Social emotional development is crucial for all young children. Children who develop age-appropriate social emotional skills engage in positive peer relationships, establish friendship skills, and have competent problem-solving skills. Without adequate social emotional skills, young children are at risk for detrimental long and short-term consequences such as academic failure, exclusionary practices, and school dropout. Interventions and support from well-trained teachers are essential for young children to acquire these skills. Using an explanatory mixed method approach, this study investigated how early childhood (EC) and early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers were trained to teach social emotional skills and address challenging behavior. A quantitative survey explored Pyramid Model strategies covered in coursework and implemented during fieldwork, while qualitative focus groups delved into experiences and proposed innovations for improvement. Results revealed that EC/ECSE teachers felt more prepared to provide universal supports but less prepared to address more complex strategies and interventions. In addition, EC/ECSE teachers felt underprepared to teach social emotional content upon entering the workforce. Suggestions for innovations were also discussed. The findings of this study help inform policy, practice and future research to enhance teacher preparation to effectively address social emotional content. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]