The Value of Promoting Social and Emotional Learning in Elementary School Students

This dissertation will explore how to effectively promote social and emotional learning (SEL) in the elementary school classroom using art as a tool to enhance instruction in other subjects. As noted by art educator Viktor Lowenfeld and others, art helps children become aware of their surroundings and visualize things outside of their everyday experiences. Using art to demonstrate academic concepts also helps engage students in learning and promotes social and emotional growth, but many teachers lack instruction on how to effectively accomplish this goal (Brouillette, 2010; Farrington & Shewfelt, 2020; McCoy, 2016). The need to promote SEL has become even more important since the pandemic disrupted social development in the classroom (CASEL, 2020). The researcher intended to provide a Learning Activity Workbook (Learning Time Cultivating Social and Emotional Learning Activities) that would help elementary school teachers of all subjects to incorporate art into learning activities in a way that will promote students’ social and emotional growth. Potential Participants for the study were 200 K-5 teachers recruited through the Florida Department of Education. The first step was to conduct a Needs Assessment Survey to identify teachers’ needs regarding how to promote SEL in their students. From this group, the researcher hoped to enlist 20-25 participants who would use the Learning Activity Workbook (Learning Time Cultivating Social and Emotional Learning Activities) for two months and provide feedback on its effectiveness in a series of bi-weekly meetings. The desired outcome of the study was to help teachers engage their students in learning and to help students develop social and emotional skills while learning. Success was to be measured through a Pre-and Post-Survey of the participants who used the Learning Activity Workbook (Learning Time Cultivating Social and Emotional Learning Activities).