1st Edition
Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years Research, Applications and Strategies
Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years provides evidence-based research and real-life strategies that support social and emotional development and well-being for children aged 3–5 years. It places emphasis on nurturing social emotional competence through purposeful scaffolding activities and how these can be used by children and families to create a harmonious platform for building resilience and positive relationships with family and the community.
Drawing on principles from Positive Psychology and Positive Education, it is illustrated throughout with examples of sustainable practice in diverse, global settings. Key topics explored include:
- Contemporary well-being concepts, including ‘grit’, ‘growth mindset’ and ‘gratitude’, as well as ‘classic’ constructs such as coping and self-efficacy
- The attitudes and skills that need to be developed to ensure that young children flourish
- Cognitive and sociocultural perspectives complemented by neuroscience and epigenetics
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the early years curriculum
- Using visual tools – the Early Years Coping Cards
- How we measure young children’s coping
- The relationship between coping, stress and mental health
- Recognition of the importance of parents’ own coping skills
- How partnerships with communities can improve children’s SEL.
Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years shows how we can support young children to develop an understanding of what it means to be happy and to flourish as a socially responsible member of the family and wider community. It is essential reading for teachers, parents and professionals who work with young children, as well as academics in child development.
Chapter 1 Capturing the Well-being construct in the Pre-School Years
Chapter 2 Development in Context
Chapter 3 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the Early Years Curriculum
Chapter 4 Early years visual coping tools: Operationalising Social and Emotional Competencies in Pre-school Children
Chapter 5 Measuring Coping in a Pre-school Population
Chapter 6 The Relationship between Coping, Stress and Mental Health in a Pre-school Population
Chapter 7 Teaching Coping Skills in the Context of Positive Parenting
Chapter 8 Approaches to Pre-school Social-Emotional Learning: Targeting Empathy, Resilience, Prosocial and Problem Behaviour through Coping Strategies
Chapter 9 Embedding SEL within the curriculum: Partnerships with communities
By Sophia Stirling
Chapter 10 Putting it together: Developing well-being in the early years
Biography
Erica Frydenberg is Associate Professor in psychology in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Janice Deans is Associate Director, Early Childhood Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Rachel Liang is Honorary Research Fellow, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Combining their interdisciplinary heritages of early childhood education and psychology, Deans, Frydenberg and Lian have produced an outstanding scholarly publication that will be welcomed by professionals working with young children and their families. Given the complex challenges impacting family life in contemporary society, this text offers much needed guidance in strengthening the social and emotional wellbeing of young children. Research rich insights provoke thinking and provide a sound platform for considering suggestions that are practical and relevant to today’s families. The warmth of intergenerational nurturing and reciprocal nature of these relationships are beautifully captured in this text. Recommended as an essential text for initial teacher education as well as continuing professional development of experienced teachers, social workers and psychologists.
Professor Manjula Waniganayake
Professor of Early Childhood Education
Macquarie University, Australia
Combining their interdisciplinary heritages of early childhood education and psychology, Deans, Frydenberg and Lian have produced an outstanding scholarly publication that will be welcomed by professionals working with young children and their families. Given the complex challenges impacting family life in contemporary society, this text offers much needed guidance in strengthening the social and emotional wellbeing of young children. Research rich insights provoke thinking and provide a sound platform for considering suggestions that are practical and relevant to today’s families. The warmth of intergenerational nurturing and reciprocal nature of these relationships are beautifully captured in this text. Recommended as an essential text for initial teacher education as well as continuing professional development of experienced teachers, social workers and psychologists.
Professor Manjula Waniganayake
Professor of Early Childhood Education
Macquarie University, Australia
Promoting Well-Being in the Pre-School Years opens the doors for positive education and positive psychology practices in early childhood education and provides an innovative theory and research-driven resource to build wellbeing in young children through social and emotional learning. A child’s ability to successfully cope with day-to-day difficulties and challenges is a fundamental proficiency that should be prioritised alongside STEM and literacy in the classroom. Like academic skills, social and emotional competencies can be taught, and the earlier the better. This book provides essential know-how for educators and parents who want to support the development of healthy flourishing children.
Dr Kelly-Ann Allen
Senior Lecturer Educational Psychology and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Monash University
