Every kid has a point in time when they need either their parents and/ or teachers to support them with learning new behavioral skills.

Practical Practice Ideas for developing a variety of social emotional skills.

Taking Turns and Being Patient

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

• Playing a Game
• Reminding me to wait my turn
• Asking me what
•  I can do while I wait for my turn

 

Having rules and Following rules

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

• Asking your student why rules are important
• By playing a game with rules
• By creating new rules

 

Feelings and Emotions

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

• Asking your student to name as many feelings as they can
• Encourage your student to verbally name their feelings
• Verbally expressing your feelings as the parent/teacher
• Asking your student to identify the feelings of others in a story or on television
• Have your student show you what different emotions look like

 

Using “I” statements

Please take a moment and practice this skill at school and at home by:

• Having you student use “I” statements throughout the week (e.g. “I feel…”, “I want…”, “I think…”)
• Ask student why it is important to use “I” statements
• Ask student in what setting they should use “I” statements

 

Anger

Please take a moment and practice recognizing Anger at school and at home by:

• Asking what your students body look like when they are Angry.
• Ask your student to explain the Grouchometer
• Ask your student where they are on the Grouchometer throughout the week

 

Words and there meanings

Please take a moment and practice these skills at school and at home by:

• Asking your student what kind of messages words send.
• Ask your student to give examples of “Nice” words
• Ask student why people may say “Not Nice” words

 

Anger

• Asking what your students what they should do when angry
• Ask your student to explain things that may be triggers for Anger
• Ask your student what they can say if they are Angry
• Practice “Stop and Think” to calm down

 

Teasing

• Ask your student, “What does teasing look like?”
• Ask your student what are their options for dealing with teasing (ignore, agree, tell adult, ask, “Why did you say that?” Say, “I want you to stop”).
• Role-play situations and ask your student what they would say or do in these situations.

 

Consequences

• Recognizing that there may be both positive and negative consequences.
• Have your student list positive and negative consequences throughout the week.
• Role-play scenarios and have your student state appropriate consequences.
• Play a board game that has consequences

 

Problem-Solving

• Role-play disagreements and ask “what does each person need?”
• Have students consider consequences
• Have your student make the best choice or make a plan to help with problem solving.
• Reflect on whether or not the plan worked

Other Resources:

Vanderbilt CSEFEL- Practical Strategies for Teachers/Caregivers

“You Got It!” Teaching Social and Emotional Skills

Fostering Social and Emotional Skills Development in Early Childhood – PPT

Resilience Booster: Parent Tip Tool – APA resource