Benefits and Barriers-Teachers Perceptions of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculums
Research Questions
Which social-emotional characteristics from teachers promote social emotional intelligence?
How are supports implemented for SEL programs associated with teacher’s psychological health and workplace experiences?
How are teacher beliefs and advocacy intentions related to SEL programs?
How to expand mental health resources in rural areas with scarce resources?
What are the critical components and challenges for teacher’s implementing SEL curriculums?
Is the teacher’s SEL Belief Scale designed in the US adoptable in low-income countries?
How does a teacher's perception of emotional intelleingence effect students' emotional and behvaiorail difficulties
What is SEL? How can it be defined?
Process to acquire social-emotional skills
Ability to recognize emotions and the emotions of others
Demonstrating social awareness and empathy
Forming and maintaining positive relationships
Making responsible choices
Benefits of SEL
Topics of SEL
Self-control
Increase social and cognitive development for adults and children
Social adjustment/transition
Decreased behavioral issues
Increase mental health awareness
Increased academic ability
Relationship building skills
Problem solving
Self-awareness
Self-management
Responsible decision making
Social awareness
Work Conditions - influence teacher/student relationships
Workplace relationships
Workplace climate
Perceptions of support
Job satisfaction
Turnover rate
School culture with a history of little collaboration
Belief in prioritizing academic vs nonacademic skills
School policies and procedures
Negative climates causing significant distress
Level of support received when dealing with a child’s challenging behavior
varying licensing requirements for support staff, continuing education credits
Growing Need for SEL
Increase in internalizing behaviors ie. Anxiety, sadness, social withdrawal, fear
Increase in externalizing behaviors ie. Overactivity, impulsivity, noncompliance, aggression, anger outburst
Program level of Implementation
Influences schools have on development
Teacher acceptability
Training resources related to SEL
Adequate professional development to start and ongoing trainings. Preservice and In-service training
Sampling activities/games
Small group activities
Role-play
Video descriptions
Small/large group descriptions
A review of each standard
Train the trainer programs
Ongoing mentoring and coaching
Top – down approach- districts value of emotions instills intuitions level of awareness.
Provide developmental benchmarks
Create consistency and communicate priorities
People who have the power to implement often have little to no education on mental health
Budget concerns, districts access to resources
Implementation barrier- limited resources with budget and competing priorities, community knowledge of mental health needs, personal beliefs, social stigmas around mental health
Move away from the reactive and recovery mindset to preventive and proactive mind shift is required for success
Improve stake holders understanding and awareness
All members of the staff (teachers, support staff, bus drivers, admin should have some level of training in mental health awareness)
Levels of support
Individual – in classroom or through pull-out
Whole classroom routines/lessons
Parent/ home routines
Specific plans for students with special needs for home or at school
Age-appropriate, or grade-level specific curriculum to meet needs effectively
Want a collaborative relationship with someone to assist in the implementation of the lesion
Higher level of support and knowledge from administration
Professional development around student race, socioeconomic status, language, and all other multicultural factors
Teachers want to learn organization skills, impulse control, behavior self-management skills
Barriers
More time to focus on SEL
Teacher burn out
More support from parents reinforcing values/lessons
SEL not fitting into the culture of the classroom
Program consistency
Cultural relevance- activities/stories that mirrored the experiences of the students in the specific classroom
Cultural- relevancy will increase teacher, student and family buy in.
Childhood adversity and disease on various countries effects students school performance
Family stressors- neglect, family substance abuse, family violence, adult mental illness, various level of education among the adults, lack of access to healthcare
Countries with low-income and low social support with gender biases experience more challenges
Unique school challenges and demographics
Teacher’s mental health
Personal Well-Being
Intrapersonal Factors
Personal perception of own emotional wellness
Understanding use of emotions and delivery of emotional expression
Perceived level of importance of SEL and emotional intelligence
Classroom management skill level
Students have more success when the teacher has a higher level of emotional intelligence and awareness. Closer teacher-student connection
Teacher’s level of commitment to improving their own emotional intelligence effected the outcome of the SEL within the classroom
Ability to secure a psychologically secure classroom environment
Teachers who are emotionally overwhelmed are less effective educators
Teachers need to be able to manage their physiological arousal in healthy ways to not detract from their relationships with students and coworkers
Stress is associated with poor quality social interactions
High levels of stress cause less supportive reactions to a child’s negative behaviors
Student’s with a teacher who is depressed have less academic and social/emotional gains than students with a teacher who is not depressed.
Effects implementation, longevity, effective adoption
Grade Level
Grade level differentiating – the higher the grade level the less likely to implement as teacher’s beliefs and intentions with SEL curriculum changes and is not a factor as state tests and core curricula becomes a greater factor.
The higher the grade the more students and potential for greater behaviors and less support
Areas for more Research
How to adapt SEL to meet the needs and demands of varying grade levels, varying levels of experience?
How to reduce/eliminate/address gender stereotypes and expectations within an educational system on delivery of a curriculum?
Studies on children’s emotional well-being with a teacher who is depressed.
Promotion of SEL in the classroom
Encourages positive interactions with teachers and between students
Promotes student’s strength
Motivates
Promotes cooperation
Demonstrates appropriate emotional regulation
Promotes healthy conflict resolution
Teaches effective communication
Teacher level of experience
The newer the teacher the less likely to perceive SEL as significant and less likely to implement
Seniority influences perceived creditability for implementation
Gender biases/norms/expectations are associated with the delivery of SEL in the classroom
Males independent and less likely to deliver SEL with less expectation to be successful at SEL
Females are assumed a more care-giving role with higher expectations to deliver and be successful at SEL