

• Educational success, such as completing high school and even a university degree.

• Career success, such as an increased likelihood of being employed and having job satisfaction.

• Financial success, such as being financially independent and reduced 'bad debt'.

• Relationship success, such as having long-term fulfilling relationships with friends and families.

• Improved physical and mental health.

• Reduced likelihood of welfare dependence, homelessness, drug abuse and criminality.​

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Important Emotional Skills

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Through their freedoms, interactions and exploration, the Montessori child grows to possess:

• Self-awareness, self-regulation and responsible decision-making:

  • Recognising emotions. 

  • Understanding the links between emotions, thoughts and behaviours.

  • Managing and controlling emotions, thoughts and behaviours.

  • The ability to make good choices about your behaviour and interactions with others.

• Self-respect and self-esteem:

  • Hold themselves in high regard and believe they are worthy of being treated well.

  • Confidence in their own abilities and skills

• Autonomy and a sense of agency:

  • The ability to be self-reliant and self-governed.

  • The ability to make choices and decisions to influence events and to have an impact on the world.

  • *This gives a sense of pride, self-worth and control.

• Self-motivation, self-evaluation and self-discipline:

  • The initiative to undertake or continue a task or activity without any external influence. The child is driven by their own desires and ambitions. 

  • Children are able to identify their strengths, identify where they need to improve and set goals.

  • *Plays an essential role in allowing children to become active agents in their own development. More learning occurs and it is more rewarding.

• Patience, perseverance and resilience:​

  • Accept and tolerate adversity without becoming annoyed or anxious​.

  • Continue in the face of adversity.

  • Recover quickly from adversity.

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Important Social Skills

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Important social skills for the 3-6 year old child:

• Use of manners

• Communication skills

• Kindness and positive interactions

• Respecting and empathising with others

• Accepting diversity and differences of opinion

• Following directions

• Asking for help and helping others

• Participating, cooperating, sharing and turn-taking

• Conflict resolution including negotiating and compromising

• Being assertive

• Acknowledging mistakes 

• Having a sense of humour

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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills

 

Social-emotional skills can be taught. The earlier they are taught, the better. The best strategies for promoting good social-emotional skills include:

• Helping the child to feel loved and cared for.

• Positive role modelling.

• 'Emotional coaching'.

• Use of positive discipline strategies.

• Providing a consistent, predictable environment.

• Promoting independence and freedom within limits.