Date of Award

6-29-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

Program

Educational Leadership

Capstone Instructor

Prof. Dorothy Bialke

Second Reader

Dr. Sara Kellogg

Keywords

early childhood education, social-emotional, social-emotinal learning, preschool, social skills, free choice, parent education

Abstract

The development of children’s cognitive and social-emotional learning is of significant importance in education, specifically in early childhood education. Early childhood administrators, educators, and support staff have noticed an increase in the amount of students displaying underdeveloped or lacking social-skills within preschool classrooms. This paper will analyze and summarize research to explain the relationship between social-emotional skills and temperament, classroom environment, and educational outcomes in preschool aged students. It was found through research that a lack of social-emotional understanding and skills was impactful to a child’s future emotional responses and academic achievement. In order for leaders to best prepare teachers to support student’s social-emotional needs, direct teaching of social emotional skills to students, educating parents and guardians, and providing effective curricula and free choice opportunities in the classroom were important factors to social and academic success.

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