Chapter 1

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Chapter 1 Childrens Social and Emotional

Competence ~ The Seeds of Academic Success:


Research Evidence
Strengthening young childrens emotional literacy and emotion
regulation, to encourage meaningful friendships and to form
partnerships with parents is a crucial job for a school as it provides
the necessary foundation and scaffolding needed to support
childrens mental health, growth in learning, and eventual academic
success.

Explicit, intentional, responsive teaching and nurturing of social and


emotional skills can result in fewer aggressive responses and
ultimate school achievement. (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997).

Many students who are entering school are lacking the social and
emotional competencies necessary for school readiness. They
implede academic engagement and learning. Trends are showing
that aggression in children is escalating and that there are
implications for everybody.
Children with difficulties controlling their negative emotions, paying
attention, following teacher directions and getting along with others
are likely to be rejected by classmates and to get less positive
feedback from teachers which contributes to more off task
behaviour, less instruction time and less learning (Asher, Parkhurst,
Hymel & Williams, 1990). Disruptive behaviour takes time away from
positive delivery of engaging lessons and activities and is stressful
for teachers, for the disruptive child and for other children in the
classroom (Jones,Daley, Hutchings, Bywater and Eames, 2007).

According to Klem & Connell, 2004, Without successful intervention,


disruptive behaviours continue to escalate and impede the academic
and social growth of all students.

Teacher and School Risk Factors that can effect academic


underachievement, social and emotional difficulties:
Quality of teacher-student-family relationships and use of
evidence-based classroom management practices;
Low rates of praise;
Harsh discipline;
Negative teacher-student-parent relationships;
Failure to focus on social-emotional curriculum;
Low emphasis on home-school collaboration;
Effective classroom management strategies can reduce
disruptive behaviour;
Lack of adequate support for teachers;
Increased classroom sizes;
Inclusion of children with special education services;
Like the master gardener, the teacher must provide fertile soil,
adequate sunshine, water and support for the seed to develop and
begin to grow.
The IY Teaching Pyramid describes teacher programme content
structure. The bottom of the pyramid depicts teaching tools that
should be used liberally as they form the foundation to successfully
nurture and scaffold students learning growth. As teachers move up
the pyramid other teaching tools are used such as predictable
routines, schedules, rules, coaching, redirections and corrections
which scaffold students exploratory behaviours and their drive for
autonomy.

Starting early by nurturing students to develop a strong foundation


of emotional and social competence is the most effective way to
achieve optimal academic growth and school achievement.

I really enjoyed this chapter and am looking forward to undertaking


the Incredible Years programme over the next 6 months.

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