Impact of Social Emotional Learning in an Urban Public Montessori School

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discover the impact a social-emotional learning program may have on an Upper Elementary Montessori Classroom. The study was motivated by the researcher’s experience of seeing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, online schooling and of local community unrest on the students. The design included first asking participants to take a survey for the purpose of obtaining baseline data on their emotion management and problemsolving skills. Next, the researcher implemented eight weeks of a social emotional established curriculum called, Second Step in an Upper Elementary Montessori classroom. Throughout the study, the researcher collected data on students’ struggles with solving problems independently with a basic quantitative instrument and using a qualitative narrative instrument. Finally at the close of the eight-week study, the students took a post-survey to determine if the program had an impact on the students’ ability to problem solve and manage their emotions. However, due to limitations of the study, the researcher could not draw specific conclusions yet the study did yield other benefits.