SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND TEACHER WELL-BEING: A PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Teacher well-being is key to the effectiveness of social-emotional learning (SEL) in schools and is often perceived as a by-product instead of a core element of SEL. This chapter reviews the interplay between SEL and teacher psychological well-being, suggesting that teachers' own SEL is a necessary condition for SEL teaching, rather than simply a desired result. It draws on the Prosocial Classroom Model and the Job Demands-Resources model to illustrate how the emotional resources of teachers serve as a buffer to occupational stress and allow for teacher modelling of social-emotional skills. The chapter draws on the empirical literature across the world to highlight how teacher burnout, emotional labour and self-efficacy relate to systemic challenges such as overburdened workloads, lack of training, and a culture of suppressing personal needs for teachers. As these factors intersect, they reduce teachers' ability to remain emotionally present to truly implement SEL. Based on this, the chapter argues that sustainable SEL practice requires institutional support in the forms of teacher well-being interventions (mindfulness practices), teacher collegial support networks, and policy changes (workload, emotional labour recognition). Implications for teacher education, teacher leadership, and cross-cultural research are proposed.