ABSTRACT
Transformative Social-Emotional Learning (TSEL) focuses on equity by understanding and embracing student culture, identity, agency, belonging, and engagement to support the development of social and emotional skills. Cultivating a positive classroom environment and school climate assists students in viewing their problems as things they can change and solve rather than viewing problems and conflict as part of who they are. Every student has the ability to make prosocial and positive choices, but it is the responsibility of the adults who support them to foster physically and psychologically safe spaces that enable them to do so. This chapter will serve as a foundational resource in increasing the understanding and capacity of teachers, administrators, and school-community partners to support marginalized students in today’s schools through TSEL. This chapter includes an overview of the TSEL literature, a discussion of TSEL implemented systematically across a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework, integrating data from multiple stakeholders to inform TSEL work in classrooms and schools, strategies in TSEL for classroom management and restorative justice, the connection between TSEL and classroom management.
