Leading With All the Feels: Exploring the Perceptions of Middle School Administrators' Implementation of School-Wide Social-Emotional Learning Programming

Middle school administrators have multiple responsibilities that range from ensuring the safety and security of staff and students to overseeing the curriculum and instructional foci of their buildings. At the same time, middle school students are experiencing the early stages of adolescence. Because it is a complex time for students to navigate, it creates anxiety, a decline in academic achievement and motivation, and peer and academic pressures (London, 2022; Schlund, 2021). Middle school students have social-emotional needs that are not typically met in secondary schools, which means programming is not typically a part of the instructional day. This study examined the perceptions of middle school administrators as they implemented social-emotional programming in their schools – a practice not commonly found in most middle schools. Specifically, this study was guided by the following question: How do middle school administrators perceive the triumphs and challenges they face while implementing social-emotional programming/initiatives in their schools? A qualitative interview design with structured open-ended questions was used to gather the data. Purposeful sampling was used to select the study’s five participants, who were leaders of four Title I middle schools currently implementing the school-wide SEL program, Harmony, and could provide the best information about the research problem (Creswell & Poth, 2013; Patton, 2002; Suri, 2011). Data collection consisted of standardized open-ended interviews, which were conducted via Zoom for 60 to 90 minutes. The data was transcribed using the transcription tool on Zoom and were reviewed for accuracy before coding and data analysis began. The data were coded using a thematic analysis process, which was employed to identify patterns of themes within the interview data. Using MAXQDA software, the transcribed data was organized, and notes and memos were created based on the initial findings. Next, the codes were classified into themes, multiple reads of the transcript were completed, and the themes I created were assessed. Triangulation of the data, using both interview transcriptions and researcher notes, along with member checking, enhanced the credibility of the study’s findings. The consent process ensured the confidentiality of the participants, who were assigned pseudonyms, which helped maintain their privacy throughout the research process. The findings revealed that the administrators’ perception of the program's implementation was aligned with building positive relationships with staff, along with themes of collaboration to ensure fidelity, addressing the social-emotional needs of students, and reflecting on their leadership. The study participants were responsible for ensuring that the SEL program was implemented with fidelity, which required them to think creatively and provide teachers with additional support that would assist administrators with the implementation process. The participants, as they implemented the program school-wide, noticed a positive change in their students, which aligns with the notion that SEL programming is beneficial for middle school students. Future research will involve collecting data to demonstrate the benefits of the SEL program, specifically Harmony, the program featured in my study. However, the results of this study have the potential to initiate conversations about SEL programming tailored to middle school students that addresses not only their social and emotional needs but also focuses on equity and cultural responsiveness.