Running head: HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT

How Does Teaching Social and Emotional Learning

Affect the Well-Being of Students

Sydney L. Matthews

Stetson University

EDUC 499 – Dr. Shankar-Brown

HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 2

Acknowledgements

Thank you to…

My parents, Laura and Brooks Matthews, for giving me the gift of schooling and raising me to
be steadfast and stubborn regardless of what life throws at me.

My professors for being encouraging and supporting. They are the backbone of the education
program and I wouldn’t be here without them.

My boyfriend, Micah Haver, for pushing me and believing I can complete

anything I set my mind to.

All of my experiences which have led me to where I currently am. They have shaped and moved
me more than I can ever express.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 3

Abstract

This paper is about social and emotional learning (SEL) and figuring out how teaching SEL

affects the well-being of students. It starts with research on what SEL is and why it is important

and progresses into the necessity of teacher-student relationships. Finding ways to implement it

into the classroom can be difficult for teachers, with or without a program to rely on. The paper

speaks in depth about different ways to implement SEL into the everyday agenda. Also, studies

are explored about teaching pre-service teachers how to implement SEL into the classroom

before they become first-year educators and how this has benefited them. Training pre-service

teachers, as well as experienced teachers, will be beneficial to do so that there is guidance, and it

is not expected without giving them the knowledge of how to do it. The literature research can be

backed up through research I conducted through specific observations to observe classroom

culture and an SEL lesson being taught, personal experiences from my junior internship, and an

interview with an elementary school guidance counselor. Overall, it can be concluded that SEL is

necessary to teach in the school system when taking our current society into account, and it

makes a great difference in how student learn academically and interact with one another.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 4

Introduction

The time is now. For decades, the educational system in the United States has focused

specifically on academics. Putting focus on academics is not what needs to change, but instead

what needs to change are the factors surrounding academics. New factors have come into play,

especially in the last decade; they’re called social and emotional learning. These factors

influence the classroom and school, renovating the basics and what educators thought they

already understood. Academic content is still critical but must be grounded in social-emotional

learning.

Educators have a heavy load to bear when they accept the role and responsibility of teaching

children of all grades and ages. They have typical paperwork to complete, continual ideas and

trainings to influence self-improvement in their teaching, a professional obligation to get along

with their coworkers and peers, and most importantly, they need to create healthy relationships

with students. Here is where the predicament lies, though. Current society is influencing a

variety of situations to happen around and to students, such as student violence, bullying, drug

use, and campus unrest.

I personally have been subjected to the classroom during my education by being a part of it

and observing it in the education program here at Stetson University. I have seen firsthand the

differences between classrooms with and without respect, community, involvement, and care for

one another. I write this paper with the intention of informing others that without the qualities of

social and emotional learning, academics takes a back burner and there is little learning

happening when negative situations arise, and students are without a safe mental and physical

classroom environment.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 5

The significance of this paper is to benefit educators’ understanding of what social and

emotional learning is. It is intended for them to reflect on their personal teaching style and

consider what is and is not being implemented. After thorough research, I’d like to use this paper

to advocate for educators to receive additional assistance and trainings to apply social and

emotional learning in their own classrooms.

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Definition of Key Terms

1. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): the process through which children and adults

acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand

and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others,

establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions

2. Academics: the courses or subjects of learning; example: the study of math or reading

3. Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

4. Relational Competence: a child’s ability to engage in beneficial caregiver and peer

relationships, and navigate other social interactions

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Literature Review

What is Socio-Emotional Learning? Why is it Important?

When thinking of a good classroom environment and how educators should treat and talk

to kids, hopefully the first thing that comes to mind is using positivity and encouragement to get

students to want to be their best self. It is imperative that educators provide students with

encouragement and support their social-emotional growth. They should encourage them to

positively develop their character, evolve their ideas on morals and values, and teach them to be

a good citizen and be a part of their society. It is important that teachers are teaching these skills

because, “Citizenship education gives people the knowledge and skills to understand, challenge

and engage with democratic society including politics, the media, civil society, the economy and

the law… it helps to produce motivated and responsible learners, who relate positively to each

other, to staff and to the surrounding community. For society it helps to create an active and

responsible citizenry, willing to participate in the life of the nation and the wider world and play

its part in the democratic process” (Importance of citizenship education, 2018). This is beyond

what teachers in the recent decades have been focusing on, which has mainly been math and

reading scores. (Finn & Hess, 2019). Lately, there has been an uproar about social and emotional

learning. This concept is remembering that schools are not only about scores and passing tests,

but what factors affect the student past academics, and how will the teacher assist them in

learning when other needs must first be addressed.

Social and emotional learning, also known as Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL), is

defined by the advocate group called Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional

Learning (CASEL) as, “the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively

apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 8

achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive

relationships, and make responsible decisions” (Finn & Hess, 2019, p. 1). CASEL also describes

it as, “Social and emotional learning involves the processes of developing competencies,

including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible

decision-making” (Bridgeland, Bruce, & Hariharan, 2013, p. 3). These are the five main

competencies they define.

The main idea is that teachers do not educate the student by primarily focusing on reading and

math, but they must also teach history, science, civics, literature, composition, and the arts.

When focusing on these other subjects, too, the students are growing their skills in not only the

classroom, but what will guide them later on in life. “SEL promotes young people’s academic

success, engagement, good behavior, cooperation with others, problem-solving abilities, health,

and well being, while also preventing a variety of problems such as truancy, alcohol and drug

use, bullying, and violence” (Bridgeland, Bruce, & Hariharan, 2013).

Across the nation, educators are implementing SEL into their classrooms and school. In

fact, when surveyed, nearly ninety-three percent of the teachers responded saying that they
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 9

understand, value, and endorse SEL learning and believe it is very or fairly important. Ninety-

five percent of the teachers believe that social and emotional skills are teachable. And finally, all

together, nearly ninety-seven percent of teachers believe that it will benefit all students no matter

what background they come from, rich or poor (Bridgeland, Bruce, & Hariharan, 2013). Here is

the problem, though. While a majority of the teachers believe that SEL will help and benefit their

students, many teachers are not teaching it. According to a conducted survey, eighty-eight

percent of teachers report that SEL is happening in their school, but only forty-four percent of

teachers report that it is being taught on a schoolwide, programmatic basis (Bridgeland, Bruce, &

Hariharan, 2013). Change cannot be implemented effectively if the majority of educators do not

work together to support student growth in SEL.

The Aspen Institute, an international nonprofit think tank, is another organization that

believes in SEL. The National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development,

which is part of the Aspen Institute, has created a list of facts concerning SEL (Social, emotional,

and academic development fast facts). They have found that four in five teachers want more

support in order to guide students in social and emotional development (Social, emotional, and

academic development fast facts). Just as the previous survey covered by CASEL says, teachers

are having a difficult time switching to SEL learning when they do not have school personal or

district leaders guiding them, giving them materials or ideas, or training them. They have

previously been asked to focus on academic content specifically, so now some are at a loss on

how to move forward and feel poorly qualified to provide counseling. SEL is important to apply

to students because when asking them how they describe schools, nearly seventy-five percent of

the words used are negative (Social, emotional, and academic development fast facts). Most

commonly, public school students between kindergarten and twelfth grade report that they are
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 10

tired, stressed, and bored (Social, emotional, and academic development fast facts). Schools are a

place of learning, but they should also be a safe space when they are taught how to value

themselves, others, and their cognitive abilities. If students are mostly saying that they are bored,

tired, and stressed, then educators have failed to create a warm and caring environment which

leads to overall student success. There are other factors that have to be considered, as well.

Sugishita and Dresser start their action research study by stating:

In recent decades, American schools have experienced an increase in student violence,

bullying, drug use, and campus unrest (Center for Disease Control, 2015; Duplechain &

Morris, 2014; Modecki, Minchin, Harbaugh, Guerra, & Runions, 2014). The National

Center for Educational Statistics (2016) found that one in five public school students

have been a victim of school bullying. It has also been found that bullying victims often

suffer ridicule, name calling, physical aggression, and exclusion by their peers. These

experiences make bullied children more vulnerable to a higher-than-average incidence of

school maladjustment, anxiety, depression, and suicide (National Center for Educational

Statistics, 2016). Working in an increasingly unsafe school environment, classroom

teachers have reported feeling stressed and overwhelmed by unsatisfactory relationships

with students, parents, and colleagues and often complain about poor work conditions

(Musu-Gilletti, Zhang, Wang, Zhang, Kemp. Diliberti, & Oudekerk, 2018). In fact,

during the 2015-2016 school year, a report by the National Center for Education Statistics

Journal of Inquiry & Action in Education, 10(1), 2019 37 | Page (2018) stated that “forty-

three percent of public school teachers agreed or strongly agreed that student misbehavior

interfered with their teaching” (p.vii). Further, eleven percent of elementary teachers
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reportedly experienced threats of injury or physical attack by a child in their school (p.v).

(p. 36 – 37)

Abraham Maslow, a popular name in the education field, created the well-loved

Hierarchy of Human Needs. He states that humans are driven by innate needs for survival,

safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-realization, in that order (Abulof, 2017). “The

continued resonance of Maslow’s theory in [education], however unscientific it may seem, is

possibly the single most telling evidence of its significance: it explains human nature as

something that most humans immediately recognize in themselves and others” (Abulof, 2017).

Repeatedly in the education program here at Stetson, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human

Needs has been stressed as one of the most important theories to remember when teaching.

Students have a hard time learning anything if their basic needs are not being met, referring to

the physiological and safety needs. The student’s first and foremost priority will be to take care

of themselves to the best of their ability. Often, I have heard of teachers keeping food on hand

for students or allowing them to rest when it is needed. It is imperative to remember as teachers
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 12

that the child will struggle in any subject, environment, and everyday activities if these needs are

not being met. It can also be argued that students have a hard time learning if their sense of

belongingness and love are not being met. This encompasses creating intimate relationships and

friends. If these relationships aren’t being forged, then a child’s self-esteem is nonexistent, which

is also a quality needed to focus on learning. SEL is a way to generate Maslow’s third

hierarchical need of belonginess and love because it teaches students to, as said before, have

“self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible

decision-making” (Bridgeland, Bruce, & Hariharan, 2013, p. 3). All of these skills are imperative

to form bonds and connections between peers, adults, and authority figures. They teach self-

esteem in a way where the students become confident in themselves, others, and their decisions.

Relationships Between Educators and Students

The relationship between the teacher and the student is an important factor to consider

when thinking about how the child is developing. This is not only related to academics, but also

to how they are developing socially and emotionally. There are different aspects to consider

when analyzing how a child is reacting socio-emotionally, such as classroom climate, home

relationships, socio-economic status, etc. In this case, however, the language teachers use when

speaking to students is the main focus. Words have a magical power to either mentally bring

someone up or push them down. They can split paths, and unfortunately, it can send someone

down the wrong one. It should be the intention of educators to use our words for good. With

consideration, the words that leave lips should never be hasty or un-thought-out. Responding

with care and empathy is a practice that should be put into place by the teacher because every

action of a child is a subconscious reflection of their needs. If they are lashing out, there is

usually a reason. Consider a crying child in fifth grade. How do you respond? Do you tell them
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 13

to stop crying, roll your eyes, maybe ignore them? Or do you respond with kindness, words of

affirmation, and understanding? The way the teacher responds reflects how they are affecting

their student-teacher relationship, therefore affecting the socio-emotional competence of the

child. According to Rucinski, Brown, and Downer (2018) teachers “should be trained and

supported in building and maintaining positive relationships with all their students... rather than

concentrating increasingly… on academic instruction” (Rucinski, Brown, and Downer, 2018, p.

9). Their findings led them to believe that having these trainings for educators would create

positive and close relationships between teachers and students.

Ways to Implement Social and Emotional Learning

It is imperative to remember that social and emotional learning is not a replacement for

academics. It is an additive, with equal weight being distributed between both SEL and

academics. If this is not happening, and more attention and concern goes towards SEL

specifically, academics will suffer. For the implementation of SEL into schools and classrooms

to be successful, educators need to remember this. If it is not done well, then it could be a failure

in the education world and may become an avoided and abandoned program. While on paper it

seems like SEL will work well, it is up to educators to make sure that the academics do not

suffer. Finn and Hess (2019) describe an experience that they recently observed, and it is

fulfilling exactly what they are wanting to avoid. They write about an award ceremony for

secondary school principals. The principal who won the prize took pride and, “glowingly,

lovingly depict[ed] her school as a place with a family-like atmosphere. It does really well, she

said with evident and legitimate pride, at making everyone feel welcome and forging a staff-wide

commitment to meeting student needs” (Finn & Hess, 2019). This is wonderful, of course, but

Finn and Hess also document how the principal had little concern that her school does not
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 14

perform well on conventional gauges of academic performance. Keep in mind that this was the

principal who won the award.

There are different ways to implement socio-emotional learning in schools without

overshadowing academics, but they need to be implemented with serious consideration and care.

SEL should be made a priority in school districts and states, integrated into academic instruction,

environments should be created to support SEL, and training and support should be provided for

programs and practices (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016, p. 13 – 16).

By making SEL a priority in school districts and states, it would be beneficial to “develop

policies, guidance, and/or standards that specifically address student social and emotional

competencies” (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016, p. 14). In many different districts and states, it is easy

to get caught up in teaching academics and fulfilling other priorities that may take precedence.

Because of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) created by President George W. Bush in 2002,

academics have taken charge of elementary and secondary schools across the U.S. The act was

created with concern about the American people. America was not able to keep up competitively

with other countries and because of this, the act was designed to hold “schools responsible for

the academic progress of all students. And it put a special focus on ensuring that states and

schools boost the performance of certain groups of students, such as English-language learners,

students in special education, and poor and minority children, whose achievement, on average,

trails their peers. States did not have to comply with the new requirements, but if they didn’t,

they risked losing federal Title I money” (Klein, 2015). Since the creation of the act, there have

been complaints. Some of the complaints are that the law has matured without any congressional

update or reauthorization, the law has been underfunded, and many states and districts have

ignored parts of the law (Klein, 2015). Klein (2015) lists another big complaint regarding NCLB,
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 15

and that is the federal footprint is too large in K – 12 education. Schools use and rely too heavily

on standardized tests, and the emphasis on math and reading tests have created a narrowed

curriculum. Since there is more time spent on math and reading, it has taken away from other

important subjects in a child’s curriculum that aren’t explicitly tested, such as social studies,

foreign language, and the arts (Klein, 2015). Within those subjects that have not taken

precedence in academics, SEL will also take a spot on the backburner if it is not implemented

with care. By developing policies, guidance, and/or standards, it makes sure that SEL is not

overlooked and implemented into the average day.

Kendziora and Yoder (2016) state that in order to implement SEL into academic

instruction, educators can use explicit instruction to teach social and emotional competencies.

They can also incorporate it through general teaching practices, such as using group work during

a math lesson to incorporate individual and collaborative group responsibility, so they

understand positive and negative consequences of the way they act towards others. Teachers can

also integrate social and emotional competencies into academic instruction. For example, a social

studies teacher might take fifteen minutes at the beginning of a lesson to teach problem-solving

skills (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016, p. 14).

Creating healthy, safe, supportive, and challenging environments is also another way to

implement SEL into the classroom. As talked about earlier, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human

Needs states that without a sense of belongingness and love, as well as basic needs being met,

there is no availability for a student to focus on learning. To create an environment where SEL

will excel, schools should “develop a discipline policy that supports inclusionary practices (e.g.,

restorative practices) and encourages students to regulate their own behavior; Ensure that each

student has an adult to whom he or she can turn for assistance and guidance; Engage students to
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 16

be active members of the school community with a voice of their own; Set high behavioral and

academic expectations for all students, taking into account student differences and baseline

social and emotional and academic competencies; Support adult social and emotional

competencies, as well as relationship building among staff members; and Engage parents and the

school community to support student social and emotional competencies” (Kendziora & Yoder,

2016, p. 15 – 16).

To implement training and provide support for programs and practice, it is necessary to

communicate to educators what SEL is, why it is important, and how it connects to academic

skills (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016, p.16). Teachers also need to be given the training, tools, and

resources to teach SEL. (Kendziora & Yoder, 2016, p. 16). It is highly unlikely that educators

will automatically know how to teach self-awareness, self-management, social awareness,

relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. It is likely that the educator themselves do

not know how to achieve all those concepts personally. By teaching them how, it will lead to an

SEL based classroom where it is possible to focus on academics because students’ other needs

are being met from it. A good way to require teachers to teach SEL after giving them trainings ,

tools, and resources is to make it a mandatory part of “classroom observations, walkthroughs,

and peer observations, providing feedback to educators on SEL practices, and to implement

professional learning communities that allow educators to discuss SEL practices” (Kendziora &

Yoder, 2016, p. 16).

There have been findings showing that even though there are ways to implement SEL

into America’s schools, and there are programs in place to educate and help teachers practice it

in their classrooms, it is not working as well as hoped. “Some researchers, however, have

reported limitations in the program-based model including its lack of continuous skill practice;
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 17

limited long-term retention of skills; poor teacher buy-in; and inconsistent follow-up and support

after program administrators exit schools” (Sugishita & Dresser, 2019, p. 39). This is concerning

regarding the fact that all of the resources and tools were given to teachers. As it was mentioned

earlier, eighty-eight percent of teachers report that SEL is happening in their school, but only

forty-four percent of teachers report that it is being taught on a schoolwide, programmatic basis

(Bridgeland, Bruce, & Hariharan, 2013). It could be possible that SEL is not being implemented

and continued to it greatest possibility because the teachers have been trained to teach academics

throughout their schooling and career, and it is difficult to transition to a new way of teaching. It

is reasonable to state that teaching pre-service teachers how to integrate SEL into their

curriculum could make much more of a difference.

Training Pre-Service Teachers

Pre-teachers, those who are still learning and getting ready to enter the field, are excellent

candidates for learning how to implement socio-emotional learning into their future teaching.

The period of education that these people are in is wonderful time to teach SEL. This is because

they do not have an opportunity to learn to teach another way yet. They will begin their teaching

career with the knowledge already.

While teaching SEL to pre-service teachers is still a newer concept, there was a study

conducted by Scandinavian educational research in Denmark. To define a teachers’ ability to

build positive relationships, this area uses relational competence, “a child’s ability to engage in

beneficial caregiver and peer relationships, and navigate other social interactions” ("Relational

competence"). What inspired Denmark to use relational concepts and regard is as important in

their schools is the difference “between ‘pedagogical craftsmanship’ (educators’ actions in

relation to students), and ‘pedagogical ethics’ (educators’ attitudes)… proficient teachers

HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 18

manifest three basic professional competencies: didactic/instructional, leadership, and

relational… relational competence represents teachers’ skills in supporting, activating, and

motivating students, and in developing relationships based on qualities such as respect, tolerance,

and empathy” (Aspelin, 2019, p. 154). Denmark’s study was contained of two groups of pre-

service teachers, fourteen teacher educators, and eighteen primary school teachers, and their goal

was to develop attentive presence and empathy as components of relational competence, and it

had follow up qualitative interviews and participant observations with the pre-service teachers

(Aspelin, 2019, p. 154). According to Aspelin (2019), findings show that the Danish project was

mostly successful in that the pre-service teachers developed a reflective and open-minded

attitude towards their experiences and reactions.

Aspelin (2019) conducted his own study in Sweden with four pre-service teachers. Using

video recordings of teacher-student conferences and a follow up focus group interview, he was

able to show the difference between before and after the interventions to teach relational

competence. Before the interventions, the pre-service teachers focused on didactic and leadership

aspects, as they were being taught to do in their classes. It was clear, though, that they focused

little on emotions, if at all. They mentioned teacher-student relationships, but they were vague

and used abstract terminology. After the intervention, “i) they shifted focus from didactic and

leadership aspects to the teacher–student relationships, and ii) they advanced from a rather

sketchy to a more precise analysis of relationships” (Aspelin, 2019, p. 161). The pre-service

teachers were able to clearly define and see the relationships between the student and teacher and

use emotions and feelings to describe the interactions.

Although research to back up social and emotional learning, specifically teaching pre-

service teachers SEL, is lacking and still being developed, it is an important concept to dwell on.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 19

A possible reason why this research is still being established “is that emotions are not regarded

as aspects of professionalism, but rather as private and personal issues. Yet another reason may

be that emotions, especially ‘negative’ ones, are considered risky topics among teachers (and

other professionals)” (Aslelin, 2019, p. 163). It is true that emotions can be a risky topic,

especially since teachers can be limited in what they say about certain topics, and must keep

many opinions to themselves, but considering everyone has emotions and feelings, it respectful

to humanity to respect and accept how others feel. Both children and adults have the right to

learn how to have relational competence.

Both studies mentioned show how much growth pre-service teachers can gain towards

teaching SEL. It was apparent that over in the Scandinavian region, their educational classes for

soon to be teachers do not focus on relational competence, the same way the U.S. does not focus

on SEL. Pre-service teachers are taught to teach academics, not to deal with emotions and teach

respect. There could be consequences towards teaching relational competence, but “It remains to

be seen whether the intervention had any practical pedagogical consequences for the

participants” (Aslelin, 2019, p. 164). The participates did mention in both studies “that it was far

from easy to go from relational theory to pedagogical practice [when teaching]” (Aslelin, 2019,

p. 164). This could be simply be a lack of practice when practicing a new skill, and it needs to be

developed more before it is decided that it is not worthwhile.

Methodology, Observations, and Interview

Methodology: Qualitative Research

The qualitative research I conducted consisted of observations and an interview with an

elementary school guidance counselor. The observations were of four different classes in two

different Volusia County elementary schools in Florida. Three of the classrooms were
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 20

intentionally observed to watch for classroom culture and interactions between peers and the

teacher, while in one of those classes I observed SEL being taught. I also observed and

experienced classroom culture and interactions in my internship’s class throughout the semester

where SEL was not being taught.

Observations

The first class I attended taught their SEL lesson first thing in the morning as the bell rang to

start the school day. This was a co-taught class of fifth grade and there were thirty-three students,

although five of those students were missing. The setting of the classroom was simple, but

straightforward. There was a Hawaiian theme in the classroom, with a small Christmas tree set

up to incorporate a little bit of the holiday season approaching. Encouraging posters were

throughout the room saying small phrases, such as “friends flock together” and “toucan do it”.

The teachers played holiday music in the background while the students gathered in a circle

around the room to prepare for SEL. The teacher told me after the lesson was conducted that this

happens every day in the classroom and the class takes the lesson seriously.

The circle started with, “Tell your neighbor ‘happy last day before break’” (because it was

the last day before Thanksgiving break). Then the teachers asked questions that were non-

academic and aimed towards kids talking about themselves and listening to their classmates’

answers. The first two questions were, “Tell me something kind you did for someone else” and

“Tell me something kind that someone did for you”. The questions had many hands raised, but

only one person was called on for each question. Someone made a fake spider for a student who

loved siders, and another student gave their donut to a classmate. The next question was,

“What’s something exciting you’re doing over Thanksgiving break?” Many students answered

and one student mentioned she was going to eat tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. This received
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 21

cheers when she answered, which was nice to see. It was apparent that she was Hispanic, and her

classmates all accepted other cultures besides their own. The next question was led up to be a big

one. “I have an important question. What’s your favorite side dish? Close your eyes, you have

two seconds to think.” The whole class hushed, and they thought seriously, but quickly. The

teacher waited until all eyes were open to allow students to answer. Each student had the

opportunity to tell their favorite dish as it went around the circle. When some students laughed at

silly answers, the teacher quieted them and encouraged them to take it seriously and listen to

their classmates’ answers. It only took the one reminder to have the kids quiet down and listen

attentively. Next, “Does your family have any dish at Thanksgiving that you think is unusual?”

There were odd answers, just like the teacher asked for. Foods named were soup, hot dogs,

cotton candy, turtle pie, water chestnuts, and oyster stuffing. Students were eager to share. The

last part of ten-minute SEL lesson was, “Before returning to your seat, find one person and tell

them why you’re thankful for them.” Students shared together in a level one whisper voice, and

there were hugs and many smiles. The class transitioned easily into their seats to begin math.

Throughout the lesson students were quiet and listened to everyone who answered. There

was clear respect for their classmates. If it was lost for even a moment, the teacher was able to

ask them to be respectful and reign themselves in and they were able to do so. The teacher was

incredibly encouraging after every answer, basically praising the students. At one point, the

teacher said, “oh, whatever” in good jest, but them immediately apologized because the word

“whatever” was not allowed to be said in class by anyone. There was one student who didn’t

seem as invested as the others and stood outside the circle for a bit. The teacher saw this and

asked him to join the class again. He rolled his eyes but immediately joined the circle.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 22

Since this lesson was done the day before thanksgiving break, they did not follow all of the

normal protocol. Typically, on every Friday, the class chooses someone to take home their class

pet, a stuffed animal named Pascal. The child gets to spend their weekend taking pictures with

Pascal doing fun activities and taking pictures to share with the class. I was informed that the

students have made up Pascal’s personality themselves and the animal has certain aspects about

him that the students made up together. The class loves doing this; someone came up and asked

about Pascal since no one was getting him and it was not addressed in the SEL lesson, which is

where they normally designate the person to take him home.

The schools I observed classes in were in Volusia County, where they use a social and

emotional learning program called Sanford Harmony. The program uses CASEL’s five core SEL

competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and

responsible decision-making. Sanford Harmony’s focus themes that they teach to students are

diversity and inclusion, empathy and critical thinking, communication, problem solving, and

peer relationships ("Sanford Harmony: The Fastest Growing Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

Program in the United States", 2019). The program is laid out for Volusia County employees to

teach students easily and follow pre-set up lessons. The lesson I observed followed all the criteria

and it showed that the class was responding positively compared to other classes I’ve observed

that do not teach SEL.

After the SEL lesson was taught, I stayed in the classroom for thirty minutes more to observe

the classroom culture and interactions. The students were completing division worksheets

individually. It was a fun activity for the students where they colored in a picture depending on

the number. The students could whisper to each other, and the desks were set up in groups of

five. All the interactions between students and teachers were positive and showed an inclusive
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 23

environment that displayed community. There were jokes and secrets kept between students and

the teacher. I watched as a student shared a secret with the teacher and asked if she could keep it.

The teacher replied saying she’s kept another one of her secrets since October. There was

knowledge of other classmates’ interests, too. As one student shared about her mom owning a

python as a kid, they remembered how another student in class who was missing that day bred

snakes with his family. They spoke about asking him specific questions when he returned.

Another class I visited also taught SEL in their classroom. This class was made up of

eighteen third and fourth grade gifted students. The classroom setting seemed like organized

chaos. Even though there seemed to be many items in the class, and there was a bit of disarray,

everything had a home and students knew where everything belonged. The classroom screamed

creativity. There was a great deal of color and decorations. It was warm and inviting, and the

students seemed to feed on the energy of the room, the teacher, and each other. I observed this

class for thirty minutes and watched as they spent math playing strategy board games, such as

mancala or chess.

The lesson started with the teacher describing a future assignment, and when students started

whispering to each other, the teacher needed only to put her finger to her lips and quietly tell

them, “I’m talking, hold on.” The students listened immediately. The teacher then asks the

students about their opinions about the assignment to make sure everyone is on the same track.

The students all start to respectfully give their opinions one by one without having to raise their

hands. The teacher acknowledges them and tells the class the opinions are all being considered,

and she’ll reconvene with them later about it. When the teacher releases them to play their

strategy games, a student approaches the teacher to tell her about stomach pains he’s having. She

takes what he’s saying into consideration and writes him a clinic pass. Two students are asked to
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 24

walk him to the office. Another student sometime later also complains that he’s in pain and she

listens to him and send him to the clinic, too. The teacher tells me later that she is worried about

one of the students because he’s been in pain a lot recently. When I asked if she thinks he is

making it up, she responds saying perhaps he is, but she does not want to risk undermining him if

he is in pain. From an outsider’s point of view, he really was not doing well.

At one point in the beginning of the games, the teacher uses a signal, “Give me five!”, and

says, “I want to remind you of a few things. You’re working with other people. Make sure you

remember what we’ve talked about when working with others. You won’t have a lot of fun if

you can’t be respectful.” The students all listen attentively. At one point, a game piece is thrown

across the room. The teacher asks what happened instead of becoming angry. The student

responds saying that their partner isn’t playing the game correctly. In response, the teacher asks

how they could be more productive and solve the problem a better way. The student reveals that

the real problem is that his stomach hurts and he isn’t feeling patient. The teacher and student

talk back and forth for a few more minutes and decide that he should go to the clinic. Once that

is decided, the teacher asks if they can get back to the current conversation of throwing game

pieces and encourages the students to have their own conversation amongst each other to solve

the situation. There were not more problems from this group again. Throughout the whole

lesson, the teacher gave independence to students to stay on task while she focused on her own

work and simultaneously walked around to different groups. She listened to students and put her

own input in about good strategies to learn and use in the games.

The last class I specifically observed to conduct observations about SEL was a fourth-grade

class with fifteen students. I observed the culture for thirty minutes. This class was supposed to

be teaching SEL, but I was told there were speculations that it was not being taught. The class
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 25

was decorated, but it was not an encouraging atmosphere. There were three rows and each

student had their own desk. There was white noise from the air conditioner that was distracting

and loud. The kids were eating snacks while working on independent math. Right away, I am

experiencing the teacher shutting down the students with demeaning comments and talking down

to them. There are two students who are not working with everyone else and are facing the walls

in their desks.

There seemed to be many problems in the classroom. The teacher decided not to use a signal

to gain attention from the class as they had just returned from special area. Instead, she loudly

shouted, “Hello?!” to gain attention. It worked to gain attention, but just barely. The teacher also

threatened the students to make them behave the way she expects. While the class is silent and

there is no talking, the teacher threatened to have students sign in as discipline for talking on two

separate occasions within a couple minutes. This clearly annoyed the students. Also, one of the

students facing the wall in the back of the class needed a pencil but got yelled at for getting up to

get one. He explained that he cannot do his work without one, but the teacher ignored him. She

interrupted him several more times telling him to do his work, and he replied saying he needs a

pencil; the teacher still ignored him. She is angry that he will not do his work but will not allow

him to remedy the situation. I suspected that it was not procedure for students to get up without

permission to get materials, but I watched another student get up to get a pencil with no

argument from the teacher. It did not line up with that theory. He later got in trouble again after

being sent with a row to go to the bathroom. A student reports that a girl from another class says

he spit water on her, but regardless of what he said to defend himself, the teacher did not listen to

him and proceed to accuse him. She leaves the class alone to exit the class and asks the girl if he
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 26

really did spit on her, and she replied saying it was a joke. The teacher does not apologize the

boy and ignores him.

She was teaching math during this time and begins whole group with the students. There is

little to no engagement or interest in the lesson. She asks questions with little response. When I

notice that some of the class is beginning to get excited about solving questions right, instead of

joining in their excitement and encouraging them, the teacher yelled at them and shut them

down. The engagement is quickly diminished. Before I left, I also observed the teacher yelling at

another student for taking objects off of her desk while they had a substitute on a prior day.

Although he claimed he did not do it, the teacher asked him three times what he took and would

not take his original answer. There is no trust between student and teacher in the classroom

apparently.

For my junior internship, I was in a fifth-grade class with twenty-four students. I was able to

observe this class on Mondays and Tuesdays from September ninth to November eighth. The

classroom was difficult to be in daily. There was no respect between students and there was a

bullying issue. The first day I was in the classroom I experienced crying students, hurtful words,

and disrespect between each other. There was also disrespect between both the teacher and the

students. There was not a good teacher-student relationship at all. Most days I experienced the

teacher write referrals at the first sign of misbehavior. Sometimes she wrote up to three referrals

a day. There was no discipline plan in place in order to handle students. There were also no

procedures or expectations set up for the class for anything, and the students had a hard time

staying on the teacher’s good graces because they did not know what she wanted from them. The

teacher often expressed to me that since they were in fifth grade, they should automatically know

the expectations.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 27

It was usually the same students who got in trouble constantly. They despised the teacher and

did not hold any respect for her or her instructions and words. I heard remarks from them

wondering why they should try when they would only be sent to the office and receive a referral

no matter what they did. There were other students who refused to sit by others or work with

each other, and they shouted hateful words about their classmates across the room.

I personally did not have issues with the students. They regarded me as someone who would

listen to what they had to say, be encouraging and respectful of those around me, and try to be

understanding about where student come from in life and consider why they were acting out

instead of punishing them. I had to earn the students respect and prove that I was not there to

treat them as if I were above them. I received mean words from students. Instead of letting it

affect me, I would simply tell them that was a hurtful comment, and that it was not nice or

respectful at all. I encouraged them to apologize to each other and recognize when others have

been hurt by their words. I also explained to many of them that they needed to practice using “I

statements”, which are statements that describe how the speaker feels or their beliefs rather that

the thoughts and characteristics that the speaker is saying about the listener. Often if others are

blamed, they become defensive and do not respond positively. I was teaching the students that

they need to express how they feel to others to try and resolve problems and work out solutions.

This seemed to be working before I ended my internship.

Before I left, though, there was an instance that was reported about two students talking and

threatening to harm their teacher. These two students were constantly getting in trouble for

simple issues that did not deserve a referral. They seemed to be extremely aggravated after an

altercation between themselves and the teacher. They did not like or respect the teacher at all.
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 28

Unfortunately, this issue escalated and could have become serious. Last thing I heard was that

one of the students got pulled out of the classroom.

Interview

I was able to ask questions over email to the guidance counselor of an elementary school in

Volusia County. I originally set up an interview through the assistant principal, but the guidance

counselor was unavailable. The interview was then conducted through email. I learned that the

elementary school she is at uses the previously mentioned Sanford Harmony program, as all of

Volusia County schools do. They imbed the SEL curriculum into their academics through direct

instruction, using specific teaching practices made for SEL, and have organizational strategies to

promote school-wide initiative of SEL. They aim to create a welcoming climate and culture that

encourage learning for everyone. In order to achieve teaching SEL, all of their teachers and staff

have received trainings throughout the year, although only the training at the beginning of the

year are mandatory; other SEL trainings are voluntary. The trainings review the curriculum,

activity examples, lesson structures, and supply resources. She reports that after SEL was put

into practice at the school, mental health, social skills, behavior, and academic achievement had

immediately improved. When asked if she would do anything to change the current program to

make it better, she says that it should be taught more than ten minutes each day, and that it is not

enough time.

Conclusion

It would be ignorant for educators to continue specifically teaching academics only. Any

adult going into a profession is dedicated to learning all there is to know, going to trainings and

workshops geared towards what they are passionate about, and practicing what they have learned

and achieved. Children need the same trainings and workshops and need to practice what they
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 29

are learning, yet this is only the beginning for them. A child from all age ranges, pre-school to

high school, is not only learning academics, but they are learning how to be human and what is

and is not wrong. If educators are not making that concept apart of their teachings, how else will

the students learn and practice SEL?

By allowing pre-service teachers the opportunity to learn how to teach SEL to our schools

before they become a first-year teacher, it would significantly increase how it is being

implemented. There also needs to be set guidelines, policies, or standards to help guide teachers

on where their students should be, concerning CASEL’s five core SEL competencies: self-

awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-

making. When a program is being implemented county wide, it is imperative that the teachers

and staff are held accountable to make sure that all teachers are actively practicing and

participating in the program through feedback, observations, walk-throughs, and professional

learning communities.

It was clear after my observations, interview, and gathered research that teaching social and

emotional learning in schools makes the world of difference in the classrooms. Without creating

a respectful environment and culture, forming bonds between classmates and student-teacher

relationships, or creating a safe space where students can reach Maslow’s third level of his

hierarchy of needs (belonginess and love), there is no room for academics. Students will be

distracted by many other aspects around them and there’ll be no room to grow academically. In

order to expect the best from students, they need to be provided the resources and guidance in the

same way that teachers receive resources and guidance.

In our current society, students are responding more to societal pressures and are having a

hard time cooping with them. On a daily basis, students encounter a variety of situations, such as
HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 30

student violence, bullying, drug use, and campus unrest. There is no hiding from it, either. The

internet gives the information to anyone who looks, including the students. There must be

response to these factors. By implementing SEL into the everyday education of students,

regardless of age, it will significantly help them feel like they have a place to be safe and

accepted. If now is not the time to implement SEL, then when? When there is such unrest in

society, then the most important time is now.

HOW DOES TEACHING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING AFFECT Matthews 31

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