Translating research into action: Leveraging educator expertise to adapt and improve SEL programming

Abstract

School staff implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) programs continue to face significant barriers, one of which includes limited confidence in delivering SEL. This paper describes how schools and school systems can mitigate some of these barriers by actively incorporating educator expertise into SEL programming. Elevating educator expertise in SEL can increase confidence, wellbeing, and willingness to flexibly utilize programming, factors that improve effective SEL implementation and impact students, staff, and learning environments. Using the example of TRAILS (Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students) Tier 1 SEL, a school- and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-based SEL program that offers K-12 programming, this paper describes how leveraging educator expertise before, during, and after content delivery through programmatic features and adaptations can increase educators’ confidence, reduce salient barriers, and enhance positive impacts for students. This paper also offers several practical strategies for schools and school systems for prioritizing and elevating teacher voice in SEL programming.