Title

Social and Emotional Development of Preschool Children: Strategies to Support Children Who Are Slow-to-Warm-Up

Author

Danielle M. Koresky, Concordia University, St. Paul

Date of Award

2006

Document Type

Non Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

Program

Early Childhood Education

Capstone Instructor

Lynn Gehrke

Second Reader

Jackie Mosqueda

Keywords

temperament, developmentally appropriate practices, social and emotional development, early childhood education

Abstract

In any preschool classroom, one will observe children with different temperaments. Temperament affects the way children are perceived and understood by others. The needs and ideas of children who are slow-to-warm-up sometimes get overlooked in a busy preschool classroom when children have difficulty expressing themselves due to their slow-to-warm-up temperament style. When the needs and interests of children who are slow-to-warm-up go unnoticed, it can contribute to lack of self-esteem for them. This lack of self-esteem affects children who are slow-to-warm-up in other areas too. They have difficulty initiating conversations with their peers and maintaining friendships. This lack of social competence has a negative effect on how other children view the child in the younger years and without appropriate support from adults, it can lead to low self-esteem and a lack of social skills that last into adulthood. Early childhood educators can have a positive impact on the social and emotional development of preschool children who are slow-to-warm-up by learning how to assess the abilities of the children and by demonstrating an understanding of the importance of emotional intelligence. They can further support children who are slow-to-warm-up by fostering positive relationships between children and with knowledge of temperament, they can guide children in developmentally appropriate ways with problems that they may experience.

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