Congratulations to Teresa Letizia who on November 15, 2024, successfully defended her dissertation proposal. The title of Teresa’s dissertation is TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL–EMOTIONAL LEARNING IMPLEMENTATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: AN ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY APPROACH.
Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (EST), Teresa’s research will uncover how K-5 teachers navigate the multiple systems within EST—microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem—as they work to implement SEL curriculum. As students' mental health needs continue to rise, SEL initiatives have emerged as a vital educational approach, promoting student social emotional competences and well-being. However, the successful integration of SEL practices relies on teachers' experiences, insights, and the challenges they face effectively. Through semi-structured interviews with K–5 teachers from New York and Connecticut, this study will explore the successes and obstacles teachers encounter across educational contexts. Findings from this inquiry hope to inform educators and policy makers to enhance SEL practice, cultivate positive school climates and provide resources. By illuminating the complex interactions at play in implementation of SEL curricula, this study will underscore the essential role of teachers in fostering students’ social-emotional development within school settings.
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Susan V. Iverson
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Mary Coakley-Fields
Dr. Lynn Allen
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