Chapter 4 : Socio emotional Development and Children

Supporting Early learning

It is in this century, more than any other that understanding of how human beings grow
and develop from birth has emerged. It is acknowledged that childhood is a time of life
in its own right, with its own distinctive characteristics and attributes. It is accepted, too,
that children have their unique ways of learning and of coming to understand themselves
and the world about them. As we have said, the more adults recognize this, and acquaint
themselves with the processes involved in childrens learning and development, the more
they can ensure that children are exposed to the wealth of experiences and interpersonal
relationships which will nurture their early development. his century is peppered with
the names of the psychologists, educationists and philosophers who have helped us all to
understand children, and to formulate ideas of how best to provide for them.
he following are perhaps the most commonly agreed features of learning and
development!
"hildren learn best in social contexts, when they are interacting in meaningful
ways with their peers or with adults.
"hildren learn best through their earnest exploration of the world about them,
actively constructing their own understanding of it.
"hildren learn best through their own self#initiated play.
"hildren learn holistically, and do not divide their thinking up into $sub%ects.
"hildrens language development facilitates their learning at all levels.
Children learn best in social contexts, when they are interacting in meaningful ways
with their peers or with adults.
his can be observed almost from the moment of birth. &e can see the obvious calm and
satisfaction which a new baby shows when it is cradled in its mothers arms, and is
contentedly suckling, and we can most certainly hear the cries of frustration or rage if that
comfort is not forthcoming. his is evidence not only of the physical nurturing which the
baby is experiencing, but of the social and emotional interaction which is taking place
between the baby and its prime career.
he relationships with other human beings which the baby has from birth are
fundamental to early learning. his seems obvious when we observe, for example, the
development of $social niceties, such as the '#year#old maturing from being almost
totally egocentric to (even as soon as ), and certainly at *+ being happy to share
something or, of their own free will, to help someone else.
Observation 3
,o much for social development. -ut what about intellectual or cognitive development.
/ow does the social context impinge on this.
0ygotsky has given us a particular insight into this aspect of promoting childrens
learning. /e shows us that whilst learning and development are interwoven in a cyclical
way, it is learning which has to take place first, and which leads to development. If we
think back to revarthens work with babies, it is obvious that the very first step the baby
takes is to learn something, even if it is simply that the $outside world is a much noisier
and brighter one that the $inside one. ,ome development follows, which in turn leads to
more learning, then to more development and so on. he important thing is that $learning
and development are interrelated from the childs very first day of life(0ygotsky 1234!
4*+.
Children learn best through their earnest exploration of the world about them
actively constructing their own understanding of it
5roebel (1443+, ,usan Isaacs (1266+, -runer (1233+ and other have all asserted that active
learning is a precondition for intellectual development, and anyone who has observed
young children from birth to 6 knows full well how they seem to have an inner drive to
actively explore the environments in which they find themselves.
7iaget (1266+, perhaps more than anyone else, brought our attention to this notion of
active exploration, and he showed how, through the mental processes of assimilation and
accommodation, we continue throughout our lives to adapt our ideas and behavior in the
light of changing circumstances and information.
&e should add that the more self#initiated the childs activities are, the more meaning
they will have for the child, springing as they do from his8her own intentions and
concepts.
Children learn best through their own self!initiated play
It is important that we truly recognize that it is largely through the childs play that he8she
develops scientific, mathematical, historical and geographical concepts. /e8she also
acquires social skills9 develops imagination9 learns the beginnings of respect for other
needs and rights9 begins to develop a self#concept9 increase powers of expression and
communication, both in language and the arts9 refines motor skills9 and begins to acquire
some notion of moral issues such as right and wrong, fairness and %ustice.
Children "earn holistically and do not divide their thin#ing up into $sub%ects&
Children&s language development facilitates their learning at all levels
It is because language development is so complex, and such a facilitator of all#round
development, that practitioners working with children from babyhood onwards need to
know as much as possible about it, not only by reading about it, but by constant and
careful observation, listening, talking and recording.
:ne of the most important qualities which language gives us is the ability to think in a
symbolic way. hat is to say, we can use words to represent things, feelings and
thoughts. It also means that children can recount incidents that have happened to them,
share reflections on them and bring forth memories of them. In this way they build up
their own personal histories and mythologies.
A facility with language is a ma%or factor in enhancing childrens learning, and is of
particular significance during these early years whilst the foundations of all later learning
are being laid.
-y the time a child has turned 6, he8she has been a part of the living world for a mere 3'
months. And yet the all#round development which is likely to have taken place during
that brief time is formidable. &ith varying degress of success, he8she!
"an run, %ump, skip, hop, balance, climb, dance9
"an be sympathetic, empathetic, helpful, kind, courageous9
;nows a great deal about what are $good things to do, and what are not, and has
some understanding of fairness and %ustice9
"an represent his8her feelings and experiences creatively, through painting and
modeling, telling and writing stories, drawing and constructions, dance and
movement9
<ses language fluently, and for many purposes9
=ay already be reading books, or well on the way to doing so9
"an reflect on his her own actions, recall past experiences, and predict
consequences9
/as a good sense of self, and of self#respect.
his list is endless. he processes through which these accomplishments have been
achieved not only include the types of adult8child interaction which have taken place, but
have also come about through play with peers9 through communication with children and
adults involving speech and action9 through exploration, investigation and representation9
and through having the freedom to pursue self#initiated activities within the framework of
secure and loving environments.
'ersonal and (oral Development
In this chapter we emphasize one very important aspect of attitude formation! how to
foster attitudes which lead to care of oneself, good relationships with others and self#
discipline. hese are valuable personal characteristics in themselves, and they also
underpin learning. hey are not the only attitudes that are essential for learning, but they
are necessary if it is to take place. <nderstanding this guides us to the characteristics of
an appropriate curriculum for young childrens acquisition of desired attitudes.
>esearch shows that, in the best conditions, development and learning go hand in hand
and ?as importantly#that feelings are essentially involved in learning. his is especially
helpful when we consider attitudes which develop over time, and are rooted in feelings as
well as in intellectual understanding. It is the satisfaction of childrens own as in
intellectual understanding. It is the satisfaction of childrens own needs which helps
them to develop self#knowledge, self#respect and self#discipline. 7arents are the first to
meet these needs, and practitioners have the task of continuing what they have begun, but
in different circumstances.
"hildrens self#respect grows from closeness to adults who love and value them
as individuals, en%oy their company and are stimulating companions. hey
acknowledge and support childrens feelings while protecting them from danger
and from hurting others.
"hildrens self#knowledge and sense of self#value grow from being treated
respectfully by others who know them well.
"hildrens own growing self#respect and self#knowledge enable them to respond
to others with understanding and respect.
>espect for their own capacities as learners and for others as learners enables
children to come to discipline themselves for their own educational and personal
benefit.
he key concepts that are involved in the moral development necessary for self#discipline
include the acceptance of differences between oneself and others and the empathetic
capacity to imagine things from anothers point of view. >espect is the key to all of this.
>espect for oneself makes all the effort worthwhile and gives the hope that one can
achieve good things9 respect for others enables one to treat them as one would like to be
treated9 respect for learning and for oneself as a learner gives one the motivation and the
self#confidence to struggle with difficulties.
Social and Emotional Development of 'reschoolers
his unit highlights the remarkable social and emotional growth of children between the
ages of ' and @. Auring the preschool years, many children become quite self#assured,
independent, and social. hey acquire the desire and ability to interact with adults and
other children. hey can persuade peers, gain admission into games or play activities
already in progress, and resolve conflicts. Acquiring these social competencies through
play interactions can result in acceptance by peers and the formation of friendships.
"hildren with social skills are often better liked and have more friends. ,uch positive
peer relationships have been found to predict long#range positive social development and
mental health. In fact, having friends and being liked by other children in preschool may
be more important prognosticators of later adult happiness than grades in school or scores
on achievement tests.
Bven very young preschoolers display savvy techniques for influencing peers.
Barly childhood is a formative period for the development of positive feelings towards
ones self, others, and the larger world. "hildren who are nurtured, encouraged, and
accepted by adults and peers will be emotionally well ad%usted. "hildren who are abused,
neglected, or re%ected can suffer social and mental health difficulties. Bmotional states in
early childhood have a powerful impact on social relationships. "hildren who are
emotionally healthy are better able to enter into positive relationships with both peers and
adults.
)nitiative *ersus +uilt
he work of Brik Brikson (126), 124'+ has long guided teachers, mental health
professionals, and parents in understanding the emotional development of young
children.
Auring the preschool years, children who have previously developed a strong sense of
autonomy will desire to take action and assert themselves, according to Brikson. hey
will wish to creat, invent, pretend, take risks, and engage in lively and imaginative
activities with peers. Brikson (126)+ called this urge to make creative efforts initiative.
&hen adults encourage such divergent activities and avoid criticism or excessive
restriction, a childs sense of initiative will grow9 when children are led to believe their
efforts are wrong, children develop a sense of guilt.
his struggle between initiative and guilt explains why many preschool and kindergarten
children are so energetic in pursuit of imaginative play activities. It also explains why
some children come to view themselves as CbadD or CnaughtyD. Although feelings of
guilt have a positive role in develo9pment in that they lead children to assume
responsibility for their own behaviors, Brikson argues that overwhelming guilt inhibits
emotional growth. "hildren who are punished or criticized for their efforts will gradually
stop trying and will construct understandings of themselves as bad people. Brikson
suggests that adults can promote a sense of initiative by creating noncritical environments
in which children are allowed to take risks. Bncouragement of creative process with less
emphasis on finished products also will facilitate initiative.
Self!Concept
,elf#concept is defined as an individual persons theory of self (/arter, 124)+. :nes
self#concept includes all self#perceptions of ones own competence and characteristics,
including ethnic and gender identity. As a theory, it is continually modified and changed
with experience9 as children grow older, self#concept is refined and clarified. A person
with a positive self#concept is said to be happy with or feel good about her self#
perceptions. &hen children proudly announce, CI have a lot of friends in preschoolED
they are displaying healthy views of self. :bviously, a positive self#concept is critical for
happiness and fulfillment throughout life.
According to Brikson, positive self#concept is related to feelings of initiative during the
preschool years. A child who makes creative efforts in play or work or who actively
engages peers will feel successful. It is the process of doing or creating that is crucial9
actual skills or accomplishments are less important to young children, from Briksons
viewpoint. =ost children with a healthy sense of initiative will feel good about
themselves9 only children whose activities are discouraged or harshly criticized by adults
will suffer poor self#concept.
SOC)," CO('E-E.CE
he term social competence refers to two interrelated social aspects of human
development! being liked by others and having skills to interact effectively in social
settings. 7ositive peer relationships and social skills in children during their early year
are good predictors of overall happiness and mental health in later life. "hildren who are
disliked by peers, deficient in social abilities, or aggressive and impulsive in their
interactions during their preschool years are more likely to become psychologically
troubled adults.
eachers and parents can assist children in acquiring social skills and making friends. In
fact, these may be the most important goals of early childhood education. It is important
to keep in mind, however, that social competence is defined differently in different
cultures. he social behaviors that predict peer acceptance in one culture may not in
another. An active, rough play style, for example, may lead to popularity or re%ection,
depending on the cultural experiences of playmates. rying to teach all children
precisely the same set of social skills, then, would be a misapplication of the social
competence research.
,ggression ? Aggression is one anti#social behavior which has been studied extensively
by researchers. Aggression is defined as any physical or verbal behavior which is
intended to harm or threaten another (/artup F Ae&it, 123*+.
,ome children are highly aggressive in their early years. ,adly, children who are
aggressive as preschoolers are very likely to become aggressive older children and
adolescents (-ierman, ,moot, F Aumiller, 122)9 Bron F /uesmann, 122G+. /ow do
children acquire such behavior. Again, each theory of child development offers a
different answer. =aturationists would suggest that some children are born with
aggressive temperaments9 such children may have simply inherited negative or difficult
dispositions which inevitably lead to problematic peer relations. =any early theorists
have argued, in fact, that all children are born with some aggressive instincts, not unlike
non#human primates (Horenz, 1266+. 7sychoanalytic theorists would also view
aggression as part of a childs biological inheritance (5reud, 12)G+. /owever, they would
propose that the environment and, in particular, the childs interpersonal interactions with
parents, determine how aggressive drives are expressed. It is the %ob of adults to redirect
aggressive urges toward positive outlets. 5rom this view, rough#and#tumble play or
active running and %umping are seen as strategies that help children Cget outD their
aggressive urges.
:f course, behaviorists would disagree. 5rom their perspective, aggressive behavior is
shaped and rewarded by the environment (-andura, 126'9 1263+. his can occur in
several ways. 5irst, children observe and emulate aggressive adult models, such as
parents and television characters, who commit regular acts of aggression. >esearch
supports such a modeling effect. "hildren who are physically punished or abused by
parents are more likely to be aggressive toward peers (Ieorge F =ain, 1232+, and
children who watch violent television programs are more aggressive than those who do
not (7arke F ,laby, 124)+. ,econd, aggression is rewarded. "hildren who push and hit
peers often get what they want. 5or example, a child who gets a desired toy by pushing a
peer receives a CpayoffD for his or her aggression. :n a large scale, 7atterson (124'+
contends that violent behavior is sanctioned and rewarded by American society as a
whole.
"ognitive#developmental theorists would argue that a critical intellectual component
underlies aggressive behavior (Juiggle, Iarber, 7anak F Aodge, 122'+. Aggressive
children may be the way they are because they do not understand social situations. hey
may misinterpret the intentions or actions of peers, or they may be unaware of the
consequences of their social initiatives. ,uch children may not view hitting or pushing as
inappropriate, because they cannot see clearly the pain and upset of the other child, nor
the ultimate peer re%ection that results from their actions. he cognitive#developmental
explanation also has been supported by aggression research. Aggressive young children
have been found to be less able to read social cues (Audge, 1246+, and less able to make
decisions about which behaviors to perform with which peers in which situations
(rawick#,mith, 122'+. 5urther, they are more likely to assign hostile intent to the
benign acts of peers, such as accidental bumping or knocking down blocks (Juiggle et
al., 122'+.
Bcological systems theorists would propose a broader view of aggression. ,imple
connections between parent discipline or television watching and aggressive behaviors
would not fully explain the problem, from their perspective. If a parents harsh physical
punishment causes aggression, they would ask, why do parents behave in this way.
&hat family dynamics, mental health needs, or beliefs and customs about childrearing
lead to negative parenting. "hanging parent behavior would be a shortlived and
superficial solution, they would suggest. 7roblems of this kind must be addressed at all
ecological levels.