Date of Award

Summer 7-19-2020

Document Type

Education 590 Project

Degree Name

Master of Education

Department

Education

Department Chair or Program Director

Huffman, Jane

First Advisor

Epps, Beverly

Major or Concentration

Education

Abstract

Social and emotional learning is a key component to educating the whole child. Teachers today must try to intertwine the competencies into their classrooms. Teachers who possess their own social and emotional well-being are better equipped to help students make the appropriate, pro-social behavior choices which can enhance their performance and achievement. The goals of social and emotional learning include student ability to become self-aware individuals who are able to manage behaviors in social and interpersonal situations while making positive decisions within the community. In order for these goals to be met, teachers must model the social and emotional competencies within the classroom. Teachers who are better able to manage classrooms, create positive environments, and build relationships with students allow for student empowerment and learning.

The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of teacher social and emotional behaviors on student social and emotional behaviors, including the five social and emotional competencies. Teachers who have inadequate or nonexistent social and emotional competencies are being asked to teach social and emotional learning in their classrooms. The problem is teacher inadequacy in this realm may adversely affect student social and emotional learning. By interviewing secondary school students, the research found teacher pro-social and anti-social behaviors impact the students in their classrooms. The study found teacher inadequacies in social and emotional learning impact student social and emotional learning and work production negatively. These findings will help drive professional learning opportunities to better help teachers acknowledge their own social and emotional needs as well as those of their students.

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