Students Serving Moms and Meeting the Social and Emotional Needs of Children

Abstract

This chapter focuses on early childhood, the social and emotional needs of children and their families, use of technology, and use of children's literature in both print form and through digital means. Readers will learn about a service project called Students Serving Moms. Through this service project, pre-service teachers, or education majors, from a teacher preparation program alongside other college students at the university, work with families in the community. This relational service project continued in spite of restrictions from the pandemic due to the members of Students Serving Moms embracing change and using virtual means to work with the children of all abilities and ages in efforts to meet the social and emotional needs of the children. This chapter will benefit teacher educators who may want to replicate this service project at their institutions whether virtually or through face-to-face means. Pre-service teachers will also benefit from reading this chapter as they consider ways they can create connections with children through developmentally appropriate practices.