Creating conditions for social-emotional learning: An ecological framework

ABSTRACT This article examines the ways in which racist structures negatively affect students’ social and emotional development and how social-emotional learning (SEL) may be a useful tool to push against racist structures to develop students socially and emotionally. We propose an ecological framework to examine how micro-, meso-, and macro-level structures influence students’ social and emotional development. Our framework is anchored on the juxtaposition of learning versus schooling. We examine what it means to practice SEL versus social-emotional schooling (SES). We argue learning is a holistic process contingent upon centering identity and community. Conversely, schooling is a process that seeks to conform students to ways of understanding that reify the status quo and hinder critical thinking. We identify the practices of SEL and SES by analyzing them at the classroom (micro), school building (meso), and school district level (macro). We argue all 3 levels must be leveraged to create the conditions conducive for SEL to permeate the school and disrupt racism in schools.