1. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Caring for School-Age Children Chapter 7 Helping Children Develop Social Competence

2. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Social Competence

3. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Social Competence Making and keeping friends is extremely important Teaching social skills is part of the curriculum in schools and child care programs

4. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Strategies Coach children in effective ways of behaving toward friends Praise children for successful interactions Model good social skills Discuss characteristics that foster friendships Use games and role-playing

5. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Activities Make a Friend OK, We’ll Do It Best Friends Are…

6. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Personal Reflection What are the influences on children’s ability or inability to resolve conflict?

7. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Conflict Resolution

8. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Conflict Resolution Decide to resolve the conflict Each side tells what happened State what each person needs to resolve the conflict Explore possible ways to resolve the conflict Later, evaluate situation to see if resolution is working

9. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Strategies Increase children’s ability to read nonverbal cues Help children see that others may have a different view Provide many opportunities for trial and error Encourage children to draft a conflict plan

10. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Activities Silent Stories Cultural Scenes Fighting Fair Role-Playing Shopping Trip Build a Tower Brainstorming Picture Problems

11. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Self-Image

12. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Two Components of Self-Image Our perception of ourselves Perceptions conveyed by others

13. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Strategies Have a genuine interest in each child Recognize each child’s uniqueness Support self-esteem through meaningful activities Conduct group meetings Provide many ways for children to feel successful

14. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Activities Greetings Interior Decoration Getting to Know You Puppet Talk TV Talk Silhouettes Getting to Know Me Family Tree

15. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Cooperation

16. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Cooperative Behavior Cooperation does not come easily to children Children are beginning to understand that others have needs Supportive adults help children with cooperation

17. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Strategies Model expected behavior Emphasize cooperation rather than competition Design space to accommodate groups of varying sizes

18. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Lead discussions about sharing, fairness, taking turns, and negotiating Plan activities that require children to work together toward a common goal

19. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Changing Children’s Behavior

20. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Help Children Reverse Destructive Behaviors State demands clearly and specifically Avoid common cliché statements of expectations Consider stating expectations in the form of rules

21. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Strategies Try to understand behavior Help children develop an honest sense of their own competence Help children praise themselves Allow children to express feelings Model acceptable behavior

22. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Help children devise ways to act on feelings of sympathy Encourage children to put feelings into words Create a nonaggressive environment Be consistent

23. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Communications That Help to Change Behaviors

24. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Responses to Children That Can Bring About Change Acknowledge children’s feelings Describe the situation Help children recognize how their behavior affects others

25. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Behaviors That Create Problems for Individuals or the Group Excessive aggression Quiet and distant demeanor Overly active behavior Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) Special needs

26. Copyright 2006 Thomson Delmar Learning. All Rights Reserved. Personal Reflection Have you tried to help a child whose behavior was like one described in this chapter? What strategies did you use?