Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school
IntroductionSchool educators’ have a great influence on the adoption, sustainability, and development of school-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs. The purpose of this school-based research was to investigate educators’ experiences and perspectives on implementing SEL in a high-needs...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1100667/full |
| _version_ | 1828005107740966912 |
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| author | Ben Dyson Yanhua Shen Donal Howley Seunghyun Baek |
| author_facet | Ben Dyson Yanhua Shen Donal Howley Seunghyun Baek |
| author_sort | Ben Dyson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionSchool educators’ have a great influence on the adoption, sustainability, and development of school-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs. The purpose of this school-based research was to investigate educators’ experiences and perspectives on implementing SEL in a high-needs rural elementary school setting.MethodsFifteen school educators (n = 15), including ten K-5 classroom teachers, one special education teacher, one social worker, and three school leaders, participated in this study. In addition, lessons were observed, and 17 sets of field notes were taken during 17 different days of visit (60–90 min) over the two semesters. A case study design drawing on qualitative research methods was utilized.ResultsThe inductive analysis and constant comparison of the collected data generated six themes: prerequisite for academic success, essential skills for everyday life, lack of time, lack of preparation and development, home-school disconnection, and pushback from students.DiscussionThe study provided qualitative evidence to support the need for quality SEL implementation and revealed nested levels of constraints for school educators’ implementing SEL from the “voices” of school educators. The study also calls for collaborative efforts and shared strategies to facilitate “legitimate” long-term partnerships between universities and schools, families, and communities, particularly in rural areas, in promoting a more holistic vision of the social and emotional development of our children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:24:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-36a378aef06f444c95b8102be1252fc4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:24:53Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-36a378aef06f444c95b8102be1252fc42023-02-24T07:27:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2023-02-01810.3389/feduc.2023.11006671100667Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary schoolBen Dyson0Yanhua Shen1Donal Howley2Seunghyun Baek3Department of Kinesiology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United StatesDepartment of Education, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wise, VA, United StatesDepartment of Kinesiology, Towson University, Towson, MD, United StatesDepartment of Kinesiology, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, United StatesIntroductionSchool educators’ have a great influence on the adoption, sustainability, and development of school-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs. The purpose of this school-based research was to investigate educators’ experiences and perspectives on implementing SEL in a high-needs rural elementary school setting.MethodsFifteen school educators (n = 15), including ten K-5 classroom teachers, one special education teacher, one social worker, and three school leaders, participated in this study. In addition, lessons were observed, and 17 sets of field notes were taken during 17 different days of visit (60–90 min) over the two semesters. A case study design drawing on qualitative research methods was utilized.ResultsThe inductive analysis and constant comparison of the collected data generated six themes: prerequisite for academic success, essential skills for everyday life, lack of time, lack of preparation and development, home-school disconnection, and pushback from students.DiscussionThe study provided qualitative evidence to support the need for quality SEL implementation and revealed nested levels of constraints for school educators’ implementing SEL from the “voices” of school educators. The study also calls for collaborative efforts and shared strategies to facilitate “legitimate” long-term partnerships between universities and schools, families, and communities, particularly in rural areas, in promoting a more holistic vision of the social and emotional development of our children.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1100667/fullsocial and emotional skillslife skillshigh-needselementary schoolschool educatorsbuy-in |
| spellingShingle | Ben Dyson Yanhua Shen Donal Howley Seunghyun Baek Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school Frontiers in Education social and emotional skills life skills high-needs elementary school school educators buy-in |
| title | Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school |
| title_full | Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school |
| title_fullStr | Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school |
| title_short | Social emotional learning matters: Interpreting educators’ perspectives at a high-needs rural elementary school |
| title_sort | social emotional learning matters interpreting educators perspectives at a high needs rural elementary school |
| topic | social and emotional skills life skills high-needs elementary school school educators buy-in |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1100667/full |
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