Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice: How Schools Make Sense of, and Act on, Educator Well-Being Data

• In Event: What We Learned Measuring Educator Well-Being During the 2021–2022 School Year: Social and Emotional Learning Assessment Science and Practice

Abstract

This study examines how school-based teams focused on SEL, use EWB survey data, accompanied by a set of online supports, to assess and address SOW’s experienced by educators in their schools. Objective. This study addresses two questions: How does a research-based, inquiry-driven tool help school teams make sense of and act upon their EWB survey data?; What conditions support an inquiry-driven approach to identifying and cultivating EWB in schools? The SOW includes teachers’ relationships with colleagues, leaders, students and families; their physical/emotional safety, and; time, resources, and policies (Floman, et al., 2020). Theoretical Foundation. Targeted supports to address EWB are effective when they address individual teacher needs and overall school climate (Maslach & Leiter, 2016). Yet few approaches offer ways to assess EWB with school-specific, survey-aligned, SOW resources to inform action plans that help cultivate deeper, sustained levels of social-emotional health. Individual and collective agency in schools facilitate change and help improve climate and culture (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009). By capturing the emotions teachers experience at work and assessing relationships with colleagues, supervisors, families, and students, schools have a deeper, more nuanced understanding of how SOW’s inform EWB. Method. Through an inquiry-based approach (Austin, 2021), teams reflect and act on their specific EWB data to answer these guiding questions: “What can I do?; What can we do?; What systems and structures do we need to support us?” A university-based, research/practice team used an EWB assessment tool aligned with nine SOW’s (Floman et al., 2020) to inform the design of an online EWB Playbook for schools. After teachers take the survey, school SEL teams read their data, and apply inquiry-based protocols/resources to develop focused action-plans to strengthen EWB. A pre/post EWB survey was administered to 171 teachers in five US schools in Fall, 2021 (84% response rate), and to 142 teachers in those same schools in Spring, 2022 (72% response rate) (Table 1) Researchers conducted up to four focus groups with each school SEL team throughout 2021/22 to understand how schools read their survey reports and used the Playbook. Schools experiencing stress asked for quick, tactical rather than systemic solutions. Results. SEL teams were reluctant to work through an inquiry process to analyze evidence and struggled to implement action plans. Experienced principals were more engaged in Playbook protocols than their less experienced counterparts, who cited competing demands. Teachers often exercised minimal voice in the decision-making process. Significance. This study is timely given the excessive stress and responsibilities experienced by teachers during the COVID pandemic and where they reported feeling “anxious, excited, fearful, overwhelmed and frustrated” (Brackett, et al., 2020). The stressors that contribute to EWB appear to contribute to school’ abilities to address well-being (Woo & Steiner, 2021). Survey data and targeted resources to address results provide schools a framework and common language with which to cultivate EWB systemically (Jones et al., 2019), and may encourage teacher voice and agency (Meador, 2018). New leaders who exhibit limited capacity to take on EWB work may need facilitated support (Shoho & Barnett, 2010).

Authors

• Jennifer A. Allen, Yale University
  Presenting Author

• Deb Sawch, Yale University
  Non-Presenting Author