Many early childhood learners enter kindergarten not academically and social-emotionally prepared. This qualitative study explored teachers' perceptions of what constitutes high-quality learning concerning kindergarten readiness and parents' understanding and support of kindergarten readiness. The conceptual framework is based on recent studies by early childhood researchers on how and what early learners should experience during their pre-k years. The research questions focused on teachers' understanding of structural quality and process quality, kindergarten readiness, and age- appropriate curriculum. In addition, parents' understanding of kindergarten readiness and what types of learning opportunities they offer their children were examined. Through purposeful sampling, 16 teachers and 17 parents were interviewed from an early childhood site. Interview data were analyzed using a thematic analysis. The data were analyzed by coding and observing for recurrent categories and themes. Key findings indicated that teachers demonstrated a lack of understanding of structural quality and process quality and believed that the current curriculum is outdated and should be replaced to significantly impact student learning. Parents perceived that academics were far more important than social-emotional development and that affording their children learning opportunities outside of school was important. As a result of this study, a professional development program was developed for teachers intended to enhance their instructional practices in preparing early learners towards kindergarten success. Parents will also receive training from teachers to support social-emotional learning opportunities. The training could enable both teachers and parents to better support the cognitive and social-emotional growth of children.

Linda Darling-Hammond (1997) states that the classroom teacher is the most influential variable influencing student achievement outside of the child’s home environment. Many studies have attempted to identify the specific attributes of teachers who are more effective than others. During the last decade, research has shown that teachers who work to develop relationships, while delivering relevant and rigorous instruction, demonstrate greater student achievement. Additional studies from the world of business tell us that those individuals with increased levels of emotional intelligence are better leaders, managers and salespersons, and are more frequently hired into those positions by large corporations. They are more likely to get along with peers, be promoted and demonstrate success when working with others. A similar relationship may exist in the field of education between teachers who exhibit increased levels of emotional and student academic achievement. This pilot study investigated possible relationships between the academic performance of sixth grade math students and the emotional intelligence of their corresponding teachers through the use of descriptive statistics. Although no significant findings were established, the data provide a useful starting point for future queries into this construct.

xiii, 126 p. : ill. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Given the staggering prevalence of 12-22% of school children with mental health problems and the paucity of effective mental health services available, it is essential that professionals examine alternative methods for providing social and emotional support to children (Greenberg, Bumbarger, & Domitrovich, 2001). Rather than continuing with a service delivery approach that is reactive, fragmented, and inefficient, professionals are called to consider a more preventive approach that ensures the health of all children. A public health model of intervention can provide a conceptual framework for mental health service delivery in its aim to serve an entire population and to provide multi-tiered support (universal, targeted, indicated) that increases in intensity based on the needs of individual persons (Coie et al, 2000). Members of the Oregon Resiliency Project, a research effort at the University of Oregon, have spent the last several years developing one such set of SEL curricula, appropriate for children in grades pre-k-12, the Strong Kids programs, Strong Start: K-2 , (Merrell, Parisi, & Whitcomb, 2007), is a component of Strong Kids , developmentally applicable to kindergarten through second grade students. The purpose of this study was to implement a pilot or feasibility study that examined the impact of Strong Start on first grade students' social-emotional knowledge skills, with a particular emphasis on emotion knowledge, social behavior and affect. Pretest data collection of Strong Start began in Fall 2007 in 4 classrooms in a suburban, northwestern school district. Implementation of the intervention occurred in Winter 2008 and posttest data were gathered in Spring 2008. Results indicated that Strong Start was implemented with integrity, and that significant increases in students' knowledge about emotion situations and significant decreases in students' internalizing behaviors were associated with exposure to the program. Limitations of this study as well as directions for future research are discussed. / Committee in charge: Kenneth Merrell, Chairperson, Special Education and Clinical Sciences; Cynthia Anderson, Member, Special Education and Clinical Sciences; Elizabeth Stormshak, Member, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; John Seeley, Member, not from U of 0; Sara Hodges, Outside Member, Psychology

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van die ondersoek was om insig in die leefwereld van die leergestremde adolessent te bekom, ten einde probleemareas wat doeltreffende aanpassing in die leefwereld verhinder, bloot te le. In die probleemontleding het die volgende aspekte na vore getree: Daar is 'n groeiende bewuswording onder navorsers dat die sosiaalemosionele probleme wat die leergestremde adolessent ervaar, duideliker aangespreek moet word. Die noodsaaklikheid om die leergestremde adolessent vir volwassenheid voor te berei, word toenemend besef. In die literatuurstudie is die tydperk van adolessensie, leergestremdheid as fenomeen, en die leefwereld van die leergestremde adolessent onderskeidelik bespreek. Enkele gevolgtrekkinge word aangestip: Adolessensie word gekenmerk deur fisiese, kognitiewe, affektiewe, sosiale en morele ontwikkeling. Hierdie veranderinge hou implikasies in vir die adolessent se uitvoer van ontwikkelingstake, die ontplooiing van die selfkonsep en die groei na onafhanklikheid. Die fenomeen leergestremdheid openbaar 'n komplekse aard wat 'n persoon in sy totaliteit raak. Die manifestasies van leergestremdheid betrek die akademiese vordering sowel as die sosiaal-emosionele ontwikkeling van die individu. Die leergestremde adolessent se aanpassing in sy leefwereld word nadelig beinvloed deur sosiale vaardigheidstekorte, interpersoonlike verhoudingsprobleme, 'n gebrekkige selfkonsep, emosionele probleme, die gebruik van verdedigingsmeganismes en 'n verminderde strewe na onafhanklikheid. In die empiriese ondersoek is inligting oor die leergestremde adolessent se interpersoonlike verhoudinge, selfkonsep en emosionaliteit bekom. In die interpretasie van die data is veranderlikes waar die leergestremde ado l essente swakker aanpassing as die normal e populasie getoon het, eerstens geidentifiseer. Verskille wat by die leergestremde adolessente ten opsigte van geslag en ouderdomsgroep voorgekom het, is vervolgens uitgelig. Ten slotte is 'n faktorontleding uitgevoer ten einde 'n gemeenskaplikheid tussen die onderskeie veranderlikes te bepaal. Op grond van die bevindinge uit die literatuur en die empiriese studie, is riglyne vir hulpverlening geformuleer. Die navorsingsbevindinge is veral van belang vir onderwysers, ouers en ander opvoeders wat met die leergestremde adolessent gemoeid is. / The purpose of the study was to gain insight into the life-world of the learning disabled adolescent in order to reveal problems which prevent effective adjustment in the life-world. In the analysis of the problem the following aspects were prominent: It is recognised that the social-emotional problems experienced by the learning disabled adolescent should be addressed in greater depth. The need to prepare the learning disabled adolescent for adulthood is realised. In the literature study the period of adolescence, learning disabilities as a phenomenon, and the life-world of the learning disabled adolescent were discussed. The following conclusions can be mentioned: Adolescence is characterised by physical, cognitive, emotional, social and moral development. These changes have implications for the adolescent's accomplishment of developmental tasks, the development of the self-concept and the grow towards independence. Learning disabilities as a phenomenon reveals a complex nature that affects the total person. The manifestations of learning disabilities involve the academic progress and the social-emotional development of the individual. The adjustment of the learning disabled adolescent in his lifeworld is adversely affected by deficits in social skills, problematic interpersonal relationships, an inadequate self-concept, emotional problems, the use of defence mechanisms and an insufficient strive towards independence. In the empirical investigation information was obtained about the learning disabled adolescent's interpersonal relationships, self-concept and emotionality. In the interpretation of the data variables were identified where the learning disabled adolescents showed poorer adjustment than the normal population. Differences between learning disabled adolescents with regard to age and sex were highlighted next. Finally, a factor analysis was carried out to determine whether a communality exists among the respective variables. On the basis of the findings of the literature and the empirical study, guidelines for the rendering of aid were formulated. The research findings are especially important to teachers, parents and other educators involved with the learning disabled adolescent. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

The concept of Socio-Emotional Skills is about how individuals can reflect on their emotions when they need to make intrapersonal and interpersonal decisions. It is, therefore, the reflexive capacity to deal with the emotions and to potentiate unique characteristics of oneself in the relations with the other. In the educational field, such skills are built by a complex network of knowledge and behaviors related to the success or failure of an enterprise, which aims to innovate pedagogically. In this sense, we propose to understand the relations between innovation and Socio-Emotional Skills from the statements of some undergraduate students of Biological Sciences of the Federal University of Sergipe. The work is organized in two phases: in the first, exploratory, we identified some episodic cases, observed in a mini course that dealt with the issue of Socio-Emotional Skills, in which some students of this degree participated; In a second moment, five semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed in three moments. In the first, from five categories established a priori, equivalent to the domains of personality, to know: 1) openness to new experiences, 2) Consciousness, 3) Extroversion, 4) Cooperativity and 5) Emotional Stability. In the second moment, we created five categories a posteriori: 1) Innovation: opposition between conservatism and openings to changes; 2) Innovation as a proposal of school methodology; 3) Innovation as a management organization proposal and 4) Innovation as a proposal for curricular change. Finally, in the third and final moment, we tried to compare if students with certain indicators for certain HSE, presented what kind of conceptions about innovation. Among the results, we noticed that during the mini-course, the students expressed their HSE, although shyly, since they presented difficulties in speaking of their own characteristics, internalizing their emotions. Regarding the analysis of the interviews, we noticed that the category Consciousness contained more frequency of the presented discourses in relation to the other categories. This leads, therefore, to the understanding that for the interviewees, the development of skills such as responsibility, discipline and organization would be the driver of satisfactory academic performance, within what is required as a technical skill by the curriculum to future graduates. When we refer to the analysis of innovation categories, we notice that the discourses are associated with innovative practices and methodologies, since they were presented more frequently in the Innovation category as a school methodology. When we look for the relations between the categories of HSE and innovation, we understand that the category of consciousness is related to methodological innovations, and the lack of cooperativity tends to be related to the barriers that inhibit innovations. When we think of the analysis by subjects, we understand that the most socially-balanced individuals tend to contribute to all categories of innovation. More cooperative individuals innovate methodically, while those who are not open to new experiences and those who have contributed most in the emotional stability category tend to find barriers to innovation. / O conceito de Habilidades Socioemocionais (HSE) se trata de como o indivíduo consegue refletir sobre suas emoções quando precisa tomar decisões intrapessoais e interpessoais. É, portanto, a capacidade reflexiva de lidar com as emoções e potencializar características ímpares de si nas relações com o outro. No campo educacional, tais habilidades são construídas por uma complexa rede de conhecimentos e comportamentos relacionados ao sucesso ou ao fracasso de um empreendimento, que visa inovar pedagogicamente. Nesse sentido, propomos compreender as relações entre inovação e HSE a partir das falas de alguns graduandos de Ciências Biológicas da Universidade Federal de Sergipe. O trabalho está organizado em duas fases: na primeira, exploratória, foram identificados alguns casos episódicos, observados em um minicurso que tratava da questão das HSE, do qual participaram alguns alunos dessa licenciatura; em um segundo momento, foram realizadas cinco entrevistas semiestruturadas, gravadas, transcritas e analisadas em três momentos. No primeiro, a partir de cinco categorias estabelecidas à priori, equivalentes aos domínios de personalidade, a saber: 1) abertura a novas experiências, 2) Consciência, 3) Extroversão, 4) Cooperatividade e 5) Estabilidade Emocional. No segundo momento, criamos cinco categorias a posteriori: 1) Inovação: oposição entre conservadorismo e aberturas a mudanças; 2) Inovação como proposta de metodologia escolar; 3) Inovação como proposta de organização de gestão e 4) Inovação como proposta de alteração curricular. Por fim, no terceiro e último momento, buscamos comparar se alunos com determinados indicadores para determinadas HSE, apresentavam que tipo de concepções sobre inovação. Dentre os resultados encontrados, percebemos que durante o minicurso, os discentes expressaram suas HSE ainda que timidamente, uma vez que apresentaram dificuldades em falar de características próprias, internalizando suas emoções. No que se refere às análises das entrevistas, percebemos que a categoria Consciência, conteve maior frequência dos discursos apresentados em relação às outras categorias. Isso remete, portanto, à compreensão de que para os entrevistados, o desenvolvimento de habilidades como responsabilidade, disciplina e organização seria o propulsor do desempenho acadêmico (in) satisfatório, dentro do que é requerido como habilidade técnica, pelo currículo, aos futuros licenciandos. Quando nos referimos às análises das categorias de inovação, percebemos que os discursos estão associados a práticas e metodologias inovadoras, uma vez que foram apresentados com maior frequência na categoria Inovação como metodologia escolar. Ao buscarmos as relações entre as categorias de HSE e inovação, compreendemos que a categoria Consciência se relaciona as inovações metodológicas, já a falta de cooperatividade tende a se relacionar com as barreiras que inibem as inovações. Ao pensarmos na análise por sujeitos, compreendemos que os indivíduos mais equilibrados socioemocionalmente tendem a contribuir em todas as categorias de inovação. Os indivíduos mais cooperativos inovam metodologicamente, enquanto os não abertos a novas experiências e os que mais contribuíram na categoria estabilidade emocional, tendem a encontrar barreiras para que as inovações aconteçam.

Abstract The aim of this study was to follow 8 to 36- month old children's communicative development and its' associations with social-emotional skills (the Brief Infant Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment, BITSEA) and behavioural problems. This study is the first study using the Finnish version of the BITSEA. A total of 50 children participated in the Oulu region (first phases at year 2006 and 2007). At the age of 8 months (at year 2006, n =  31), child participants were grouped into two conditions: 1) children possibly needing support for deficiencies in communicative and interaction skills and 2) children without noted areas of need of support in communicative and interaction skills. Through random sampling, three groups were formed and included children from both the above mentioned conditions. The groups met fortnightly for five months for a directed song-play session (enrichment intervention). The sample size was increased at year 2007 (n =  19) and follow-up questionnaires were sent to all of the participating families (N =  50) at the child's age of 18, 24 and 36 months. The sample during the year 2007 did not receive any intervention. Results suggest, that the children's communicative and social-emotional development may be linked to each other. Children who scored higher in the assessments in communicative skills were also more successful on assessments measuring social interaction and social-emotional competence. Children with better communication skills demonstrated higher scores after enrichment-intervention. Scores on the BITSEA demonstrated an association with other indicators of children's development employed in the study suggesting the utility of the BITSEA as a follow-up assessment in Finnish sample. Mothers, who rated high maternal stress (measured at the child's age of 8 months) also rated higher levels of social-emotional and behavioural problems in their children, especially when a child was 18 months. This effect appeared to decrease over time. Results indicate the clinical importance of directly measuring not only a child's linguistic and social-emotional development, but also including assessment of a child's immediate environment, such as parents and siblings. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli seurata 8-36 kuukauden ikäisten lasten kielellistä kehitystä ja sen yhteyttä sosioemotionaaliseen kehitykseen (Brief Infant Toddler Social-Emotional Assessment, BITSEA-lomake) sekä käyttäytymisen ongelmiin. Tämä oli ensimmäinen tutkimus Suomessa, jossa käytettiin BITSEAn suomenkielistä versiota. Tutkimukseen osallistui 50 perhettä (aloitus vuosina 2006 ja 2007) Oulun alueelta. Kahdeksan kuukauden iässä täytettyjen lomakkeiden perusteella (vuonna 2006, n =  31) lapset luokiteltiin vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitojen mukaan kahteen joukkoon: 1) Vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitojen tukea mahdollisesti tarvitsevat lapset ja 2) Lapset, joilla ei todennäköisesti ollut tuen tarvetta vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaidoissa. Satunnaisotannalla muodostettiin kolme pienryhmää (rikastuttamisryhmät), joihin kuului sekä mahdollista tukea tarvitsevia että tukea tarvitsemattomia lapsia. Ryhmät kokoontuivat joka toinen viikko viiden kuukauden ajan ohjattuun laulu-leikkituokioon. Tutkimusta laajennettiin syksyllä 2007 (n =  19) ja kaikille tutkimukseen osallistuneille perheille (N = 50) lähetettiin seurantalomakkeita, jotka vanhempien tuli täyttää lapsen ollessa 18, 24 ja 36 kuukauden ikäinen. Vuoden 2007 otoksen perheille ei tarjottu perheinterventiota. Tutkimuksessa kävi ilmi, että lapset, jotka saivat korkeat pisteet sosioemotionaalista kompetenssia kuvaavissa kartoituksissa, menestyivät paremmin myös vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitoja kuvaavissa arvioinneissa. Lapset, joilla oli jo ennestään korkeammat pisteet vuorovaikutus- ja kommunikaatiotaitoja kuvaavissa lomakkeissa, näyttivät saavan korkeammat pisteet myös intervention jälkeen. Tutkimuksessa tuli esiin, että BITSEA -lomake korreloi hyvin muiden lasten kehityksen seurannassa käytettyjen mittareiden kanssa ja soveltuu siten hyvin tutkimuslomakkeeksi suomalaisessakin aineistossa. Lisäksi äidit, jotka arvioivat stressitasonsa korkealle (lapsen ollessa kahdeksan kuukauden ikäinen), arvioivat myöhemmin myös korkeampia pisteitä lasten sosioemotionaalisten ja käyttäytymisen ongelmien kyselylomakkeissa lapsen ollessa 18 kuukauden ikäinen. Tämä vaikutus kuitenkin väheni lapsen kasvaessa. Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että perhe- ja neuvolatyössä on lapsen kehityksen kannalta tärkeää huomioida myös hänen kasvuympäristönsä; vanhempien hyvinvointi ja sisarusten määrä vaikuttavat lapsen kielelliseen ja sosioemotionaaliseen kehitykseen.

No description available.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) measures assessing social-emotional learning and character development across a broad array of constructs have been developed but lack construct validity. Determining the efficacy of educational interventions requires structurally valid measures which are generalizable across settings, gender, and time. Utilizing recent factor analytic methods, the present study extends validity literature for SEL measures by investigating the structural validity and generalizability of the Social-Emotional and Character Development Scale (SECDS) with a large sample of children from schools in Belize (n = 1877, ages 8 to13). The SECDS exhibited structural and generalizability evidence of construct validity when examined under exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). While a higher order confirmatory factor structure with six secondary factors provided acceptable fit, the ESEM six-factor structure provided both substantive and methodological advantages. The ESEM structural model situates the SECDS into the larger body of SEL literature while also exhibiting generalizability evidence over both gender and time.

No description available.

<p>The purpose of this project was to cultivate a series of professional development training sessions for secondary teachers to incorporate concepts of Critical Race Theory in their classrooms, through the use of social justice education, social emotional learning, and student-centered learning. The researcher examined material in favor and in opposition to the project topic to collect information on how to best serve educators and students. The researcher engaged with academic writing as well as with high school teachers and administrators about this project topic. This manuscript and attached training material is the result of the researcher’s findings and serves to answer the question of whether aspects of Critical Race Theory should be implemented in secondary classrooms as well as if so, how should teachers do so—all in hopes of better supporting more equitable and just education for high school educators and students. </p><br>