Introducing Al’s Pals, an Evidence-Based, Social–Emotional Curriculum Designed for Young Children
Teaching Strategies has been committed to providing educators with innovative, research-backed resources to help build a strong social–emotional foundation for our youngest learners for over 40 years.
While this has always been a key component of all of our solutions, stress from the pandemic—combined with school and childcare closures—has magnified concerns for children who have experienced trauma, especially our most vulnerable children, and elevated the importance of providing all young children with opportunities for positive social–emotional development.
Young children need resiliency now, more than ever.
“The global pandemic has exacerbated daily stress for so many of our youngest learners—putting social–emotional learning at the forefront for early childhood educators,” said Breeyn Mack, Vice President of Education at Teaching Strategies. “We know the undeniable power of strong relationships between nurturing adults and our children. By translating the best of child development research and learning science into easy-to-use resources for educators and families, we can help strengthen relationships that build resiliency and mitigate the setbacks children may experience in these extraordinary times.”
A New Social–Emotional Offering
That’s why Teaching Strategies is pleased to announce that Al’s Pals, a nationally recognized and evidence-based comprehensive social–emotional learning curriculum and professional development program designed to meet the specific needs of preschool children, is now part of the Teaching Strategies family.
Teachers using Al’s Pals will help develop the foundation children need for success in school and life by promoting social–emotional skills such as self-control, problem-solving, relationship building, and healthy decision-making in children ages 3-6.
Through developmentally appropriate, puppet-based lessons; impactful teaching approaches; and engaging family resources, Al’s Pals classrooms
- help young children regulate their own feelings and behavior, allowing educators more time for creative teaching by reducing the need for discipline;
- teach conflict resolution and peaceful problem-solving;
- create caring, cooperative, respectful, empathic, responsible classroom environments;
- promote appreciation of differences, adaptability, and positive social relationships;
- prevent and address bullying behavior; and
- convey clear messages about the harms of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
Highly regarded as an evidence-based model prevention program, Al’s Pals is endorsed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and National Center on Quality Teaching and Learning.
The easy-to-implement curriculum is based on resiliency frameworks and aligned to the Teaching Strategies objectives for development and learning, the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and the Pyramid Model for Supporting SE Competence in Infants and Young Children.
Al’s Pals is part of Teaching Strategies’ broader SEL program, which integrates professional learning, evidence-based curriculum, robust family engagement resources, formative assessment, and digital accessibility.