Preliminary Profiling Strategies Schools Use to Promote Social-Emotional Learner in and Outside of the Classroom

Background:

The commitment of schools to investing financial and human resources to develop and implement activities targeting different social-emotional competencies both in and outside the classroom is clear (Tyton Partners,2021). The impact of the disruption that school closures have had on the well-being of students has increased schools’ efforts to implement social-emotional programming (Zieher, et. al., 2021; Education Week, 2021). Social workers play a critical role in helping to design, implement and evaluate many of those efforts. While much of the literature addresses the implementation and evaluation of specific programs, little is known about how schools organize the variety of programs, interventions, and activities designed to promote students’ social-emotional development. This study provides a description of how schools are organizing activities both in and outside of the classroom to promote social competencies. This study addresses several questions: 1. What types of activities are schools implementing to promote specific social emotional competencies? 2. Are the various competencies being addressed across multiple tiers (i.e., tier I, II and III)? 3. Are activities occurring both in and outside of the classroom? 4. Are there consistent efforts to align multiple activities to address individual competencies?

Method:

Data from 165 public schools that used The Urban Assembly Resilient Scholars Program Portal’s during the 2021-2022 school year to inventory activities targeting the promotion of specific social-emotional competencies provided data for this study. During that period 2,000 activities were documented. Based on a content analysis the activities were coded. The codes identified the nature of the academic or non-academic strategy represented by the activity. For example, the use of collaborative learning approaches in the classroom or the establishment of an affinity group. The content analysis was aided by MonkeyLearn (MonkeyLearn, 2023), a Natural Language Processing program. Descriptive analyses to addressed to proposed research questions.

Results:

Twenty-six strategies were identified. On average, four different strategies were associated with a competency. The strategies were found both within and outside of the classroom. The establishment of clubs and affinity groups were typical strategies implemented outside of the classroom along with counseling. Those strategies consistent with role that school social workers play were predominantly represented, for example, facilitation of clubs, affinity groups, and counselling. Approximately 70% of the strategies were at Tier I, 20% were at Tier II, the remaining 10% were at Tier III. Strategies are being implemented within and outside of the classroom.

Discussion:

How schools are organized to address the social emotional develop needs of student’s is critical for well-being in and outside of the school setting. As social workers seek to contribute to school efforts in this area, they need to understand the various ways in which schools can and are organizing activities to promote social emotional development. This study provides provide information to had a sample of school are organizing to address this issue.