How do you support children’s social-emotional development? This course equips early childhood educators with the foundational knowledge and practical strategies to support the social-emotional development of infants and toddlers. Through this course, educators will learn effective techniques to observe, guide, and support children as they develop critical social-emotional competencies, laying the groundwork for lifelong social success.

Course Information

• Start Date: On-Demand
• Course Level: Beginner
• Prerequisites: None
• Target Audience: All staff
• Course Meetings Times: None
• Completion Timeline/Duration: 45 Days

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, you will be equipped with the skills to:

• Support social-emotional development in your classroom or program. 
• Understand the importance of social-emotional development.
• Identify the stages of social-emotional development of children in your care.

Head Start Alignment

This course for teachers aligns closely with Head Start Early Learning Outcome Framework (ELOF). It provides strategies for promoting language development, social-emotional learning, and cognitive growth in the classroom. Educators gain tools for fostering literacy, empathy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among students. We also emphasize the importance of family engagement in the learning process. By addressing these key areas, our course equips educators to meet Head Start standards effectively, nurturing the holistic development of their students.

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Course Author

Zuly Vazquez

Zuly Vazquez is the Senior Manager of Online Professional Development at the National Head Start Association (NHSA), where she leads leadership courses and both the 5-star review CDA program for Head Start and early childhood educators —a multiple-time Apex Award winner by Training Magazine—and the groundbreaking CDA Pathway to Purpose for High School students. As an innovative educator and professional development expert, she is transforming entry paths into early childhood education. Drawing from her experience as a classroom teacher, trainer, curriculum developer, to Head Start leadership, her expertise in bilingual instruction and curriculum design ensures all programs maintain rigorous, high-quality professional standards while offering flexible online delivery. Through her comprehensive approach to professional development, she strengthens the early childhood workforce pipeline by supporting current educators and creating pathways for high school students to discover their calling while building a more diverse, qualified, and passionate generation of educators committed to shaping the future of our youngest learners.