Collaborative Partnerships in Social-Emotional Learning: Promoting Rural Transitional Kindergarteners’ Social Emotional Development

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Social-Emotional Learning in Early Childhood Education (Table 7)

Abstract

This study explores collaborative partnerships in SEL practice using the multiple case study among 34 stakeholders in 7 California rural schools. Three major themes emerged from the descriptive thematic analysis: stakeholders’ roles, within-school collaboration, and family-school partnerships. Although both teachers and parents recognized creating community and teaching SEL as their roles, only parents shared their roles in supporting teachers by extending what is taught in the classroom outside school. Within school collaboration, leaders provide support in professional development, classroom management and SEL instruction and teacher well-being. Challenges included leaders’ lack of experience in early SEL practices, time constraints, and limited resources. Subthemes for the family-school partnerships include existing opportunities, stakeholders’ individual and system level barriers, and effective strategies.

Authors

• Xueqin Lin, University of California - Berkeley

• Ruizhe Xiong, University of California - Berkeley

• Chunyan Yang, University of Maryland

• Yangu Pan, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics