9.11: Social and Emotional Climate
The social and emotional climate refers to the relationships between students, staff, administration, and family, that significantly influences the learning environment. Many schools have placed more emphasis on social-emotional learning (SEL), especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. A positive social and emotional climate supports learning, and the mental and physical health of students. Multiple factors are involved with creating a positive climate: including perceptions of safety, how the school addresses and prevents bullying, the skills students learn to deal with mental and emotional health (such as mindfulness practices) and the trust and rapport that teachers and administrators have with the students, their families, and the community. Combined with the physical environment (see below), a positive social and emotional climate can reduce absenteeism and behavioral issues for students, and improve job satisfaction for employees (CDC Healthy Schools, 2021, Hawkins et al., 2023).