1.2 Explain How To Support Emotional Development

The first step I would take to support emotional development is ensure that I understand the process of this development in children and how it occurs. I would then promote children’s sense of self by fostering activities that also help children develop self-esteem such as with opportunities to make their own choices, express preferences, and choose who they would like to play with. Encouraging children to practice and master age-appropriate skills, along with communicate with and learn from each other while solving problems, also helps to accomplish this. Additionally, I would offer each child one on one positive attention every day and respond to their needs promptly and consistently. To further support their development I’d include families
From there, I would use the environment to encourage positive social interactions by offering open and protected spaces, safe areas away from group life, and a wide range of new and familiar materials that offer appropriate challenges both indoors and out. In my classroom, I would also incorporate learning experiences, routines, and schedules that support children’s play such as with opportunities to engage in developmentally appropriate activities where they feel confident in their abilities of both independence and cooperation. To further accomplish this I’d provide different centers in my classroom where they can act out their feelings and socialize with each other such as in housekeeping or in the dramatic play area. Other ways I’d support social development is by encouraging children’s positive relationships and fostering secure attachments through actions like validating their accomplishments and progress, creating a learning community, and helping them form friendships. Lastly, I’d foster prosocial behavior by modeling it, plan whole class activities, read books/discuss characters’ feelings, and commend acts of