Social and Emotional Learning and Teacher Commitment Across the Career Span

• In Event: Roundtable Session 50
  In Roundtable Session: Considering Teachers’ Beliefs and Teachers’ Attitudes About Social and Emotional Learning: Correlates and Consequences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether teachers’ self-reports of intentional teaching of social and emotional learning skills in the classroom differentially predicted teacher commitment across the career span. The sample included 664 public schoolteachers from two provinces in Canada. Participants completed an online questionnaire about teacher commitment, social and emotional learning, and demographics. Participants were split into four groups based on career stage: less than 6 years, 6 to 10 years, 11 to 20 years, and greater than 20 years teaching experience. Binary logistic regression analyses showed that SEL teaching significantly predicted greater professional commitment within all four career stages, but not organizational commitment within any of the stages. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Authors

• Rebecca J. Collie, The University of British Columbia

• Jenna D. Shapka, The University of British Columbia