Teachers’ voices on social emotional learning : identifying the conditions that make implementation possible

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that addressing children’s social and emotional needs has a positive impact on students’ performance, their attitudes about school and the relationships that take place in educational settings. This study is focused on identifying the conditions that support teachers’ development and implementation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and practices. Using a practitioner-driven methodology, action research, the staff of a high performing charter school in a disadvantaged urban community in California (United States) engaged in an inductive process of reflection and action to address students’ social and emotional needs. The findings in this research highlight the positive impact that implementation of a school designed SEL intervention had on students, and on teachers’ practices. Teachers’ commitment was necessary to ensure initial engagement, while curricular and organizational resources were needed to maintain implementation in the long term.