ERIC Number: ED616280
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Aug
Pages: 46
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
How to Sell SEL: Parents and the Politics of Social-Emotional Learning
Tyner, Adam
Thomas B. Fordham Institute
Whether a response to lackluster academic gains in our nation's schools or longstanding beliefs about the wider purposes of schooling, social and emotional learning (SEL) has gained a massive following in education circles. Further, the mental health challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have strengthened the demand that schools do more to support students' social and emotional needs. Yet as educators embrace SEL as an essential part of a child's education, too little is known about how parents view it and the extent to which its terminology can be nebulous, obscure, and off-putting to some, particularly to parents who want schools to stick to basic academics. To better understand parents' take on SEL and to explore possible pitfalls in communicating with them about SEL and its place in schools, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute commissioned this nationally representative poll of 2,000 parents of children in grades K-12. Although it finds that parents overwhelmingly support the essence of SEL and recognize its rightful place in America's schools, some differences of opinion break along partisan lines. It also reveals genuine challenges in getting the terminology right. Ultimately, results from the survey can help educators, policymakers, and philanthropists gain parental support for their efforts. [Foreword written by Amber M. Northern and Michael J. Petrilli.]
Descriptors: Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health, Parent Attitudes, Elementary Secondary Education, Vocabulary, Political Affiliation, Family Role, Racial Differences, Ethnicity, Social Class, Religion, School Role, Skill Development, Teaching Methods, Values, Barriers, Educational Attainment, Parent Background
Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 1701 K Street NW Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20006. Tel: 202-223-5452; Fax: 202-223-9226; e-mail: thegadfly@fordhaminstitute.org; Web site: https://fordhaminstitute.org/
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative; Louis Calder Foundation
Authoring Institution: Thomas B. Fordham Institute; Thomas B. Fordham Foundation; YouGov
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A