By Briana Mitchell, Program Communications Officer
For the seventh consecutive year, PEDALS (Positive Emotional Development and Learning Skills), an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, hosted a full day training workshop on Aug. 21 at Macomb Community College, to provide early childhood education staff with the resources and knowledge needed to foster classrooms that lead with social emotional learning (SEL).
The workshop, facilitated by PEDALS staff, is a kickoff to the school year and introduces teachers, school administrators and early childhood educators to the PEDALS program and evidence-based SEL curriculum. Using music, activities and stories, PEDALS helps teachers cultivate students’ self-awareness, empathy, emotional management and cooperative skills. The research-informed program supports early education and Head Start programs that cater to infants and toddlers.
“Now more than ever, social emotional learning and Head Start programs play a critical role in the development of young children,” PEDALS Assistant Director Carmin Issa says. “Our program is designed to provide those who are leading classrooms with the knowledge and skills to create environments that empower children to manage relationships and build foundational skills for success in education, and steward positive goals.”
Workshop participants engaged in interactive breakout sessions and small group activities that encouraged sharing and team building. The day was filled with excitement as teachers absorbed the training with an eagerness for the beginning of the upcoming school year and new children to support.
