Social Competence

Biti socijalan znači biti prilagodljiv, društven (to je onaj koji poznaje uvjete i norme društvenog života) dok biti kompetentan znači biti vješt (to je onaj koji zna i koji je dobar poznavatelj nekog područja). Socijalna kompetencija usvaja se prvog dana života putem interakcije s majkom. Roditeljska skrb i odgovornost u ranom djetinjstvu od iznimne su važnosti. Sastavnice socijalne kompetencije su prepoznavanje prilike za uključenje u sudjelovanje, tj. interakciju s drugima. Sposobnost reguliranja emocija od ključne je važnosti jer doprinosi razvoju vršnjačkog statusa i prijateljstva. Socijalna znanja podrazumijevaju sposobnost izgradnje odnosa kojem prethodi razumijevanje i poznavanje tuđih osjećaja te upravljanje svojim vlastitim emocijama. Za dijete najvažniju ulogu imaju roditelji. Odnos roditelj - dijete isprepleten je brigom, toplinom i ljubavlju, što za rezultat daje poučnu interakciju. Odnosi s vršnjacima zauzimaju važno mjesto u životu djeteta. Biti prihvaćen u grupi vršnjaka čini ih sretnima. Jako važnu ulogu u razvoju socijalnih kompetencija ima i vrtić. Važna je svakodnevna suradnja svih sudionika unutar vrtića, komunikacija i odnos djece i odraslih, organizacija vremena te materijalno i nematerijalno okruženje u prostoru. Odnos dijete - odgajatelj temelji se na teoriji privrženosti i vrlo je sličan interakcijama koje dijete ima izgrađeno s majkom. Roditelji i odgajatelji imaju zajedničku ulogu, tj. usmjerenost na dijete. Kako su obje strane usmjerene na dijete, neizmjerno je važno uspostaviti kvalitetan odnos odgajatelja i roditelja. Najvažnija uloga u socijalnoj interakciji je svakako verbalno umijeće. Odrasli djeci mogu pomoći, tj. ukazati kada i na koji način ona mogu jasno iskazati svoje misli, želje i osjećaje.To be sociable means to be adaptable; sociable person is the one who is familiar with the conditions and norms of social life. To be competent means to be adept; a competent person is the one with knowledge and who is an expert in a particular field. A social competence has been developing since the first day of a child’s life, in interaction with his/her mother. Parental care and responsibilities in an early childhood are of crucial importance. The components of social competence are abilities to identify opportunities for participation, or interaction with other people. The ability to control emotions is particularly important because it contributes to the development of a status and friendship among peers. The social skills also imply the capability to build relationships, which is preceded by development of ability to understand feelings of other people as well as to control their own emotions. The most important role for children is the one made by their parents. The relationship parent-child is intertwined with care, warmth and love, which results in educational interaction. Relationships with peers also have an important place in a child’s life. It makes children happy to be accepted in a group of their peers. Nurseries and kindergartens have exceptionally important roles in development of the children’s social competences. The most important things are daily cooperation of all participants in a nursery/kindergartens, communication and relations between children and adults, organization of time as well as tangible and intangible environment. The relationship between a child and a nursery teacher is based on the theory of attachment and is very similar to the interactions which a child has already built with his/her mother. The parents and teachers have their shared role, the focus on the child. As both sides are oriented towards a child, it is extremely important to establish good relationship between teachers and parents. The most important roles in a social interaction are definitely verbal skills. The adults could help children in order to explain them when and how they can clearly express their thoughts, desires and feelings