Teachers' and Students' Perceptions of Practices That Support Social-Emotional Learning Among Academically At-Risk High School Students

• In Event: Crown Plaza Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Social and Emotional Competence of At-Risk Children and Youth

Abstract

Although research shows that teachers play key roles in supporting social-emotional learning (SEL), less is known about the specific practices they engage to do so. In this paper, I describe the socially and emotionally supportive practices of teachers in an alternative high school from the perspective of both teachers and students. Seven domains of practices emerged as common SEL supports, including: fostering relationships, supporting academic success, setting goals/expectations, providing choice, teacher collaboration, communicating about academic progress, and modeling social-emotional competencies. I identify practices related to each domain, and illustrate them with examples. These findings have implications for teachers of at-risk students, as well as teacher educators and school leaders who aim to support and identify teachers who effectively support SEL.

Author

• Stacey L. Brockman, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor