Learning From Successful Practice: Social Emotional Learning in Three Diverse Urban High Schools

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Social emotional learning (SEL) has been called the “missing piece” in accountability-driven education policy (Elias, 2009) and its absence will continue to fuel gaps in opportunity and achievement. Learning from successful practice is critical to developing effective SEL policy and understanding its benefits. This symposium presents findings from a multi-method case study project investigating how three diverse, urban high schools—with a school-wide focus on SEL—foster students’ personal and academic success. Given that secondary school is an understudied context in SEL research, this session provides the opportunity to take deep dive into three innovative learning environments to reveal how social emotional learning is conceptualized and practiced. Data include in-depth case studies and a student survey (N = 380).

Sub Unit

• SIG-Social and Emotional Learning

Chair

• MarYam Hamedani, Stanford University

Papers

• Social Emotional Learning in High School: What We Can Learn and Why It Matters - MarYam Hamedani, Stanford University; Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford University

• What Is Social Emotional Learning in a Predominantly Latino School Committed to Social Justice? - Jacqueline Ancess, Teachers College, Columbia University; Bethany Lynn Rogers, College of Staten Island - CUNY

• Relationships, Reflection, and Perspective: Social Emotional Learning in the International School of the Americas - Brandy Quinn, Texas Christian University

• Social Emotional and Social Justice Learning in Fenway High School: Interactions and Considerations - Elisabeth Barnett, Teachers College, Columbia University; Jennifer E. Kim, Teachers College, Columbia University

Discussants

• Paul Goren, CASEL

• Linda Nathan, Boston Public Schools