Early Learning: More, More, More!

| By: Committee for Children

One of my roles in the school district I worked in previously was providing Second Step curricular trainings and supports for staff. When I visited elementary schools, I often heard the kindergarten, first, and second-grade teachers asking if they could have the “groovy” materials the early childhood staff used and created. During early learning lesson skill practices, the teachers would draw others’ interest with their entertaining, engaging ways of modeling and practicing. I also remember how fun it was to co-teach the early learning lessons or just observe in the classrooms.

So much can be gleaned from the strategies modeled by early childhood educators, especially from the way they are used. The energy, enthusiasm, and repetition are important pieces often forgotten as academic learning intensifies throughout the grade span. It is easy to forget that these techniques can benefit students throughout their lives, and that similar practices can be implemented with students of all ages, although they might look slightly different.

These are four of my exceptional/magnificent learnings during the time I spent observing and conversing with early childhood staff using the Second Step early learning program. I hope you find them as valuable as I do!

1. Create supportive learning environments where children feel safe, respected, and accepted. Intentionally demonstrate respect for their work. Provide “super supports,” such as verbal thanks or a thumbs-up, and give children opportunities to appreciate one another’s actions. Ensure daily celebrations and acknowledge children by giving them positive attention.

2. Create conditions for success. Integrate social-emotional teachings with academic components whenever possible. Model, model, model, and show visual reminders, such as photos of other students using positive social skills. Construct opportunities for children to help others, and devote significant amounts of time to teach them how to interact with one another. Give specific feedback, demonstrating the correct way of doing things rather than just assuming students already know it. Encourage effort and persistence.

3. Use differential and multisensory teaching practices by integrating movement and incorporating visual, auditory and kinesthetic activities to address different learning styles. Give opportunities for creating hands-on meaning with problem-based and project-focused learning, which are both highly motivating and encourage collaboration. Recreate real-life experiences through dramatic play, which fosters practice of many social-emotional skills, such as forming agreements, negotiating roles, cooperating, coping, impulse control, and perspective taking.

4. Take it to a deeper level. Give time to rehearse and reflect by ensuring repeated opportunities for practice. Ask open-ended questions that promote children's thinking and develop language, problem solving, and creative learning. Build in regular times for goal-setting. Provide explicit choices in activities.

Please join me in giving a big thank you to early childhood educators you know who are doing such marvelous work for our littlest learners!