Social-Emotional Education In The Context Of Early Education

Abstract

Emotional and social development is in a relationship of interdependence, mutual conditioning, hence the expression: social-emotional development. Emotional development aims at forming the childs self-concept by being able to perceive himself as a single person, and to recognize emotions, feelings, and experiences. A balanced emotional development of the child helps him or her to quickly identify feelings and emotions, express them and deal with them appropriately in certain situations. Today, a great emphasis is placed on emotional intelligence, which is the link between the person and the environment to which he or belongs to. The curriculum for preschool education promotes the concept of global child development, considered to be central during early childhood. Global development focuses on the areas of child development, in the context in which, in the present society, the childs preparation for school and for life should take into account not only academic competences, but also capacities, skills, attitudes related to social-emotional development (to live and work with others, to manage emotions, to accept diversity, tolerance, etc.), cognitive development, physical development. The dimensions of the social development area, which put high emphasis on preschool education, are as follows: - the development of interaction skills with adults; - the development of interaction skills with preschool children; - the development of social behaviours; - the acceptance and the respect for diversity. The dimensions of emotional development are as follows: - the development of the self-concept; - the development of emotional control; - the development of the emotional expression.