"Room for All of It": Disrupting the Practice of "Happy-Happy-Happy" in Social and Emotional Learning

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Two
  In Roundtable Session: Embracing Critical Discourse in Social and Emotional Learning (Table 16)

Abstract

There is a need for critical discussion on the underlying cultural values, emotional investments, and relational practices that shape and uphold social and emotional learning (SEL). In this study, six elementary-school teachers and myself gathered in a discourse community to collaboratively explore the affective-discursive practices that underpin SEL. This includes the practice of “hegemonic positivity,” which emphasizes calmness and emotion regulation. Through conversations about book chapters, articles, and lived experiences, teachers were encouraged to relate SEL to issues of social justice and reflexively explore how their own identities and experiences might be implicated in these issues. This study provides a critical (i.e., feminist and anti-racist) practice of engaging with SEL that may inspire change to educational practices and professional development.

Author

• Emma Minke McMain, University of Arkansas
  Presenting Author