SEL and Social Crisis…Who and What is the Problem?

The sky is always falling! Or is it? SEL is often positioned as the response to a message of “society in crisis,” “children in crisis,” “schools in crisis,” or all of the above. In this message, SEL is usually framed as the solution, and sometimes in saviorist or surefire-cure ways. Building on Episode 1, we continue to unpack the social, political, and historical context behind SEL, considering how our deepest societal fears and desires can manifest in our educational practices. As educator-activists, we hold space for paradoxes, including the need for radical and immediate action toward social-ecological justice and the need for slow, patient, cyclical change.

Participants:

Melvin Chan, BSc, MA, York University

Brandon Edwards-Schuth, PhD, University of Oulu

Jinan El Sabbagh, PhD, Oklahoma State University

Emma McMain, PhD, Washington State University

Tonje Molyneux, MEd, MA, University of British Columbia

Facilitator: Emma McMain

Editor: Marc Koch

References:

Boler, M. (1999). Feeling power: Emotions and education. Routledge.

Stearns, C. (2019). Critiquing social and emotional learning: Psychodynamic and cultural perspectives. Lexington Books.