Teaching Strategies offers tools to help the whole child be successful.

Supporting the social-emotional development of children at the beginning of the year—and all year long—builds a solid foundation for the future. Our curriculum focuses on supporting the whole child, because we know that success isn’t only about making progress in math and literacy. By equally focusing on social-emotional development, we can help children to successfully manage their emotions, build relationships with other children, feel safe, and learn classroom rules and routines.

Research shows an undeniably strong connection between early relationships in school and later behavior and learning. We make it easier for teachers to assess children’s social–emotional development accurately and support their growth and competence in this area. The resources we provide to guide teachers in supporting social–emotional development are backed by 40 years of research and innovation in early childhood education.

Learn tips, guidance and strategies for emotional-social development through our new video series.

Teaching Strategies is committed to empowering and inspiring early childhood educators as they teach and care for our youngest learners. Each of these short videos highlights a different strategy to implement in the classroom—from rules about safety and kindness to ways to build a positive classroom community.

Power Words
Using words to express wants and needs effectively during conflicts.
Consequences of Behavior
Allowing children to make connections between their actions and what happens in response.
When-then Statements
A contingency, or when-then, statement explains to children an expected sequence of behaviors.
Time Apart
How to appropriately handle the need to provide a child with time to reset their behavior.
Showing While Telling
Talking to children about what they should do while gesturing.
Big Rule, Little Rule
A few basic rules help to create a safe and caring community. Pair your big rule with a specific rule to note.
Active, Empathetic Listening
A young child experiencing strong emotions needs our attention and our empathy. Here are some tips on how to be an active, empathetic listener with young children.
Building strong relationships
In addition to factual, objective observation, there is also a time and place to observe children with the complete depth and breadth of our emotions.
Drop-off Time
Strategies for supporting children during drop-off time.

Download FREE Social-Emotional Mighty Minute Resources to Help Make Every Moment Intentional!

Turn every minute of the day into a learning opportunity! A collection of interactive songs, chants, rhymes, and games, these brief learning activities can be used anytime, anywhere, to intentionally teach language, literacy, math, science, social studies, and physical skills; and are perfect for anyone in the classroom – teachers, aides, and volunteers – to keep children engaged and support social emotional skills during routines and experiences.

Get your free digital selection of Mighty Minutes for Preschool today!

Download Now

Our research-based resources are proven to help educators deliver better outcomes for children.

Teaching Strategies has developed comprehensive solutions based on a vast body of research in the early childhood field. We have spent decades supporting teachers with research-based guidance and best practices for helping children manage their emotions and sustain positive relationships—factors critical for academic success, peer acceptance, social competence, mental health.

Emotional Support and the Creative Curriculum

When looking at metrics from the CLASS methodology, curriculum users who participated in a two-year pilot study, on average started the pilot at a 4, and ended the pilot at a 6—reflecting a strong start and tremendous growth with the use of the Creative Curriculum.

Download our latest curriculum effectiveness study!

Download Now