In addition to physical, social, and intellectual needs, the emotional needs of the elementary child need to be addressed in the classroom as well. From what I’ve come to understand, these emotional needs are acceptance, affect, and authority.

Acceptance. The child’s needs are met when the child understands that the teacher accepts the child as the unique person he or she is, with individual differences. Finding a peer group or at least one friend in the class would also help with this need.

One example that comes to mind is of a child in our class who identified with masculine characteristics more than female ones. Her name was Sally*, but she didn’t like being called by that name. We suggested that she go by “ST”* instead, which were the initials for her given name and a boy’s name that she had chosen for herself. She loved that idea and went by “ST” for the rest of the year (and as far as I know, from that point forward).

Affect. Showing affect with the children in your room (whether it be by the teacher or classmates) also helps to meet children’s emotional needs. Giving hugs, or simply speaking in a kind voice and smiling lets the children know that you care for them, and that they are welcome and will be taken care of in the classroom.

Authority. As a teacher, setting limits about acceptable behavior and modeling those behaviors lets the children know that they are safe in the classroom. Having natural consequences for behaviors that are not acceptable and following through with those consequences as needed reinforces to the children that there are clear expectations and they can trust they are in a safe, consistent environment.

Modeling appropriate behaviors, whether it be walking purposefully through the classroom, or walking to the person with whom you wish to speak rather than yelling across the room, for example, are ways to set limits and boundaries. Having explicit lessons about expected behaviors as well as a discussion about natural consequences is also a good strategy.

All in all, meeting the emotional needs of the elementary child is certainly doable and you may naturally be meeting those needs without even thinking about it, just by being the thoughtful and caring teacher you are!

Are there other emotional needs that you think should be added to the list?

Lower Elementary friends

*names have been changed for privacy