Social-emotional learning (SEL) teaches students various skills essential for the real world. From building self-awareness and confidence to preparing them for collaboration with peers, SEL equips children to navigate their emotions and social lives. The Montessori method and social-emotional learning goals truly complement each other in guiding young minds to become the best versions of themselves.
Social-emotional learning is crucial in an early education environment. During these stages in a child’s life, they have countless “firsts” —their first time attending school, learning Montessori lesson plans, or even their first time experiencing conflict on the playground. Learning to manage their emotions, understand their needs, and the needs of others, allows our students to effectively participate in class, focus, and learn new information. There is research that conveys SEL education supporting equity in the classroom, which is a LAPMS value, as well as improving academic performance. It is no secret that learning skills such as empathy, self-management, and relationship skills will have positive long-term effects on our students, well after their time here at LAPMS.
LAPMS creates monthly SEL curriculum for our toddler, preschool, and kindergarten programs. For our youngest learners, we have created a “My Feelings Book” that children can identify different emotions and learn the proper vocabulary with the corresponding emotion. Following our Montessori method, we also provide various hands-on materials where our learners can explore different emotions and be able to identify them. A popular one is the “feelings mirror,” where our learners imitate the expression. This activity allows children to label emotions, building the foundation to manage their feelings and work through everyday challenges while keeping the learning fun. This month, our toddler class will also be participating in activities that will allow them to understand the importance of a quiet environment to understand and regulate feelings, identify day-to-day activities that brighten their day, and learn positive self-affirmations such as “I am a star.”
In our older preschool and kindergarten classrooms, we are able to dive deeper into social and emotional skills. At these ages, our hands-on activities widen as we complement our SEL curriculum with art, books, matching card games, and other activities. This month, our older students will be modeling their empathy expertise as they go over how to take care of the Earth, in honor of Earth Day. Social-emotional learning and the Montessori philosophy both share the goal of guiding individuals for a lifetime of success. Our students learn valuable lessons in our classrooms, such as how to say nice words, make responsible choices, how to take turns, and much more.
Setting our students up for success is our greatest achievement. LAPMS takes great pride in offering a well-rounded curriculum that not only emphasizes STEM and core academic subjects but also focuses on developing essential life skills such as conflict resolution, self-awareness, and effective communication. Through the integration of social-emotional learning and our Montessori philosophy, we nurture confident, compassionate, and independent thinkers. This foundation will extend far beyond the classroom—positively influencing our students’ future careers, personal relationships, and overall well-being.
