Resources



S.S.GRIN EC Resources

 

Websites for Professionals

 

National School Climate Center (formerly the Center for Social and Emotional Education), http://www.schoolclimate.org
The Center for Social and Emotional Education (CSEE) is an organization that helps schools integrate crucial social and emotional learning with academic instruction to enhance student performance, prevent dropouts, reduce violence, and develop healthy and positively engaged adults. The CSEE website offers relevant research findings, online videos, professional workshops and on-line learning programs.

Center on the Social and Emotional Foundation for Early Learning, http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel
The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is a national center focused on strengthening the capacity of child care programs to improve social and emotional outcomes. The CSEFEL website offers What Works Briefs, on-line professional training modules, practical strategies, and live chat sessions.  This website provides resources in both English and Spanish.  

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Leaning, http://www.casel.org
The mission of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is to enhance children's success by promoting coordinated, evidence-based social, emotional, and academic learning as an essential part of education. The CASEL website provides a detailed overview of social emotional learning (SEL), evaluations of SEL programs, suggestions for implementation and evaluation of SEL programs, and links to other websites.

Kauffman Early Education Exchange, http://www.kauffman.org/pdf/eex_brochure.pdf
The Kauffman Early Education Exchange is a yearly conference sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation that focuses on early childhood development.  This report focuses the connection between social and emotional development and school success.

National Association for Education of Young Children, http://www.naeyc.org/
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is dedicated to improving the well-being of all young children, with particular focus on all children from birth through age 8. The NAEYC website offers information about critical issues affecting early childhood policy and practice, research articles and reports, and practical resources for caregivers.

National Center for Early Development and Learning, http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl
The National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) is a national early childhood research project that focuses on enhancing the cognitive, social, and emotional development of children from birth through age 8. The NCEDL website provides research findings, links to early childhood websites, and access to multiple online publications.

National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention, http://www.promoteprevent.org/about/tacenter
The National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention’s mission is to create safe and healthy environments for children as well as promote children’s learning and mental health.  The center’s website provides a resource list of selected publications and resources on social and emotional learning. 

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center, http://www.nectac.org
The mission of the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center is to strengthen service systems to ensure that young children with disabilities and their families receive and benefit from high quality, culturally appropriate services. The NECTAC website provides information about early childhood conferences, funded projects, and publications. Web content is also available in Spanish.

TeachingExpertise, http://www.teachingexpertise.com/topic/communication-and-social-skills
TeachingExpertise offer education resources, articles, and e-bulletins, advice and guidance, knowledge sharing, a catalog of books, newsletters and magazines. The website features extensive resources on communication and social skills, with the aim to assist both child and educator in fostering beneficial social skills.

Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children, http://www.challengingbehavior.org//
The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children promotes the use of evidence-based practice to meet the needs of young children who have, or are at risk for, problem behavior. The Center’s website offers printable handouts on evidence-based practices, training materials for professionals, and detailed information about developing positive behavior support plans.

 

Books for Professionals


Building academic success on social and emotional learning: What does the research say? by Joseph E. Zins, Roger P. Weissberg, Margaret C. Wang, & Herbet J. Walberg (Eds.) (2004). The authors of this book examine the links between academic achievement and social-emotional education.  Zins and his colleagues explore interventions to address these skills.

Emotional and behavioral problems of young children: Effective interventions in the preschool and kindergarten years by Gretchen Gimpel Peacock & Melissa L Holland (2003).  This book is designed for professionals working with preschool and kindergarten age children.  It offers prevention and intervention strategies for addressing common emotional and behavioral problems.

Emotional development and emotional intelligence: Educational implications by Peter Salovey & David J. Sluyter (Eds.) (1997).  Psychologists and educators offer their perspectives on the current research on emotional literacy, emotional intelligence, and emotional competence in this volume.

Emotional development in young children by Susanne A. Denham (1998).  Denham incorporates her own original findings and case studies with existing literature to study the connection between emotions and social behavior in young children.

Promoting social and emotional learning: Guidelines for educators by Maurice J. Elias (1997).  This book offers examples for classrooms and schools for building social and emotional skills in children. 

Prosocial guidance for the preschool child by Janice J. Beaty (1998).  This book focuses on promoting prosocial behavior in the preschool child rather than focusing on the inappropriate behaviors.  The authors provide the readers with books and activities to use with their children as well as a checklist to determine a child’s current level of social development.

The educator’s guide to emotional intelligence and academic achievement: Social-emotional learning by Maurice J. Elias & Harriett Arnold (Eds.) (2006).  The social and emotional aspects of a child’s thinking is important to their optimal learning in the classroom.  These authors created a comprehensive overview of information and strategies for improving social and emotional learning in the classroom.

The personal intelligences: Promoting social and emotional learning by Launa Ellison (2000). Intrapersonal and interpersonal, two of the Multiple Intelligences, are linked with current brain research by Ellison to provide a foundation for K-8 classrooms.


Websites for Parents

 

 National School Climate Center (formerly the Center for Social and Emotional Education), http://www.schoolclimate.org
The Center for Social and Emotional Education’s (CSEE) goal is to promote positive and sustained school climate: a safe, supportive environment that nurtures social and emotional, ethical, and academic skills.  The center’s website offers information about SEL developmental milestones for children and how to promote SEL at home.

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, http://www.casel.org/pub/packet.php
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) website provides an online printable parent packet that provides background research on social emotional learning (SEL), parent handouts, parents’ views about SEL programs in their children’s schools, and SEL resources.

Essortment, http://www.essortment.com/in/Children.Development/index.htm
Easy to use website for quick answers to parenting issues, such as social skills, behavior problems, and developmental concerns.

KidsHealth, http://www.kidshealth.org/parent
KidsHealth offers a variety of articles on common emotional and behavioral problems, childhood development, and positive parenting.  This website also provides information in Spanish as well as resources for children and teens.

KidSource Online, http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/pages/parenting.html
KidSource Online offers knowledge and advice on teaching children not to be victims of bullies, early childhood violence prevention, building self-esteem, and decreasing loneliness in young children.

MedlinePlus, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bullying.html
MedlinePlus offers a variety of information from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations, to provide extensive resources on bullying.

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/index.html
PBS Parents offers parent-friendly information on typical social and emotional development for children from ages 1-8.

 

Books for Parents

 

All kids are our kids: What communities must do to raise caring and responsible children and adolescents (2nd ed) by Peter L. Benson (2006).  This book is divided into two parts.  The first part addresses building 40 developmental assets in young children.  The second part focuses on the community’s role in building these assets.

Emotionally intelligent parenting: How to raise a self-disciplined, responsible, socially skilled child by Maurice J. Elias, Steven E. Tobias, & Brian S. Friedlander (1999). This book provides information on becoming an emotionally intelligent parent.  By focusing on everyday parenting issues, this book helps parents to use their emotions in a constructive way.

How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish (1999).  This book provides parents with strategies to help effectively communicate with their children.  Numerous examples offer parents suggestions for appropriate communication strategies to use with their children.

Parents do make a difference: How to raise kids with solid character, strong minds, and caring hearts by Michele Borba (1999).  This book provides parents with the knowledge and skills to raise successful children. It is based on the author’s belief that there are eight skills children need to be successful, focusing on positive self beliefs and social confidence. 

Prosocial guidance for the preschool child by Janice J. Beaty (1998). This book focuses on promoting prosocial behavior in preschool child rather than focusing on the inappropriate behaviors.  The authors provide the readers with books and activities to use with their children as well as a checklist to determine a child’s current level of social development.

Raise your child's social IQ: Stepping stones to people skills for kids by Cathi Cohen (2000).  In this book, parents are provided with strategies to help increase their child’s social skills and awareness.  The strategies are described step by step for such issues as how to join a group, how to choose friends, how to notice what people around you are feeling, and how to handle angry feelings.

Raising an emotionally intelligent child: The heart of parenting by John Gottman & Joan Declaire (1998).  This book helps parents evaluate their parenting style and their own emotional awareness.  It provides tips for parents to use to help their children become more emotionally aware.

Raising kids who can: Using family meetings to nurture responsible, cooperative, caring, and happy children by Betty L. Bettner (1992).  This book outlines the useof family meetings to develop closeness and nurture children’s social development.

Raising respectful kids in a rude world: Teaching your children the power of mutual respect and consideration by Gary D. McKay, Joyce L. McKay, Daniel Eckstein, Steven Maybell (2001). This book educates parents on how to teach and model respectful behavior for their children.    

Teaching your child the language of social success by Marshall P. Duke, Elizabeth A. Martin, & Stephen Nowicki, Jr. (1996).  This book teaches parents about the importance of nonverbal communication for improving social interactions and teaches easy ways to help children improve nonverbal communication skills.

The unwritten rules of friendship: Simple strategies to help your child make friends by Natalie M. Elman & Eileen Kennedy-Moore (2003). This book provides parents with tools to promote their child’s social skills.  Through scenarios depicting different types of children, this book outlines the difficulties children may encounter in social situations and shows parents how to build on children’s strengths. 

What young children need to succeed: Working together to build assets from birth to age 11 by Jolene L. Roehlkepartain & Nancy Leffert (2000). This book outlines several developmental assets that can help children become strong and well-adjusted, including family support, caring neighborhood, positive values, and social skills.

Why doesn’t anybody like me? A guide to raising socially confident kids by Hara E. Marano (1998).  This book provides parents with strategies to support children in developing socially competent traits that will help them make friends and maintain friendships.

 

Books for Young Children

 

Getting Acquainted (Session One)

  • Big Al by Andrew Clements (1997). This book follows the story of Big Al, a friendly fish who has trouble making friends because of his appearance.  He tries everything to make friends but it never goes right.  One day, Big Al is able to save a fish in trouble because of his size.
  •  Charlie the caterpillar by Dom Deluise (1993).  Charlie is a caterpillar who has trouble finding friends to play with because of his appearance.  This story follows Charlie as he transforms from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly, who everyone wants as a friend.  Charlie learns to find his true friends.
  • Making friends by Fred Rogers (1996).  In this book, Mr. Rogers helps children explore the many different aspects of friendship, including both the positive aspects and the challenges. 
  •  Will I have a friend? by Miriam Cohen (1989).  This story follows Jim on his first day of school.  He is very nervous and wonders if he will have a friend.  His worries go away when he finally makes a friend. 

 

Introducing Yourself and Personal Space (Session Two)

  • How humans make friends by Loreen Leedy (1996). Told from the perspective of an alien who has just returned from earth, the ins and outs of friendship are presented to children in a humorous way.
  •  How to be a friend: A guide to naking friends and keeping them (Dino life guides for families) by Laurie K. Brown (2001).  This book offers children insight on how to deal with unavoidable childhood issues like bullying and rejection and suggestions on how to be a good friend.
  • I want to play (2nd ed) by Elizabeth Crary (1996).  This story enables children to learn how to navigate through social interactions effectively with an interactive story format where they choose how to help Danny solve his problem of feeling lonely. 
  •  Join in and play by Cheri K. Meiners (2004).  This book covers important components of play, like initiation, cooperation and being respectful. 
  •  Personal space camp by Julia Cook (2006).  This book provides a humorous way to introduce the concept of personal space to children.

 

Communication (Sessions Three and Four)

  • Face talk, hand talk, body talk by Sue Castle (1977).  Nonverbal communication is taught to children through the use of photographs in this text.
  •  Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathman (2000).  This story of a gorilla and its fellow zoo animals is told almost entirely through pictures, inviting children to use nonverbal cues to understand what happens in the story. 
  •  Talk and work it out by Cheri Meiners (2005).  This book shows children the ways in which communication is important for working out problems. The author guides children through the process of talking about the problem, listening to others, and working toward a solution.
  • The secret code by Dana M. Rau (1998).  Not all children read in the same way.  The book focuses on a young boy, who is blind, as he teaches his classmate about how he reads using Braille.
  • Words are not for hurting by Elizabeth Verdinck (2004).  This book’s focus is on communication skills and helps children to understand the concept of being responsible for what they say.

 

Listening (Session Five)

  • Howard B. Wigglebottom learns to listen by Howard Binkow & Susan F. Cornelison (2006).  Howard B Wigglebottom is a curious rabbit.  This book follows him as he learns a meaningful lesson, the importance of good listening skills.
  •  Listen to learn (Learning to get along, Book 2) by Cheri Meiners (2003).  This story follows a young boy as he explains all the different components of listening skills and how to apply these listening skills at school and at home.
  • My mouth is a volcano by Julia Cook (2006). This story follows a little boy named Louis as he learns the value of respecting others by listening and waiting his turn to speak.

 

Emotions (Sessions Six, Seven and Eight)

  • A boy and a turtle: A children’s relaxation story by Lori Lite (2007).  In this book, children learn to relax through simple visualization strategies as they listen to the story of a boy and a turtle who relax by imagining their bodies filling with the colors of the rainbow.
  •  Feelings by Aliki (1986).  Through the use of pictures, stories, and poems, this title teaches children about different emotions. 
  • How are you peeling? Foods with moods by Saxton Freymann (2004).  Humorous picture book of vegetables with carved emotional expressions.
  • I’m mad (dealing with feelings) by Elizabeth Crary (1992). Presented in an interactive format, children learn about handling the difficult emotion of anger.
  • Lots of feelings by Shelley Rotner (2003).  This book is a collection of photographs depicting children expressing different emotions. Children can identify the ways that others are feeling based on their facial expressions.
  • On Monday when it rained by Cherryl Kachenmeister (2001).  Through black and white photographs and text, this book follows a young boy through a week and depicts all of the emotions that he experiences.
  • Sometimes I feel like a mouse by Jeanne Modesitt (1992).  This book teaches children about their emotions by comparing emotions to animal counterparts.
  • The way I feel by Janan Cain (2000).  This book helps children to understand the concept of emotions and how to use words to express their feelings.
  • Today I feel silly: And other moods that make my day by Jamie Lee Curtis (1998). This story follows a little girl through her many moods.  Featuring a “mood wheel”, this book will help youngsters identify their feelings.
  • When I feel angry by Cornelia Spellman (2000).  This picture book helps children understand the types of situations than can cause angry feelings and different ways of responding to those feelings and calming down.

 

Cooperation and Compromise (Session Nine)

  • A good team: A cooperation story by Anastasia Suen (2008).  Four classmates must work together on a project through which they learn a lesson in cooperation and working together. 
  •  I want it (2nd ed.) by Elizabeth Crary (1996).  This story gives children a chance to practice their social problem-solving skills through an interactive story where they choose how to help a young girl solve the common childhood issue of sharing.
  • Ladybug girl and bumblebee boy by David Soman & Jacky Davis (2009).  Two friends meet at the playground and have difficulty agreeing on what to play, until they find a way to work together and create a fun new game as a team.
  • My Friend and I by Lisa Jahn-Clough (2003). This book tells the story of two young friends who end up fighting over a toy. After separating and trying to play alone, they realize the importance of their friendship despite this conflict and they find a way to work it out.
  • Righty and lefty by Rachel Vail (2007).  This story of two feet who are very different from one another deals with the process of learning to get along despite differences. Rightly and lefty must compromise to get along best.
  • The tale of pip and squeak by Kate Duke (2007).  This book follows the story of two mice, pip and squeak. These brothers cannot get along until one day when they learn to work together to create a spectacular show. 

 

Respect (Session Ten)

  • Be polite and kind by Cheri Meiners (2003).  In this story a boy illustrates how, through words and actions, he is able to show others respect.
  •  Cork and Fuzz by Dori Chaconas (2005). Cork is a muskrat and Fuzz is a possum.  They disagree on food and games.  One day they realize that even though they are so different they can find one thing in common and do that together.
  • Koala Kan learns about respect by Vanessa J. James (2002).  Through the use of rhymes, children learn about respect and that name calling is hurtful.
  • Yoko by Rosemary Wells (1998).  In this book, Yoko brings her favorite foods for lunch, but her classmates are not at all impressed. Through talking about differences in foods, Yoko and her classmates learn about respecting differences.

 

Consequences and Stop and Think (Session Eleven)

  • Hands are not for hitting by Martine Agassi (2009).  This book reinforces all the wonderful ways children can use their hands without harming others. It introduces children to thinking of alternatives to hitting.
  •  Play fair, have fun: A Book about Making Good Choices by Tisha Hamilton (2007).  This book includes stories and illustrations of everyday situations that young children encounter in which they need to make choices about their behavior.
  • The grouchy ladybug by Eric Carle (1996).  This book follows a grouchy ladybug as it tries to pick fights with various other animals, regardless a size.  This story will help children see the benefits of being nice and friendly.

 

General Books on Making and Keeping Friends

  • Friends by Helme Heine (1997).  This story of a wonderful friendship between a rooster, mouse and pig teaches a wonderful lesson about dedication and cooperation with friends.
  •  I did it, I’m sorry by Caralyn Buehner (2000).  This book’s game-like format allows children to pick different options of actions in various scenarios that teach children to make good choices and be responsible.
  • King of the playground by Phyllis Naylor (1994).  Kevin is afraid of the “King of the Playground” who has threatened to hurt Kevin.  With the help of his dad, Kevin overcomes his fear.
  • Pinky and Rex and the bully by James Howe (1996).  A young boy named Pinky is teased for his nickname and favorite color, pink.  His best friend, Rex, a girl, and a neighbor help Pinky to stay confident in the face of the bully.
  • Stop teasing Taylor by Jana Carson (2005).  Taylor is being teased on the first day of school.  His friend Otis is very upset and talks to his teacher about it.  Taylor and Otis’ teacher teaches the class about the negative effects of teasing.