# data[].attributes.headline
Name: Christopher Beissel
EDUC 815
Winter 2019

# data[].attributes.subject
Name: Christopher Beissel
EDUC 815
Winter 2019

# data[].attributes.headline
High School Teacher Perceptions of Fostering Social-Emotional Learning in Students

# data[].attributes.subject
High School Teacher Perceptions of Fostering Social-Emotional Learning in Students

# data[].attributes.body
Currently, there is less information on SEL in high schools (the focus of my research) than there is on SEL in the elementary and middle school levels.

# data[].attributes.body
The prevalence of students who have experienced trauma or struggle with mental health needs is staggering.  According to The National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence, 41.2% of children were victims of physical assault within the last year, and 10.1% of the incidents caused physical injury (Ridgard et al., 2015).  Furthermore, 5.6% of children and adolescents have been victimized sexually, 13.8% have been subjected to neglect or physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, and 22.4% having witnessed an act of violence at home, at school, or in the community (Ridgard, et al., 2015).  Consider the implications of those numbers; nearly one half of all children have been a victim of physical assault within the past year.  At particular risk for exposure to violence are children from poverty or from racial or ethnic backgrounds.  The amount of students experiencing extremely stressful events or exposure to violence and victimization is so high that The National task Force on Children Exposed to Violence has described it as a national crisis (Martin et al., 2017).

# data[].attributes.body
·       Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) - the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

·       Trauma - a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.

·       Evidence-based practices - practices whose effectiveness are supported by research

·       Self-regulation - regulation without external influence

·       Neurocognitive skills - skills associated with the functioning of the brain

·       Executive function (EF) - a set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one's resources in order to achieve a goal.

# data[].attributes.body
1. What are high school teacher perceptions in relation to supporting social-emotional learning of students in their classroom?

2. What misconceptions exist from high school teachers about how trauma, mental health disorders, or social-emotional deficiencies present themselves in the classroom?

3. What evidence-based practices exist for supporting student academic achievement through universal or targeted SEL programs in high schools?

4. What training or support(s) do teachers require in order to create trauma-sensitive classrooms that support SEL and growth?

# data[].attributes.body
The increase in students experiencing mental health issues and trauma has presented significant challenges for educators. Terrasi & de Galarce indicate the importance for teachers to understand how emotional trauma impacts classroom behavior and learning: “Teachers who are unaware of the dynamics of complex trauma can easily mistake its manifestations as willful disobedience, defiance, or inattention, leading them to respond to it as though it were mere misbehavior (2017).  The most basic social and emotional needs of that student are not being met; therefore, it is logical that the student may not perform academically.  Further complicating the issue is that while teachers may recognize social-emotional barriers to student learning, they may not understand their role in supporting those needs in their classroom. However, SEL can help support students to achieve better in the classroom.  According to a meta-analysis conducted by Durlak et. al., students participating in universal, school-based SEL programs showed significantly more positive outcomes in six specific domains: social and emotional skills, attitudes towards self and others, positive social behavior, conduct problems, emotional distress, and academic performance (2011).

# data[].attributes.body
While SEL programs have been utilized in numerous schools, there remain questions about teacher roles and needs in supporting students within their classrooms.