Why Recognizing Strengths and Weaknesses Matters: Pre-K SEL

Beloved puppet companions, Squeak and Mimi, open this lesson with a puppet show where they are being honest to themselves! They are recognizing their strengths—the things they're good at, and weaknesses—the things they need to work on.

Mimi realizes that although she is not as good a runner as Squeak, she is good at writing and playing baseball. Squeak, on the other hand, may not be good at wanting to pick up toys, but he is a good runner. Both of them realize they can be better at things they need to work on as long as they tell themselves the truth.

After the puppet show, a class discussion follows, and it helps pre-kindergartners not to be afraid to admit the things they need to work on. It also explains how they can turn their weaknesses into strengths by doing positive actions, like self-honesty.

Then, the class participates in a simple SEL activity that helps them better understand the lesson concepts. To end the lesson, pre-kindergartners learn a new "Clap and Say." The students learn that being honest about their strengths and weaknesses make them feel good about themselves. It feels even better when they practice and work to improve them.

As pre-kindergartners develop self-awareness, they start to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, which can help them decide the course of their future. By practicing self-honesty, pre-kindergartners can make the most of their strengths and accept their limitations. This way, they are able to come up with achievable goals, reasonable expectations, and effective strategies. Ultimately, self-honesty can benefit their self-concept, mental health, and positive development.