Social Competence

Providing a rich and varied contexts for children to acquire develop and apply a broad range of knowledge, understanding and skills. The curriculum should enable pupils to think creatively and critically to solve problems and to make a difference for the better. It should allow the children the opportunity to become creative, innovative, enterprising and capable of leadership to equip them for their future lives as workers and citizens. It should enable children to respond positively to opportunities, challenges and responsibilities to make changes and to cope with change and adversity (QCA 1999:11-12).

Appropriate social and emotional skills help children develop the skills they need for cooperation, following directions, self-control and paying attention. These skills are innate, however in the school setting have become a part of everyday learning. Especially since social and emotional competencies are critical for children 's success, in school as well as in other settings, and later phases of life into adulthood. (Darling, 2016, p. 3). Developing social-emotional skills in children help them persist on challenging tasks, and effectively seek help when they need it along with exhibiting thoughtfulness in their actions.

Sensitive periods, this is the name that Dr. Montessori put the periods of the age at which the child has unusual abilities to acquire particular skills, as it is when attracting interest of the child to a specific part of their environment. Help these sensitivities that the child develops normally and acquires the characteristics necessary for their development into an adult. The prepared environment is an environment that has been carefully arranged for the child, to help you learn and grow. The atmosphere is formed by two factors the environment and the material prepared in such a way that unfold in it 's social, emotional, intellectual parts, testing, and moral needs of a child, but also meets the need of the child in the order and security, knowing that everything has its proper place. Attitudes of the adult, the adult is the link between the child and prepared environment, which aims to help children help themselves.

enjoyment. Play can also be considered a rehearsal for acting-out real life events – such can be seen when children play house or school (Parsons, 2011). Also, play is so important and essential that it is included in the United Nation Convention of the Rights of the Child as stated in Article 31 (Leisure, Play and Culture): Children have the right to relax and play and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities (www.unicef.org).

These relationships have created numerous positive outcomes for the youth as they enter adulthood, which includes increased educational attainment, improved self-esteem, improved functioning in a relationship, etc (Ahrens et al., 2011). By establishing this type of relationship, children feel more inclined to seek out and/or accept help from the person during a vulnerable time for them. Forming relationships and bonds can be critical to the development of a child, especially one who has been a part of the foster care

Role play or creative play are two ways in which contribute to social development. Children are able to play through demonstrating skills such as imagination, communication and cooperation . they may also participate in sociodramatic play which involves the objects, situations and actions of role play (Frost, J., Worthman, S., & Reifel, S, 2005). The role of play in intellectual development fosters an increase cognitive development through extending the child’s ability to think, understand, remember and imagine (Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Dockett, S.,& Farmer, S, 2018).

In this essay I will discuss the purposes of play in learning and development in early childhood. I will also support my perspective with analysis of my observations of children’s play. Play in early childhood is vital in children developmental process as it contributes to the development of their cognitive development, social skills, emotional regulation and boosts their physical confidence. Play is how children begin to understand and process their world. Children's play unlocks their creativity and imagination, and develops reading, thinking, and problem solving skills as well as further develops motor skills.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), highlighted that children have the needs to play. Play is essential as it aids the various aspects of children’s development. Play should be encouraged in all phases of children’s life as they learn to interact, ponder, problem-solve, mature and enjoy themselves (Anderson-McNamee & Bailey, 2010). Therefore, educators should appreciate play in the early childhood stage.

An increased understanding of complex and diverse development and learning requirement of young children has lead towards equally specialized professional workforce for meeting up those needs (Rogoff & Bartlett, 2001). It has been observed that effective and successful partnership results in providing an experience and skills of early childhood professionals in different fields in order to provide universal method for supporting children’s development and learning (Abbott & Pugh, 1998, pp 23). Thus the link between effective provision and leadership is true for early childhood settings, where it has been indicated that practitioner often plays a vital role in delivering quality services (Jorde-Bloom, 1992, pp 579–594). Moreover, effective leadership is considered to be the key factor for effective provision Early Childhood development (Dalli, 2005). Importance for increasing accountability and professionalism is other factors which requires leadership

Cohen, Onunaku, Clothier, and Poppe, (2005) enlightened that social-emotional development is one’s 1) ability to experience, express and manage the full range of positive emotion and negative emotion; 2) ability to establish a positive and sustaining relationships with others; 3) ability to enthusiastically explore the environment. Researchers suggested that pretend play facilitate problem-solving skills and perspective-taking skills that lead to positive emotional and social development of a child (Hartup, 1994; McArdle, 2001). This essay evaluates the role of pretend play in improving children’s socio-emotional development. First and foremost, a recent study by researcher Lindsey and Colwell (2013) had conducted a correlation study to investigate the association between type of play and socio-emotional development of children. This study has supported the notion that pretends play can improve the socio-emotional development of a child.

Early childhood educators must differentiate instruction, build knowledge together, create multiple opportunities for learning, teach to all developmental domains, integrate content areas, and monitor children’s achievement (Brown, Feger, & Mowry, n. d.). Tools, techniques, and strategies must meet the readiness levels, interest, needs, and cultural identities of individual learners. When young children learn through developmentally appropriate practices they are enabled to connect previous experiences to new knowledge and make meaningful connections. DAP also helps learners meet challenging goals, build confidence and self-esteem, and encourages them to take on a positive approach to learning. The side-effects of non-DAP can result in behavior issues, failed classroom management, miseducation, failure of students reaching their academic potential, and grade

Key Stakeholders Children are key stakeholders in the Head Start Program. The Head Start program helps children in several ways. For example, children learn their basics in education; children also learn socialization skills by interacting with other children within his/her own age group (Castro, Bryant, Peisner-Feinberg & Skinner, 2004). The Head Start Program fosters a set of values to support the overall goal of improving social competence within the family unit and its environment. Single parents are also key stakeholders in the Head Start Program, because they utilize the program to meet child care needs and their children’s educational needs.

The main focus of the findings center around the support a family of young students must have for the student to be successful. The more involvement an intervention method has with families, the more successful the outcome for young children. Early childhood classrooms which utilize an RTI model for intervention, “have the potential to optimize learning opportunities for all children” (Lieberman-Betz, Vail, & Chai, 2013, p. 65). These models also allow for greater inclusion of young children with special needs into preschool classrooms. Having a

Developmentally appropriate practice implies that educationalists need to consider first about what young children are like and then create an environment and experiences that are attuned to child’s characteristics. According to children’s needs and interests, teachers apply their knowledge about the child development to design a program to fit them and help them accomplish challenging and attainable purposes. There are five key components of developmentally appropriate practice. Firstly, we should create a caring community of learners. Secondly, teaching has to enhance development and learning.