Pam Schiller - Seven Skills for School Success: Activities to Develop Social and Emotional Intelligence in Young Children

by Pam Schiller

To Dr. Harry Chugani and Dr. Bruce Perry, who continue to produce scientific evidence supporting the crucial role that early interactions and experiences play in developing social and emotional intelligence.

To Daniel Goleman, who elegantly spreads the news! To sweet baby Audrey who is living proof that loving parents who are fully present make a significant difference.

The Complete Resource Book for Infants: Over 700 Experiences for Children From Birth to 18 Months

The Complete Resource Book for Toddlers and Twos: Over 2000 Experiences and Ideas

Creating Readers: Over 1000 Games, Activities, Tongue Twisters, Fingerplays, Songs, and Stories to Get Children Excited About Reading

The Complete Resource Book: An Early Childhood Curriculum, with Kay Hastings

The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems, Fingerplays, and Chants, with Jackie Silberg

The Complete Book of Activities, Games, Stories, Props, Recipes, and Dances, with Jackie Silberg

The Bilingual Book of Rhymes, Songs, Stories, and Fingerplays, with Rafael Lara-Alecio and Beverly J. Irby

Start Smart: Building Brain Power in the Early Years

The Practical Guide to Quality Child Care, with Patricia Carter Dyke

The Values Book, with Tamera Bryant

Count on Math: Activities With Small Hands and Lively Minds, with Lynne Peterson

Where Is Thumbkin?, with Thomas Moore

The Instant Curriculum, Revised, with Joan Rosanno

Do You Know the Muffin Man? with Thomas Moore

Seven Skills for School Success

by Pam Schiller

2009 Pam Schiller

Published by Gryphon House, Inc.

PO Box 207, Beltsville, MD 20704

800.638.0928; 301.595.9500; 301.595.0051 (fax)

Visit us on the web at www.gryphonhouse.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Every effort has been made to locate copyright and permission information.

Cover Art: Straight Shots Product Photography, Ellicott City, MD.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Information

Schiller, Pamela Byrne.

Seven skills for school success / by Pam Schiller.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-0-87659-071-3

1. Readiness for school. 2. Social learning. 3. Child development. 4. Success. I. Title.

LB1132.S315 2009

372.21--dc22

2009005486

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Disclaimer

Gryphon House, Inc. and the author cannot be held responsible for damage, mishap, or injury incurred during the use of or because of activities in this book. Appropriate and reasonable caution and adult supervision of children involved in activities and corresponding to the age and capability of each child involved is recommended at all times. Do not leave children unattended at any time. Observe safety and caution at all times.

All children need social and emotional skills so they can learn and be successful in school and in life. To be successful academically children need to learn how to control their emotions and how to work in groups; these skills are necessary to thrive in school or any other learning situation. Children who can control their impulses and behaviors are much better prepared to listen and learn.

Society values an individuals cognitive capabilities; yet many people do not stop to consider how individuals actually develop these skills. We want children to be successful in school, and, generally, good grades are measures of that success. We may assume that good grades are the result of superior cognitive abilities. However, children need to learn to pay attention and listen so they can develop the thinking skills necessary to become successful students. Paying attention and listening require children to control impulses, delay gratification, and focus on a task. All of these are related to social and emotional development.

For example, when an individual is a gifted athlete, we may believe that, beyond her physical talents, it is her cognitive abilities that make her exceptional. This type of thinking is putting the cart before the horse. It is more likely that she has used her social and emotional skillsher ability to control her impulses and delay gratificationto focus on practicing the physical and mental skills necessary to become an exceptional player.

New findings from neurological science support the crucial role social and emotional development play in learning. Researchers (Sousa, 2005; Goleman, 2006) suggest that cognitive and physical potential is optimized only when an individuals brain is adequately wired in the areas of social and emotional intelligence.

This book reviews some of the more recent research findings related to social and emotional development and suggests strategies for applying this important research as you work with children. In addition, it explores important characteristics of social and emotional intelligence and offers easy-to-implement activities to help children develop these characteristics to the fullest.

Social intelligence covers the broad range of skills people use to relate to, play with, learn from, and teach others. Social skills are important for survival and for a good life.

Individuals who are socially intelligent are able to:

Assess the feelings of others;

Relate to the feelings, motives, and concerns of others;

Read and respond to social cues; and

Negotiate and resolve conflicts.

Agroupof children are playing Keep Away. Hunter is watching from the sidelines. Each time the ball comes close to him, he makes a feeble attempt to intercept it. Amanda notices that Hunter appears interested in the game. When the ball comes her way, she catches it and announces to the group, Hey, Hunter wants to play with us. Come on, Hunter, you can be on my team.