Session 1: Transformative Social Emotional Learning: Some Critical Reflections and Promising Directions

Presented by Dr. Robert Jagers

• We introduced transformative social and emotional learning (tSEL) to help organize the efforts of researchers and practitioners seeking to determine the relevance of social and emotional learning for pursuing educational equity and excellence. This talk is intended to share some of the scholarly grounding, ongoing efforts and future directions for research and practice on this form of SEL. I describe several lines of inquiry that highlight collaborative problem solving which encompasses competencies, relationships and experiences that support the development of informed, engaged citizens. I include our participation in field-building efforts like the Building Equitable Learning Environment (BELE) Network and the Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) Alliance. We view authentic family, school and community partnerships as essential to establishing and sustaining equitable learning environments. I outline our emergent work that is focused on research capacity building among youth and adults in diverse, under-served school communities so that they can effectively design, implement, and continuously improve systemic tSEL initiatives. I conclude with some recommendations for those interested in advancing educational equity such as addressing the need for developmental theory, utilizing place based action research and building cross-sector coalitions that can support and benefit from the healthy development of young people and adults.

Session 2: Nice is Not Enough: Transformative SEL and Moral Education for Social Justice

Presented by Dr. Larry Nucci

• This talk will draw from decades of research to address how social and emotional learning can be integrated into developmentally based moral education to promote students’ psychological well-being and capacities for social justice. The talk will draw from the speakers own direct knowledge of the early history of SEL and CASEL and the positive contribution of SEL to students’ mental health, while also addressing the limitations of early forms of SEL as merely promoting the development of “nice children” without empowering them to challenge social injustice. This promotion of basic “moral wellness” reflected both the underlying psychological assumptions of early SEL, and the political tactical choice to avoid controversy. The talk will then introduce a contemporary framework for understanding moral development that moves away from a focus upon developmental stages to fully account for moral complexity. The speaker will draw from over a decade of recent research with students in the Oakland public schools to illustrate how this new approach, referred to as Domain Based Moral Education (DBME), can be fully integrated with Transformative SEL and critical pedagogy to promote students’ emotional development, social knowledge, moral reasoning and discourse skills and empower them to be fully functioning citizens in a democratic society.

Session 3: Transformative Social Emotional Learning in Practice: Moving from Me To We

Presented by Mai Xi Lee & Tiffany Whelden

• Putting Transformative Social Emotional Learning (tSEL) requires an intentional practice of co-designing and co-constructing learning experiences that tether SEL to systems structures, policies, and practices. In this presentation, participants will learn about how tSEL is prioritized from state agencies to school sites across California, and how systems leaders are building their capacity to implement tSEL through a series of communities of practice. Additionally, participants will learn how school climate and culture can be transformed through the intentional practice of tSEL using professional development and curriculum design as key levers for change. Leaders will also share some early successes with implementation and some lessons learned for continuous improvement.