According to researchers Dianne McClellan and Lilian G. Katz, given these lifelong consequences, relationships should be counted as the first of the four Rs of education. Social development begins in a child's early years. All early childhood programs should, therefore, include regular and frequent formal and informal assessments of a child's social progress. The Social Attributes Checklist includes social behavior patterns and preschool experiences that teachers should examine every three or four months. When using the checklist, teachers should pay attention to whether the attributes are typical.
Any child can have one or two bad days.
If assessments are to be reasonably reliable, behavior patterns should be analyzed over a monthlong period. The quality and not the quantity of a child's friendships is the important index to note. Some children are shyer than others, and it may not be effective to push such children into uncomfortable social relations. Unless the shyness prevents a child from enjoying social activities such as birthday parties, picnics, and family outings, it is assumed that the shyness will be spontaneously outgrown. Social growth is considered adequate if a child regularly shows many of the listed attributes.