Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Spring 2025
Abstract
There has been a rise in disruptive behaviors across the nation, negatively impacting teachers, students, and academic performance. Research suggests that daily social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction can enhance the quality of education by addressing these challenges. When educators adopt a whole-child approach, focusing not only on literacy and mathematics but also on emotional development, students are better equipped to navigate stressful situations and build resilience. This inquiry-based research explores the impact of daily SEL in the kindergarten classroom, specifically examining how ten minutes of daily SEL instruction affects executive functioning and the overall classroom environment. Results from this study indicated a decrease in off-task behaviors and an increase of students encouraging peers to self-regulate. Additionally, the classroom environment became more supportive as students developed empathy and compassion, strengthening teacher-student relationships and fostering a safe space for learning. Further research is needed to examine the broader impact of SEL across multiple classrooms and grade levels.