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A Good Beginning Sending America’s Children to School With the Social Emotional Competence They Need to Succeed

Chicago Tribune
By Ronald Kotulak, Staff Writer

People Skills, not ABC’s, Aid Kindergartners, experts say.

New research suggests that being ready for school really means being friendly, attentive, and curious, and failing to instill these qualities sets up children for failure.

Parents can improve a child’s chances of success in kindergarten by fostering a strong relationship that enhances confidence, independence, curiosity, motivation, persistence, self-control, cooperation, empathy, and the ability to communicate.

Social and emotional competence is more important for the school success than learning the ABC’s and 1-2-3s.

“What the basic science is telling us is that simple counting, colors, and the alphabet are really not how kids get ready for school,” said Dr. Peter Jensen and expert consultant.

The report points out that children who do not begin kindergarten socially and emotionally competent are often not successful in the early years of school and can be plagued by behavioral, emotional, academic, and social development problem that follow the into adulthood.