EDUA 5609 Children's Friendships
CHILDREN’S FRIENDSHIPS: THE ELEMENTARY YEARS
Throughout elementary school, children’s friendships are growing, solidifying, and increasingly becoming the center of their world. No longer is the family the primary means of social learning and interaction, but rather their peers.
Friendships provide children with joy, a sense of belonging, increased communication skills, and emotional growth – and yet they are also filled with challenges and pitfalls. This course will provide the teacher with a thorough overview of emotional and social development between the ages of five and twelve, focusing on how the nature of friendship changes as children age. The teacher will also learn how to help students harness the benefits of friendship and assist them in navigating the inevitable hurdles.