Educator Freedom Dreams: Humanizing Social and Emotional Learning Through Racial Justice

• In Event: Critical and Transformative Perspectives on SEL

Abstract

Social and emotional learning (SEL) has been identified as one approach to alleviate the stressors of systemic racism and a global pandemic; however, SEL is not enough. From a Critical Race Theory perspective, we conducted a survey (N=258) exploring educators’ perceptions of SEL, racial justice (RJ), and RJ in practice using a deductive approach to apply initial in-vivo codes followed by thematic analysis. Findings highlight that educators view SEL as a framework for humanity that must be antiracist. Educators stressed that RJ be embedded across the educational system, viewing both SEL and RJ as ongoing processes that center healing and humanity. Implications are discussed toward dismantling white supremacy structures in education through the co-creation of a humanizing SEL approach.

Authors

• Dena Simmons

• Jey Blodgett

• Meiko Lin, Loyola University Chicago

• Miriam Miller, The University of British Columbia

• Shauna Tominey