Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1535219
I N G R I D V I L L E D A , a community school coordinator at 93rd Street Elementary in Los Angeles, knows firsthand how vital it is to provide emotional and social support for students. After returning from the pandemic, her school introduced calm rooms — designated spaces where students could self-regulate rather than being sent to the principal's office. "Our goal is for the calm room to be non- punitive," Villeda says. "It's based on kids' needs. And because it's been successful, teachers have now asked for calming corners in every classroom." The school also restructured recess built on student feedback. Previously, play areas restricted interactions among students from different classrooms, leading to frustration. In response, educators implemented free- play zones, allowing students to choose their own activities and interact more freely. These practices, rooted in transformative social-emotional learning (T-SEL), are taking place in classrooms across the country. They are some of ways educators are prioritizing wellness in their schools. CTA offers T-SEL trainings through its CADRE program; the 90-minute training is available to schools and local chapters by request and in addition to focusing on student needs, it examines educator wellness (see sidebar). What is Transformative SEL? Social-emotional learning has long been recognized as a powerful tool for student growth, teaching essential life skills such as self-awareness, emotional regulation and relationship building. However, as Meena Srinivasan, executive director of Transformative Educational Leadership, explains, T-SEL goes further. "For many years, social and emotional learning was considered race- and culture- neutral, but nothing is neutral in our country. And so, transformative-SEL takes traditional SEL a step further by explicitly addressing equity, power and belonging," says Srinivasan. She emphasizes that it helps build bridges across race, class, gender, age and learning needs to create "beloved" communities where everyone feels valued — especially marginalized communities. Villeda, for example, shares how, after surveying students and families, the school community learned that Black students and families didn't feel welcomed on campus. "So, we created a Black Parent Advisory Council and small student groups to ensure their voices were heard," Villeda says. The new parent and student groups now have an equal voice alongside others and play an active role in guiding school activities and addressing problems before they escalate. A deeper commitment to change Beyond the classroom, the movement for T-SEL is growing. Schools and districts across the country are integrating its principles into their frameworks. Srinivasan's work in Oakland years ago helped shape a national conversation about making SEL a tool for equity. "SEL can't just be framed as behavior management in under-resourced schools with predominantly students of color while being seen as a tool for well-being and leadership in wealthier ones. We must ensure that all students have access to transformative learning that empowers The Power of Transformative Social-Emotional Learning Educators are reshaping classrooms by fostering deeper relationships with students By Brenda Alvarez CTA's CADRE Program: T-SEL Training CTA's CADRE Pro- gram offers training in Transformative Social Emotional Learning. The training examines and addresses root causes of inequity to develop collaborative solutions that lead to personal, community and societal well-being. The training also allows you to explore your personal experi- ences with stress, as it's essential to manage stress to work effectively with students. Trainers share strategies for self-managing stress in both educators and students. To request a training at your school or local, visit cta.org/cadre or use this QR code: 44 cta.org Teaching & Learning