Young Children’s Social Emotional Learning

Young Children’s Social Emotional Learning: The COPE-Resilience Program is a manual that is designed to support early childhood educators in the delivery of the COPE Resilience (COPE-R) program, an evidence-based program designed to teach empathy, resilience and prosocial skills to children.

Grounded in extensive research and experience in psychology and early childhood, the program is built on a series of activities that help children develop their capacity for emotional understanding, caring for others, open communication, polite and respectful behaviours, and empathic sharing. The manual includes:

Theoretical concepts underpinning COPE-R such as self-regulation, emotional intelligence, positive psychology, coping, resilience, and wellbeing in early childhood education.
A “How-To” section to guide readers in the implementation of COPE-R.
Over 40 activities templates (including examples of teacher’s adaptations) with easy to navigate icon legends.
Facilitator notes and considerations for working with younger children and children of diverse backgrounds.
Teaching tips for each of the topic areas and a feature piece on the insights from an early childhood teacher who is experienced in implementing COPE-R.
Supplementary materials, including a set of situation and coping images.
Each activity includes directions for children as well as guidelines for educators, and is designed to be used flexibly in various early learning contexts, enabling educators to select activities that best suit their setting.

Table of Contents
Part 1: Opening Chapter Theoretical Concepts Underpinning COPE-R Other Theoretical Concepts Overview of the Coping Research An Outline of COPE_ Resilience Theoretical Basis for Each of the Topic Areas in COPE-R; Part 2: How to Use This Manual An Overview of Part 2 I. Program in Brief II. Icons Legend III. Important Considerations for Educators/Facilitators IV. Program Activities V. A Teacher’s Experience and Reflection on COPE-R VI. Supplementary Materials for Educators/ Facilitators /Teachers

Author(s) Biography
Erica Frydenberg is Associate Professor in Psychology, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Janice Deans is Associate Director, Early Childhood Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Rachel Liang is Honorary Research Fellow, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Reviews
‘The potency of the COPE – Resilience Program for Preschoolers comes from several aspects. Firstly, it has been subjected to rigorous research for several years. Secondly, built up as a joint endeavour between researchers and early childhood teachers, it has been made more powerful because of the inclusion of input from children and families. Likewise, Erica Frydenberg’s resilience expertise, when combined with Jan Dean’s expertise in early childhood education, is the perfect combination when applying theory to practice in supporting young children’s social and emotional development in the early years. They have been well supported by Rachel Liang, a psychologist with first-hand experience of running school-based wellbeing programs, and thereby strengthening the practice focus of this manual. Finally, in locating it within the innovative pedagogy and programs at the world renown Early Learning Centre at the University of Melbourne, affirms the authentic impact of this values-based resilience platform.

Frydenberg, Deans and Liang present a thoughtfully designed child centred programme of learning activities appropriate for children aged four to eight years, with modifications for three year olds. The target audience of early childhood teachers, well placed to provide leadership in nurturing young children’s empathy and prosocial skills, will welcome its user-friendly format in adapting it for their specific context. The authors are congratulated for their initiative in producing an effective learning resource that can boost young children’s social and emotional wellbeing through resilience. In a rapidly evolving world, dominated by uncertainty and conflict, we can all benefit from fostering resilience amongst our youngest citizens.’ — Manjula Waniganayake, Professor of Early Childhood Education. Macquarie University, Australia

‘In these VUCA times, it has become even more important to be emotionally attuned to self and others, to be able to cope with changes and uncertainties, to be resilient, and to care for each other as a community. Our future generation would benefit from these knowledge and skills to thrive and flourish, and COPE-Resilience is an example of a program that can help to support our children to do so.’ — Ms Dominique Pang, MED Psych Practicing Psychologist/Researcher in Singapore

‘Learning to cope with day-to-day challenges is a vital skill for all children and a core competency carried through life. COPE-R provides a theory-rich and evidence-grounded preventative approach that ensures this important skill is nurtured and supported at a critical time in childhood development. The potential benefits are lifelong.’ — Dr Kelly-Ann Allen, Senior Lecturer Educational Psychology and Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Monash University