Exploring Teacher Social-Emotional Style: How It Relates to Classroom Climate and Work Stress

• In Event: Social Emotional Learning for Teacher Professionalism

Abstract

Teachers’ differentiated social-emotional competence styles were explored and validated using k-means clustering on three sets of data with over 600 participants. Teacher social-emotional style was evaluated by indicators of CLASS assessment scoring systems. Three styles were discovered. Supportive style teachers were with high social-emotional competence, whereas detached style teachers were low on social-emotional competence compared to their counterparts. Transitional style teachers were high on instructional efficiency and classroom control but low on relationship with students. Three styles’ teachers were examined on other variables including teacher self-efficacy, work stress, classroom climate, and beliefs on students. Supportive style teachers were higher on classroom climate and low on work stress. Professional development may be aimed at teachers with transitional and detached style.

Authors

• Shan Jiang, Baylor University

• Sara E. Tomek, Baylor University

• Lu Guo, Dallas Independent School District