When I worked in a large, diverse metropolitan school district, I had a colleague who struggled with correctly pronouncing several of the children\u2019s names. His solution was to create nicknames for those children. There was no malice or ill intent in his practice, and he would often point out that as a specialist teacher he had to remember the name of every single child in the entire school. It\u2019s safe to say that most would agree that the excuse didn\u2019t justify this practice. Before all other things, a teacher\u2019s primary responsibility is to create an environment where every child feels cared for, seen, and welcomed. This starts by respecting each child as an individual with a range of experiences and feelings.<\/p>\n
In order to do this, teachers must first work to develop their own social\u2013emotional competence. They need to be aware of their own emotions and how these emotions can impact the learning environment. Teachers must recognize that their own feelings shape the interactions they have with children each day. Teachers must be vulnerable enough to ask questions such as \u201cWhy am I acting this way?\u201d and \u201cWhy does this specific behavior trigger negative emotions within me?\u201d In order to support the social\u2013emotional development of children, teachers should take time to reflect on their emotions and identify their own feelings\u2014not just the ones that are obvious but also those feelings that are hidden.<\/p>\n
The pandemic\u2019s enormous disruption to normality has driven many education and mental health care experts to raise the social\u2013emotional flag, almost pleading for teachers to focus on children\u2019s social\u2013emotional development and learning when they return to the classroom. There are countless articles in education journals and national news stating that teachers should expect that young learners may return to classrooms and programs with fears and anxieties and possibly dealing with the effects of trauma. In response to this, school districts, private childcare, and Head Start programs are racing to find a social\u2013emotional curriculum for teachers to begin implementing in the new school year.<\/p>\n
However, it is not enough to purchase a social\u2013emotional curriculum simply to check a box, even one that is researched-based. In order to effectively implement it, it \u201creally requires leadership and ongoing support,\u201d as Mark Greenberg, a professor of human development and psychology at Pennsylvania State University and a founder of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), told EducationWeek <\/em>last year.1<\/sup> That seems logical. We all know that providing professional development and coaching is the most effective way to support an adult learner in using a new resource, but professional development and ongoing support are even more essential to social\u2013emotional development. As my story illustrates, not all teachers are equipped to provide children with social\u2013emotional support, even without the additional needs and challenges of the pandemic.<\/p>\n \u201cActively supporting the social and emotional development of students is not an innate skill. Veteran teachers are not used to some of these practices, and many new teachers didn\u2019t learn these skills in their teacher-preparation programs.\u201d Even the kindest and most loving of teachers need to learn strategies like helping children brainstorm solutions to problems and learn to identify, name, and manage their strong feelings.<\/p>\n