Unboxing Social and Emotional Learning
We are a group of friends, educators, and scholars (but hopefully not the gate-keeping kind) who use podcasting to speak critically, honestly, and open-mindedly about the excitements and concerns we have about social and emotional learning (SEL). What happens when sociality and emotionality, two things that have always been a part of learning, become seen as measurable in a world of marketized and self-managed education? How can we bust SEL out of any boxed-in definitions, and how might we unpack its complexity? Join us in asking questions without easy answers and taking the time to peel back layers of education that are often left undisturbed.
Contact us at: unboxingselpodcast@gmail.com
Unboxing Social and Emotional Learning
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.