Why Do teachers need support in SEL?
Social Emotional Learning impacts student outcomes positively in many ways. Not only does SEL promote higher academic achievement, but a 2015 report by the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution found that, “SEL competencies are critically important for the long-term success of all students in today’s economy” (CASEL, 2016). Similarly, a “2015 national study published in the American Journal of Public Health found statistically significant associations between SEL skills in kindergarten and key outcomes for young adults years later in education, employment, criminal activity, substance use, and mental health” (CASEL, 2016).
One aspect of SEL classroom practices involves classroom management. That is, teachers intentionally teach social expectations and social consequences of student actions, and work toward students’ self-regulation. In order to do this, teachers steer away from extrinsic motivators, and instead use language and actions that promote intrinsic motivation. Through the way teachers communicate and facilitate discussions that build empathy and solve problems, they affirm their belief that each child wants to make the community a better place. In this way, classroom management strategies can build SEL competencies, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making (CASEL, 2016).
Unfortunately, most teacher preparation programs do not teach the ways to help students learn to manage emotions, to self-regulate, to communicate their feelings effectively, and to handle conflicts appropriately. As such, many new teachers end up feeling frustrated that, despite their best efforts at creating an engaging curriculum, they are unable to create a classroom environment that “help[s] students develop the skills, disposition, and discipline required for them to reap the benefits of [the teacher’s] efforts to be a good teacher” (Elias, 2006, p. 2). Social Emotional Competencies in teachers not only provide a way for teachers to teach students SEL, but allows for them to better handle the challenges of the classroom (Jennings and Greenberg, 2009). In the same way, Reissman (2006) cites Daniel Goldman’s (1995) study which identified “five competencies of emotional intelligence that markedly enhance life and learning for a broad spectrum of multisector adult, student, senior, special-needs, and culturally diverse individuals.” (Elias, 2006, p. 77). She argues for the use of these social emotional competencies to make teachers’ first year of teaching less stressful and more successful.
This guide seeks to support the development of social emotional educators through collegial coaching. “Collegial coaching is usually described as a type of peer coaching often directed toward the context of teaching and utilizing processes for self-reflection and professional dialoguing needed to improve teaching practices and/or to alter the organizational context” (Delaney and Arredondo, 1998, p. 3-4). With observation and reflection as core elements, collegial coaching not only builds a culture of continuous improvement, but forms relationships and is an important part of training (Showers, 1985). “It also fosters the development of trust among colleagues committed to sharing craft knowledge and serves to create professional norms of experimentation while encouraging teachers to learn from one another” (Robbins, 1991, p. 12).
One aspect of SEL classroom practices involves classroom management. That is, teachers intentionally teach social expectations and social consequences of student actions, and work toward students’ self-regulation. In order to do this, teachers steer away from extrinsic motivators, and instead use language and actions that promote intrinsic motivation. Through the way teachers communicate and facilitate discussions that build empathy and solve problems, they affirm their belief that each child wants to make the community a better place. In this way, classroom management strategies can build SEL competencies, such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making (CASEL, 2016).
Unfortunately, most teacher preparation programs do not teach the ways to help students learn to manage emotions, to self-regulate, to communicate their feelings effectively, and to handle conflicts appropriately. As such, many new teachers end up feeling frustrated that, despite their best efforts at creating an engaging curriculum, they are unable to create a classroom environment that “help[s] students develop the skills, disposition, and discipline required for them to reap the benefits of [the teacher’s] efforts to be a good teacher” (Elias, 2006, p. 2). Social Emotional Competencies in teachers not only provide a way for teachers to teach students SEL, but allows for them to better handle the challenges of the classroom (Jennings and Greenberg, 2009). In the same way, Reissman (2006) cites Daniel Goldman’s (1995) study which identified “five competencies of emotional intelligence that markedly enhance life and learning for a broad spectrum of multisector adult, student, senior, special-needs, and culturally diverse individuals.” (Elias, 2006, p. 77). She argues for the use of these social emotional competencies to make teachers’ first year of teaching less stressful and more successful.
This guide seeks to support the development of social emotional educators through collegial coaching. “Collegial coaching is usually described as a type of peer coaching often directed toward the context of teaching and utilizing processes for self-reflection and professional dialoguing needed to improve teaching practices and/or to alter the organizational context” (Delaney and Arredondo, 1998, p. 3-4). With observation and reflection as core elements, collegial coaching not only builds a culture of continuous improvement, but forms relationships and is an important part of training (Showers, 1985). “It also fosters the development of trust among colleagues committed to sharing craft knowledge and serves to create professional norms of experimentation while encouraging teachers to learn from one another” (Robbins, 1991, p. 12).
How do we blend this with other professional development and make sure we also work on math, reading, writing, etc.? In other words, how do we prioritize our PD? |
The issue of time and prioritization, is something that all schools grapple with. Being responsible for the multi-faceted learning and development of children means teachers need to be well rounded in our professional development, and it seems that devoting a lot of time to SEL might mean taking away from other areas.
However, when we look at the impact of SEL on each child’s school experience, in addition to the gains SEL provides in life skills, it feels like a high leverage area to target. SEL makes students feel a sense of belonging in school, which leads to positive academic outcomes. Several studies have shown that SEL not only promotes academic achievement, but that SEL competencies are critically important in the long-term success of all students in our new economy, and that there are significant associations between SEL skills in kindergarten and key outcomes in education, employment, criminal activity, substance abuse, and mental health for young adults years later (Aber, et. al., 2015, Damon, Greenberg & Crowley, 2015). The investment is worth it. After all, real learning happens when students truly care about their work and about each other. |