Social & Emotional

Social & Emotional Development in the Catbird Room

The development of social relationships is an important focus of the Early Childhood program in Lower School.  Students learn to navigate relationships with peers and adults in a variety of contexts.  Students grow in their independence and their ability to engage in social interactions.  Areas of focus include: types of play (independent, parallel, cooperative, interactive), independence in self-care, ability to follow directions, response to transitions, interactions with peers, and flexibility and resilience.

It seems that behind every one of Jona's interactions, there is the intention of deep kindness. He is a good friend to each of his peers, and he loves to engage in activities with them. Whether he is building, in dramatic play, or drawing, he is tuned in to his friends. Especially striking is Jona's conscious intention to give others' ideas, reactions, and feelings equal weight to his own.

Jona is competent in all of his self-care tasks, from using the bathroom to getting completely dressed in his winter gear. He is often one of the first to be ready for outside, and his motivation is understandable. Jona loves being outdoors to play (often at high speeds) with friends. When he is not with a friend, it is usually because he has found something beautiful to cogitate on, like a shiny piece of ice or a nicely colored leaf.

Above is one of my favorite photographs of Jona because it shows his excellent sense of humor. And it reminds me of how often he a source of laughter in the Catbird room.