Browsing by Author "Soini, Sara"

Objectives. The significance of emotional skills as a means of maintaining one’s well-being is crucial. Emotional skills have an all-encompassing effect on our well-being, since they function as mental resources in many aspects of life. In addition, they help to strengthen self-esteem and have positive effect on human relationships. Key components of emotional development include the evolving of a maternal bond and a child’s experiences in various early childhood environments. In addition to the relationship between a child and their parents, peers have a central role in the development of a child’s emotional skills. The purpose of this study is to examine methods teachers working in early childhood use to assist children’s emotional skill development and the challenges they face carrying out emotional education. Methods. Study material was collected by interviewing two kindergarten teachers and two special education teachers in December 2018. The collected material was then analyzed with a qualitative content analysis, which was influenced by both data-based content analysis and theory-guided content analysis. Results and conclusions. Based on my results, essential means of supporting emotional development were the teacher’s and other educator’s actions alongside with various teaching and learning materials. Significance of peers in the development of children’s emotional skills was, according to interviewees, substantial. Emotional education was put into practice every day, especially in day-to-day, quotidian situations. Challenges faced in implementing emotional education were diverse: lack of resources, different factors involving actions of staff and children’s individual attributes all had an effect in actualizing emotional education in kindergarten and preschool. Emotional education seems to have a key role in early childhood education, and it is thought to be one of its most crucial elements. Teachers working in early childhood education seemingly realize, that emotional skills serve as a foundation for learning. Based on this study I can conclude, that teacher’s working in early childhood education have the needed readiness and skills to carry out emotional education in kindergartens and preschools. How said education is practiced and how emotional skills are taught and supported is partially influenced by the teacher’s own education and personality.