Introduction to Ali Taylor
A Conversation on Integrating SEL Across Academics with our September 2024 Webinar Speaker Dr. Ali Taylor
Introduction
Ali Taylor, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Her research focuses on improving outcomes for students with disabilities in the P-12 school system. Specifically, she is interested in seeing improved behavioral outcomes for students with emotional and behavioral disorders.
Her research centers on practice-based opportunities to support pre-service teachers’ understanding of data-based decision-making. She implements experiential learning projects with her students, allowing them to gain practice administering, scoring, and analyzing data for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Individualized Education Programming.
Prior to teaching at Bellarmine, Dr. Taylor taught special education in the early childhood inclusive setting and self-contained emotional/behavioral unit for seven years in Indiana.
This Q&A complements the webinar featuring Dr. Taylor, available here.
In your experience, why is it critical to embed Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into the general education curriculum rather than treating it as a separate component?
It is essential because it provides time and space to teach the whole student. This holistic experience allows for the two (i.e., SEL and academics) to complement each other rather than being isolated.
Additionally, it allows students to be able to see the value: SEL becomes just as important as the general, core curriculum and, in this way, students see firsthand the real-world applications.
What's a lesson about leadership that you've learned or been reminded of recently?
A leadership lesson I’ve learned is to lead with appreciation not expectation. You have to acknowledge and highlight your team’s accomplishments no matter the size. One way I do this is by creating newsletters that break down what each staff member or student has contributed to an event or project. I make a point to be actively involved, supporting from the planning stages to the execution and final results. I capture these moments through pictures and videos to showcase the effort and dedication it took to achieve our goals. This helps everyone appreciate the various elements that went into making something successful. I’ve noticed that our leaders, both students and staff, respond more positively to future tasks and ideas when they see their efforts being acknowledged and appreciated in real time. I don’t assume tasks will just get done because it’s someone’s job; instead, I show appreciation for the hard work involved. It’s crucial for my team to feel valued and supported. Recognizing their efforts daily helps us build stronger relationships and achieve more together. This understanding and appreciation have been instrumental in fostering a collaborative and motivated environment. |
How does this integration impact both students and teachers?
For students, they are able to regulate their behaviors and deal with various emotions they encounter. This, in turn, allows them to engage more with the content, focus, and ultimately attain higher levels of academic success. They will be better prepared for life after graduation.
For teachers, I jump right to classroom management. There are many teachers, especially new or novice teachers that struggle with classroom management. SEL integration allows teachers to deepen student/teacher relationships, increasing the trust factor while helping them understand their students’ backgrounds and needs. Overall, this helps cut down on behavioral issues and allows for more effective teaching. When the classroom runs smoothly, there is increased job satisfaction.
Could you walk us through how general education teachers can effectively incorporate the CASEL 5 competencies into their lesson planning?
There are various ways general education teachers can incorporate the CASEL 5 into their lesson planning.
When I am lesson planning, I find it helpful to target one competency for a lesson. I like being able to intentionally plan and integrate SEL strategies to address that particular competency.
However, there is overlap between the CASEL 5, so it is okay to connect your lesson to multiple competencies. I start by thinking about key takeaways for the lesson. What SEL skills or concepts do I want my students to work on in this lesson? I find it helpful to include SEL learning target(s)/objective(s) and then examine student characteristics and the learning environment.
When thinking through the actual lesson, I include SEL teaching strategies. I have a list of easy to implement, general strategies that I refer to as my “go-to” list. These can easily be implemented in different subject areas. There are also other SEL strategies that are content-specific.
What might this look like in a typical lesson?
Perhaps you are teaching history and your lesson centers on civic dialogue. Your lesson integration might focus on social awareness; however, students need to have developed self-management skills to participate in respectful civic dialogue.
In this example, I would start class with a mood meter to gauge my students’ moods on the topic of focus for the dialogue. Then, I would remind them of the norms for civic dialogue and allow space for civic dialogue to occur. In doing so, I am integrating the content with the competencies of social awareness and self-management.
What are some common challenges or misconceptions educators face when trying to integrate SEL into their everyday teaching? How do you recommend navigating these challenges while maintaining academic rigor?
As a former teacher, I draw from my own experiences and those of in-service teachers I have observed over the years.
In the secondary setting, it seems the most common challenge is time constraints. When you only have a group of students in a class for a short period of time and academic instruction to get through, it can easily become overwhelming to also consider teaching SEL. A common misconception is SEL lessons need to be in addition to or separate from academic instruction.
This challenge can be navigated with intentionality in lesson planning and dedication to integrating SEL. Teachers must buy into SEL for students to buy in as well.
Another challenge could be lack of training. It is a misconception that SEL instruction is only for elementary students. SEL programming and training for teachers also need to occur in middle and secondary settings. This instruction is important for all students, no matter their age. There also exists the misconception SEL requires expertise in areas such as psychology or counseling. Teachers can easily learn and implement SEL strategies into their classrooms with no formal training.
Although professional development helps support SEL instruction, it is not a requirement to start integrating SEL into academic instruction.
You’ve developed an observation tool for administrators to assess SEL integration in classrooms. Can you share how this tool can be used effectively and what key indicators they should look for when observing SEL practices?
I spoke before about the need for teachers and students to “buy into” SEL instruction. This can be reinforced when there is a school-wide commitment to SEL instruction. As the head of the school, administrators can help classroom teachers effectively implement SEL into academic instruction.
The observation tool can be used as an informal way for an administrator to observe SEL integration into academic instruction. Ideally, the classroom teacher would complete the SEL lesson plan and submit it to their administrator before the lesson.
Once received, the administrator should first examine how SEL is integrated according to the lesson plan. Specifically, they should consider content knowledge, learning target(s)/objective(s), student characteristics, and the learning environment. During the teaching observation, the administrator should record observations, including specific examples of SEL integration. The observation should conclude with a meeting between the administrator and teacher to discuss overall feedback, focusing on strengths and areas for growth.
With increasing pressure on teachers to ensure students meet academic targets, how can SEL be integrated into lessons without sacrificing time dedicated to core academic subjects? Can you provide some examples of how SEL can actually enhance academic learning?
It is true. There are so many pressures teachers face ensuring students meet academic targets. This can be really overwhelming, and when thinking about SEL integration, it would be easy to think, “This is just another thing to add to my overwhelming responsibilities.”
While SEL integration can happen very easily, it should be intentionally planned beforehand. This integration can happen in different ways throughout the lesson: during assessment, during transitions and other routines, at the beginning/end of a lesson. In addition, any collaborative activities during the lesson can also target SEL. There are so many SEL strategies that can easily be integrated into the academic lesson without sacrificing time dedicated to core academic concepts.
As I mentioned, for me, the biggest gain is enhanced academic learning through focus and better engagement. When students are more engaged, they are more motivated to face academic challenges. The academic challenges we present to students can help them become stronger critical thinkers and problem-solvers. Overall, SEL can also help students with academic anxieties they face. We can teach coping strategies and help increase students’ belief in themselves. All of this promotes a better classroom environment.
As I mentioned, it is critical we go beyond teaching academic content. We need to embody the whole student approach by integrating SEL into academic content. When we do this, we will see successful students in thriving classrooms taught by educators who deeply care about their students’ well-being.
More from Ori Learning
