essential subjects such as cultural differences, promoting positive behaviour, taking turns and learning that we are all different. Collins and Kavanagh (2013) both depict the need for circle time however, suggest that if a facilitator allows the child to pass and not participate it does not allow for the interactions required to increase self-esteem for example self-worth and mental agility.
Similarly, if a child did not see the circle as a safe place it would erode the child’s confidence to participate. More importantly, circle time supports the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1990a) article 12:
‘the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child’.
Allowing the child to have full consideration of their views expressed.
When a child feels stress for many reasons such as divorce/separation, poverty, poor housing or lack of food high levels of cortisol are released from the brain. This impedes development of connections in the brain (Brain Facts, 2013). If a child has high levels of cortisol it can affect the application of skills in many ways and can present its self as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD and other disorders caused by impaired brain development can present themselves at any time. Therefore, early intervention will enable the children to have the building blocks for future success. The Early Year Foundation Stage (EYFS) implement SEL immediately. The Boxall Profile (2015) is an essential aid which can be used when capturing children who may need additional educational support and identify the level of skills children are working at; allowing the educator to better understand what that behaviour is expressing. Furthermore, gain an understanding of what social and emotional skills the individual is lacking; allowing educators to put and additional educational support in place.
Educating children as early as possible with ways to recognise, and identify and manage their own emotions will allow them to self-regulate and build resilience (Claxton, 2010b). In many settings Claxton (2002a), Building Learning Powers (BLP) are used as part of daily SEL to enhance emotional intelligence. They are designed to support and encourage children to be emotionally intelligent, teaching children how to self- regulate and to have empathy and listen to others. BLP ‘cultivate habits and attitudes that enable young people to become better learners; face difficulty and uncertainty calmly, confidently and creatively’ therefore, ‘to become better learners inside and out of school’ (Claxton, 2002). In many settings certificates are awarded to the celebrate the children who are using BLP effectively during lessons, supporting Skinners positive reinforcement (1953). It could be argued that BLP are only as effective as the educator teaching them. Hattie (2009) suggests that an effective teacher must see the learning through the children’s eyes for it to become successful and scaffold the learning as demonstrated by Vygotsky (1978). Scaffolding the learning cultivates
