Social-emotional learning (SEL) is incorporated into almost everything we do in our Academy classrooms! From learning how to stay with a group to understanding emotions and building friendships, these foundational skills help children build lifelong skills. We intentionally model and teach specific phrases and concepts so children can better navigate their environment, communicate their needs, and develop relationships. Below is a snapshot of the common language and strategies we use across our Developmental and Children’s Academy programs to support each child’s growth.
Developmental Academy (Ages 2-4)
1. “Body in the group”
- What it means → Brings awareness to everyone in the group and refers to maintaining a physical presence within a social group, indicating engagement and interest in the group’s activities; often used before transitions
- What we might say → “Our group is Miss Sophia, Miss Kailey, Teddy, and Connor. We walk as a group!”
- How we teach it → Transition songs, holding hands, or transition ring
- Give praise for being in group → “XX, I like how your body is in the group!”
- Give gentle reminders → “XX, your body is out of the group. Bring your body in the group by YY (ex: a peer). The group is going to the gym!”
2. “Safe hands”
- What it means → Keeping hands to ourselves
- How we teach it → Encourage high fives or waves with hands instead of hitting or grabbing
- Model these behaviors with kiddos so they can see the behaviors in action
3. “Sharing is caring”
- How we teach sharing → “First XX’s turn, then YY’s turn”
- Tap child to signal it’s their turn
- Use first/then language
Children’s Academy (Ages 4-6)
1. Expected v. Unexpected Behavior
- What it means → Expected behavior: generally accepted and appropriate for the situation
- Unexpected behavior: deviates from the norm
- What it does → Helps teach the rules for any environment on what behaviors are expected and what behaviors might make others feel uncomfortable
- How we teach it → Visual aids, social stories, role playing, positive reinforcement, and gentle redirections
2. Flexible Thinking v. Stuck Thoughts
- What it means → Flexible thinking: you can change your thoughts easily and want to think about what others are doing
- Stuck thoughts: You can only think about one thing, and it is typically not something that is in the group plan
- What it does → Encourages thinking about something in a different way to make a new choice, see another friend’s perspective, or to find a new solution to the problem
3. Size of the Problem (With Matched Reaction Size)
- What it does → Helps children understand the severity of a situation and choose an appropriate response
- Categorizes situations into small, medium, and big
- Small → We can solve ourselves
- Medium → Need help from an adult
- Big → Emergencies that require professionals to help
- Categorizes situations into small, medium, and big
- Teaching to match our reaction to the size of the problem is important for emotional regulation, social skills, and problem solving
Developmental and Children’s Academy (Ages 2-6)
1. Labeling Emotions
- Say “I feel…”
- How we teach it → Scribble Spot (assigning colors to match feelings)
- There are several books and videos available to introduce emotions
2. Regulation/Co-Regulation
- What it means → Having a calm body
- How we teach it → Deep breathing prompts
- Calm corner – provides a comfortable and quiet space to relax in classrooms or at home (teach when to use it for breaks)
- Model! When we appear calm and safe, we let our kids know that we can handle big feelings
3. Personal Space or Space Bubbles
- What it means → Keeping physical boundaries around peers
- How we teach it → Using carpet squares, cube chairs, hula hoops, and books
Wrapping Up
These concepts may seem simple, but they play a powerful role in helping children build lifelong skills. By consistently modeling this language and providing opportunities to practice, we create a supportive environment where children can grow socially and emotionally at their own pace. Whether at school or at home, using the same phrases and strategies can help reinforce these skills and provide children with a sense of consistency and confidence.
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