Child develops trusting relationships with nurturing adults.
What educators might observe
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Greets educators or other adults when arriving in the learning environment
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Engages in informal conversations with adults (e.g., talks with educator every day about what their new kitten is doing)
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Seeks educator’s assistance when a group of children cannot agree on the rules for a game
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Seeks educator’s advice on how to deal with a conflict with a friend
Child experiences a sense of belonging in environments that link, extend, and affirm the child’s family and community. Child expresses comfort and joy with human diversity.
What educators might observe
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Shows evidence of social messages affecting how they feel about their self and group identity (e.g., evidence of internalized superiority or internalized oppression)
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Knows that insults related to race, gender, and cultural identity are hurtful
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May choose to play only with children close to their gender, racial, or cultural identities
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Explores the similarities and differences in the home cultures of their peers
Child develops a sense of self through noticing and developing their own interests, preferences, and abilities. Child increasingly develops self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.
What educators might observe
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Shows satisfaction and pride in their work (e.g., expresses joy when they are selected to work on a new science project)
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Compares abilities to those of their peers
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Seeks approval of abilities from peers and adults
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Can name some of their group identities and express how they feel about being a member of those groups
Child forms deep, caring, human connections by imagining what someone else may be thinking or feeling and responding with care. Child recognizes unfairness and understands that unfairness hurts.
What educators might observe
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Dislikes being at a relative disadvantage to others (e.g., would rather that nobody got cookies, then that their friend got two and they got one)
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Does not object to being at a relative advantage to others (e.g., does not advocate for fairness when they get three cookies and their peer gets one)
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Notices and describes social inequities
Child navigates friendships with peers through cooperation and negotiation.
What educators might observe
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Negotiates with other children by using words to express ideas and feelings
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Plays games that have clear roles for two players (e.g., card games, board games, and computer games)
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May change the rules of structured games to ensure that they win
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Dislikes being corrected or losing at games
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Identifies actions of others as purposeful or accidental
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Sense of friendship with the same child may change abruptly within the same day
Child expresses and manages their feelings and impulses.
What educators might observe
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Identifies socially and culturally acceptable behavior (e.g., listening vs. interrupting)
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Becomes upset when they lose a game but is able to use a strategy to cope
Child follows the rhythms, rules, and routines of the learning environment.
What educators might observe
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Adheres strongly to rules (e.g., “James isn’t raising his hand to talk, but I am!”)
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Follows routines with multiple steps independently (e.g., arrives in the morning and knows what to do to begin day: hangs up belongings, takes out their folders, and chooses an activity until group time is announced)
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Takes turns in group discussion (e.g., raises hands, quietly listens to others, and proposes ideas when it’s their turn to talk)
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Adapts rules to fit a particular situation or their own desires
