MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS’ AND TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF INTEGRATING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING INTO CURRICULUM

Abstract

Abstract Scrutchin, Dorothy F., Middle School Students’ and Teachers’ Perceptions of Integrating Social and Emotional Learning Into Curriculum, Doctor of Education (Executive Educational Leadership), May, 2019, Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore middle school students’ and teachers’ perceptions of integrating social and emotional learning into curriculum. Researchers recognized the importance of delivering social and emotional learning skills in the classroom as the foundation for the formation of creating students who are caring individuals who will become respectful community members who believe in democratic principles. A social and emotional learning program was integrated into middle school curriculum using best practices of program implementation. Middle school students and teachers were participants selected from the study’s pool. The research design was framed around the social and emotional learning program being integrated into the classroom daily routine. The four primary research questions were used to collect data by interviewing and surveying participants in order to deduce themes that are developed through participants’ perceptions within the data analysis. Establishing trust, creating strong comfort levels, and understanding different points of view emerged as themes when analyzing data from the interviews and surveys. Determining the importance of focusing on implementation, using the five core competencies of social and emotional learning emerged as foundation to the program’s success. By conducting research focused on students’ and teachers’ perceptions of social and emotional learning, the ability to create a climate of positivity and comfort made the research site include social and emotional learning as a key component of skills curriculum. Students and teachers found value in recognizing behaviors that led to acceptable consequences and desirable rewards. KEY WORDS: Lifelong learning, Social and emotional learning, Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies, School climate, Character education