Book Description

Social and emotional learning (SEL) in schools is becoming a major theme in the field of education. School administrators and teachers are acknowledging a need to response and support students' social and emotional learning/mental health growth along with their academics progress. Middle school adolescent students in grades six through eight are in a developmental stage during which there are changes in their physical, emotional and social development. School leaders that promote and provide their middle school students with the resources to work on interpersonal and social skills could be particularly beneficial and supportive to their ability to lead healthy lives. In this qualitative study, the author based the research on the purpose statement and research questions; the purpose of this research was to investigate the different strategies and prevention techniques that system leaders in middle schools currently use in the area of social emotional learning, cultural and mental health responsiveness in their schools and across their districts. Examining the implementation of the research strategies in the middle schools and district levels through the use of interviews of system leaders in the three to six schools and connect it to the qualitative comparative study. The objective of the current research was to address what SEL programs are used in the schools to help with social emotional learning and mental health needs of students. Specifically, the research intended to address the following questions: To what extent do certain middle school leadership practices produce a negative or positive school climate? To what extent do leadership practices promote social/emotional and mental health responsiveness? To what extent do superintendents support middle school leaders in their practice to promote social/emotional learning and mental health responsiveness? And To what extent do districts allow school leaders to utilize human and financial resources in a manner that best meets the needs of their schools and community? For this research, the use of the qualitative comparative case study served as the main methodology for this research. The use of interviews was conducted on six schools administrators only from New York City, Upstate New York and Long Island. Data was coded and examined by some of these themes: 1) Communication and Collaboration; 2) Trust; 3) Parent engagement; 4) Professional development. Data was collected through interviews of middle school administrators. Results of this research found that not all of the six middle schools in the distinct three demographic locations have school programs that implemented SEL programming. The findings revealed that the majority of those schools believe SEL to positively affect many facets of their school including academic success of the students, with a high regard for physical and emotional safety, and the relationship between the students and teachers engagement. Strategies the participating schools used to implement SEL programming were also discovered in this study. These consist of having created their own SEL program with the use of other SEL intervention program such as Brainpower, Single Shepard and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies). The need for implementation of SEL programs throughout the schools was found to be an essential missing piece. Results of this study also indicated allocating funds and sufficient time to SEL programming once it started. Yet another result of this research was the need for professional development for all staff working with students in understanding and knowing how to use SEL in the curriculum.