ABSTRACT
Teacher competency is a vital part of the successful implementation of a school-wide SEL program. If classroom teachers are expected to implement Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs and state SEL standards with efficacy, proficiency cannot be assumed. To build an impactful SEL program, the "incorrect knowledge" that teachers, by virtue of being teachers, are SEL competent must be discarded. If schools provide teachers with a safe space to reflect on their SEL competency, they will be empowered to master the content they are expected to deliver. The role of the facilitator is of utmost importance for a successful Professional Development (PD) session, for it is her job to create an emotionally and physically safe space for learning to take place. Facilitators must be comfortable modelling the strategies during the PD session that they want their teachers to model in their classrooms, if they expect sustainable, school-wide implementation. The Educator Pre-/Post-Survey should also be included to help teachers monitor their own progress.
