Using music and teacher research to help support preschoolers' social emotional development: Implications for school readiness

Positive social and emotional development in young children during the preschool period is crucial for later school success. Targeting young children in preschool with social-emotional support and education may be a useful preventative and early intervention strategy. The use of music as a learning tool for children enhances connections between the right and left-brain hemispheres, supporting the ability to learn. The use of music in preschool classrooms may aid in the teaching of social-emotional skills necessary for school readiness and healthy overall development. This case study used a mixed methods approach to explore how the Circle of Education music-based program can be used to promote social-emotional competence and school readiness among preschoolers. The researcher used the music-based program as a teaching tool in the natural classroom environment for 12 weeks, using qualitative data and the methods associated with teacher research to document her journey using the curriculum. Quantitative methods were used to assess the effectiveness of the program by comparing pre and post test scores of social emotional skills between a treatment and control group. Although there were no statistically significant between-group differences in social emotional skill development, qualitative data indicated that the Circle of Education program facilitated child engagement, connection to self and others, and that children were able to integrate what they were learning with previous knowledge.