Teachers’ social and emotional competence: Links with social and emotional learning and positive workplace outcomes

Abstract

Social-emotional learning (SEL) involves curriculum that aims to teach students social-emotional competence (SEC) through capacities such as relationship skills and self-management skills. Although the research case for the benefits of SEL is gaining strength, this has overwhelmingly tended to focus on outcomes for students. Very little research has focused on teachers’ outcomes. The aim of this chapter is to consider the relevance of SEC and SEL implementation for teachers. To do this, a conceptual framework based on Jennings and Greenberg’s (Rev Educ Res 79:491-525, 2009) prosocial classroom model is introduced. The framework provides conceptual grounding for links between teachers’ SEC, their experiences of SEL programmes, and outcomes for teachers and students. Next, research on teachers’ SEC is discussed with reference to the impact of teachers’ SEC for teachers’ and students’ outcomes. Following this, the relevance of SEL for teachers is discussed by considering the important roles played by teachers’ beliefs about SEL, along with the impact that SEL programmes can have on teachers. To end, implications for practice, research, and theory that support the promotion of teachers’ SEC and the extension of research on SEL for teachers are discussed.