This master thesis explores the importance of teaching constructive conflict resolution in kindergarten for psychosocial well-being. The theoretical part of the master thesis consists of three clusters. The first part explains the mental health or psychosocial state of children, how the environment affects it and why it is important to address this topic as early as kindergarten. The second part presents the kindergarten as part of the child's system, as an important factor influencing the psychosocial well-being of children. Socialisation in kindergarten, stimulating learning environments and active learning through play, social-emotional learning and development, and the hidden curriculum are presented in more detail here. These are areas that have a major impact on children's psychosocial well-being. The last part shows the parallels to the first two parts through constructive conflict resolution. I particularly focused on the importance of social-emotional competencies and the role of the kindergarten teacher.
In the empirical part, I investigated the importance that kindergarten teachers place on learning how to constructively resolve conflicts. But this depends to a large extent on the individual's social-emotional competencies, which is why I have done some research in this area as well. My research focused on examples of good practice, the criteria being that the kindergarten teacher had written a professional article on social-emotional learning and had at least three years of work experience. The answers show that kindergarten teachers strengthen social-emotional competencies both preventively and curatively, and also monitor developments in the latter area. Some concrete examples are also given. Social-emotional development also depends on a supportive learning environment and a hidden curriculum. And those two aspects are what kindergarten teachers pay attention to. In a stimulating learning environment, the focus is on making children feel safe. Positive discipline based on consistency and kindness is closely linked to a sense of security as well. At the same time, the kindergarten teachers make sure that both the physical and the imaginative space is kept tidy. For the former, it is important to them that there are different corners in the room and that there are enough materials and that they are within reach of the children. The second - the imaginary space - is a place for play and artistic experience and creation. In the case of the hidden curriculum, they especially focus on keeping children active throughout the day, on involving them in different ways and on involving all children, and they pay attention to the relationship they have with the professional and to their communication with the children. Specifically, when it comes to learning constructive conflict resolution, I stress the importance of the role of the kindergarten teacher as a model for learning, especially his/her communication and verbal explanation. It is also crucial for the kindergarten teacher to respond calmly to child's emotional outbursts and to articulate the child's emotional state. Often educators act as mediators in conflict situations and promote the moral development of children in different conflict situations.
The research complements some of the findings on the importance of social-emotional learning, through which individuals acquire the necessary competencies for constructive conflict resolution. This way of dealing with conflicts which are the only constant in our lives, can contribute to the psychosocial well-being of children and later adults.
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