What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Early Years?
Imagine a world where everyone showed empathy for their neighbors. A world where people could manage their feelings, especially when they feel angry, anxious, or sad. A world where people had healthy relationship skills and the skills to collaborate with others. This world is possible, but the education needs to start at a young age and be intentional.
When my sons were in high school, they had a lot of anxiety. Regulating their emotions was a struggle, and it made me realized that we missed something when they were younger. We missed giving them the words to recognize their emotions. We missed giving them the strategies to manage their emotions. We had to teach it while they were in the throes of intense emotions. This experience made me realize that there is a need to teach these skills in the preschool years, and I knew I could help.
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL, describes SEL as “the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.”
Teaching children strategies for managing their emotions
When I started Feelings Rock, this framework guided my goals. I knew from 20 years teaching music and movement classes to preschoolers that music is a powerful tool for teaching. I wanted to harness that power to help kids learn about their feelings. I wanted to teach children how to
Recognize their own feelings (SELF-AWARENESS)
Recognize the feelings of others and develop empathy (SOCIAL AWARENESS)
Regulate their body (SELF-MANAGEMENT)
Collaborate and develop teamwork skills (RELATIONSHIP SKILLS)
Make responsible choices (DECISION MAKING SKILLS)
The role of Feelings Rock in SEL
We give children the opportunity to tell us how they’re feeling by providing them stickers showing different facial expressions. We teach them how to regulate their bodies through songs and movements. And we incorporate activities that help them practice teamwork and social awareness.
Now that Feelings Rock is established and our song repertoire is growing, we’re making great strides toward these goals. Thanks to our many instructors sharing these valuable skills with their communities, we’re making a difference. Join us on our journey!