Young Children’s Social and Emotional Development: Exploring Educators’ Understandings, Instructional Practices, and Ideals of the Well-Behaved Child

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Impact of Early Childhood Teacher-Student Classroom Relationships

Abstract

This paper describes a qualitative pilot study on educators' understandings and instructional practices around young children's social and emotional development as well as ideals of the well-behaved child. The goal of this research was to deepen our current knowledge base about some of the benefits and challenges early childhood educators' are experiencing as they seek to align new learning standards with the use of developmentally appropriate practices in ways that support children's social and emotional development. Findings are discussed in terms of literatures relevant to supporting young children's social and emotional development for optimal school readiness. This paper also identifies next steps useful to early childhood professionals and scholars interested in exploring new models for early childhood professional development.

Author

• Elizabeth McKendry Anderson, Binghamton University - SUNY