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Abstract

The onset of COVID-19 in March 2020 presented unprecedented disruption to the education systems across the globe. Given that school leaders were at the forefront of guiding schools during the tumultuous times, the purpose of this article is to highlight the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools and examine how school leaders addressed these challenges, particularly the lingering social-emotional disruptions the students and teachers are experiencing. This qualitative study utilized an online survey to collect the perspectives of South Texas school leaders on the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings are organized by: leadership experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic (lessons learned and critical practices), additional knowledge and skills (social-emotional well-being, resources to address social-emotional well-being, and parental engagement), and suggestions for preparation programs (students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) and teachers’ well-being). The scale of emerging pandemic-related challenges has left school leaders scrambling to seek innovative approaches to maintain a safe and orderly teaching and learning environment. Implementing SEL for students and educators seems to hold promise.

Keywords

school leadership school administrators COVID-19 pandemic leadership experiences social-emotional learning wellb-eing

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 resulted in an “urgent situation that required school leaders to take fast and decisive action” (Smith and Riley, 2012: 58), forcing them to employ particular leadership competencies and skills (e.g. Ahmed et al., 2020; Brelsford et al., 2020; Gurr, 2020; Gyang, 2020; Okilwa and Barnett, 2021). During these types of crises, school leaders must gather facts, implement contingency plans, act decisively, demonstrate concern and empathy, and constantly communicate (Smith and Riley, 2010). School leaders who can cope with ambiguity, be flexible and change direction, persist in the midst of uncertainty and take risks are more likely to successfully navigate these treacherous waters (Smith and Riley, 2010, 2012).

Although most school districts in the United States were fully open by the beginning of the 2021–22 school year, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, families, and educators have persisted. Students’ academic performance and behavior have suffered, as evidenced by falling achievement test scores, increased misconduct and chronic absenteeism, and heightened depression and social withdrawal (Dorn et al., 2021; Ferrin, 2021). Teacher retirement rates are climbing, staff absenteeism is rampant, and finding qualified substitute teachers is nearly impossible (Kuhfeld, Soland and Lewis, 2022; National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). Likewise, seasoned principals are retiring, leaving novice school leaders in charge of schools with a new and complex set of challenges (New Leaders, 2022).

The continuing emotional stress and exhaustion experienced by teachers and principals as well as students’ persistent emotional and behavioral problems (e.g. increased anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, isolation, and lethargy) present enormous challenges for school systems and campus leaders (Naff, Williams and Furman-Darby, 2022). While efforts to address the emotional well-being of school leaders and teachers are increasing (Mahfouz, King and Yahya, 2022; Sparks, 2023), far more attention is being devoted to developing students’ social-emotional competencies (Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, 2023; Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning, 2023; Shonkoff and Philips, 2000).

This article highlights the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by examining school leaders’ concerns and suggestions for addressing the lingering social-emotional disruptions they, students, and teachers are experiencing. The study reveals South Texas school leaders’ perceptions of the pandemic's effects on their own, teachers’, and students’ social-emotional well-being; the leadership knowledge and skills they desire to combat these social-emotional problems; and the ways professional development programs can better equip school leaders to obtain this relevant information and skillsets. The article begins with a literature review examining the pandemic's impact on educators’ and students’ social-emotional health and promising approaches to alleviate these effects. The study's methodology and findings are presented followed by a discussion of the results and conclusions emerging from the investigation.

Literature review

The upheaval and stress caused by the pandemic significantly affected educators’ and students’ social and emotional health. Not only has developing and maintaining social relationships deteriorated, but managing emotions and expressing empathy for other peoples’ needs also have regressed (Bergin et al., 2023). Educational practitioners and researchers make a distinction when describing adults’ and students’ social-emotional health. For adults (school leaders and teachers), the focus is on their emotional and physical well-being. When referring to students, their social-emotional learning (SEL) is of utmost importance, largely because school-aged children are being taught productive social and emotional behaviors (Committee for Children, 2023; EASEL, 2023; National University, 2023; Shonkoff and Philips, 2000). This review examines the social and emotional trauma experienced by school leaders, teachers, and students as well as strategies to improve their well-being and SEL.

Educators’ well-being

The stress and emotional exhaustion experienced by educators typically is higher than in many other professions (Montgomery and Rupp, 2005); however, the pandemic has exacerbated these effects. Consequently, school leaders and teachers around the world are experiencing increased workloads, lack of control, policy mandates, and conflicts with others, leading to heightened impatience, hopelessness, loneliness, and burnout (Mahfouz et al., 2022; Sogunro, 2012). Stress levels are at an all-time high—a vast majority of school leaders and teachers report feeling emotionally and physically exhausted (Robinson and Shakeshaft, 2016; Sogunro, 2012). An added complexity is that school leaders’ inability to cope with their own emotional self-care can negatively impact teachers’ well-being and classroom practices (Sparks, 2023).

Due to these rising social-emotional problems, greater attention is being devoted to helping principals and teachers bolster their emotional and physical well-being. School leaders report productive self-care strategies include physical exercise, relaxation techniques, professional help, and medical care (Sogunro, 2012). School districts are being encouraged to hire coaches and mentors to work with school leaders, establish policies aimed at addressing their self-care, and extend principals’ assignments (Mahfouz et al., 2022). A variety of professional development programs addressing school leaders’ and teachers’ well-being are surfacing. For instance, the University of Colorado at Denver offers a Pro-Social Leadership Certificate for practicing school leaders comprised of courses that review SEL frameworks, adults’ social-emotional well-being, and programs that improve and track students’ SEL in their schools (Mahfouz et al., 2022). In addition, school systems, such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, have engaged teachers and school leaders in extensive professional development focusing on transformational leadership, adult learning, and self-care (Nava et al., 2021). Finally, non-profit organizations, such as the Garrison Institute, have developed the Cultivating Awareness and Resiliency in Education (CARE) program aimed at relieving teachers’ and school leaders’ stress levels and improving their well-being (Jennings et al., 2011).

Students’ social-emotional learning

After returning to in-person learning, over 80% of USA schools report persistent problems with students’ SEL, especially misconduct and disrespect to staff. More than one-third of parents (and 40% of Hispanics and African Americans) worry about their children's social-emotional well-being, noting increased anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, isolation, and lethargy (Naff et al., 2022). As a result, an influx of SEL programs are being developed and implemented. Children who develop social-emotional skills and competences not only form relationships and friendships, resolve conflicts, and cope with anger and frustration, but also improve their academic performance (Ashdown and Bernard, 2012; Parlakian, 2003).

Most educators firmly believe SEL programs can improve student achievement, classroom engagement, student behavior, and school climate, especially when SEL program implementation is supported by district and campus leaders (Hamilton, Doss and Steiner, 2019). The groundswell of SEL programs is gaining momentum, fueled by the efforts of national organizations and policy makers. For instance, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning; and Ecological Approaches to Social Emotional Learning Lab provide evidence-based information to help teachers and school administrators select SEL programs to meet their individual needs and interests (Bergin et al., 2023; CASEL, 2023; EASEL, 2023). In addition, 18 states have introduced K-12 SEL standards and competencies and 26 states have developed written documents and websites to support SEL implementation (Shriver and Weissberg, 2020).

A host of activities and programs are being introduced in schools to address students’ growing SEL complications. Daily relaxation activities, including meditation, yoga, and mindfulness, can improve students’ ability to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and frustration and build their self-control, resilience, self-concept, and self-esteem (Waterford, 2019). Studies have demonstrated that when SEL programs are developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, empirically grounded, and supported with evidence-based resources, students’ emotional and behavioral development improves as well as their academic performance (Durlak, Weissberg and Dymnicki, 2011; Shriver and Weissberg, 2020; Taylor et al., 2017). Teachers’ professional development is most effective when programs help them develop positive relationships with students and colleagues, anticipate controversial topics that may arise (e.g. sexism, racism, homophobia), and clearly articulate and reinforce students’ behavioral expectations (Jones and Associates, 2021).

Methods

This qualitative study utilized an online survey to collect the perspectives of school leaders on the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey sought their perspectives on the effects of the pandemic on their social-emotional well-being, desired knowledge, and skills necessary to address the pandemic's challenges, and the ways professional development programs can better prepare school leaders. The survey specifically examined these three research questions:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, what have you learned about your and others’ well-being and what new practices have been implemented?

What additional knowledge and skills would you like to learn to help you lead more successfully during these challenging times?

How can professional preparation programs better equip aspiring and practicing school leaders to lead effectively during a crisis like the pandemic?
For the purpose of this article, the focus is on the overwhelming response from participants that raised concern for educator and student well-being. For instance, in response to survey question one (SQ1), 11 out of 11 participants spoke about their concern for well-being; while SQ2, 10 participants out of 11 addressed well-being; and finally, SQ3, 7 participants out of 11 mentioned well-being.

Participants

The survey was distributed to school leaders (i.e. principals, assistant/vice principals, and academic deans) across nine school districts, who were associated with the study's authors as participants in the department's leadership preparation program or as professional colleagues. The survey was sent to 59 school leaders and 11 responded (19% response rate). This low response rate could be explained by the challenging, fatiguing, and overwhelming times school leaders were experiencing during fall 2021. Of the 11 participants, five represented elementary school leadership, three middle school, and three high school.

Instrument and procedures

The three-question survey instrument was distributed using Google forms. Following a short description of the purpose of the study, the survey sought the respondent's name, years of campus leadership experience, and level of current campus administration (elementary, middle, high school). The three research questions were listed with ample space for school leaders to provide their responses. Google form surveys were initially distributed in November 2021, with a 2-week window to complete the survey. A follow-up message was sent to non-responders extending the response window for another three weeks.

Data analysis

Saldaña's (2013) qualitative analytical process was used for analyzing the responses. In the first stage of coding, each of the authors read through the survey and independently created codes that captured key ideas. In the second cycle of analysis, the authors met to compare and contrast their independent coding. Consequently, the discussion yielded clusters of first-level codes that were connected or related. This collaborative process is important as Saldana argues, “Multiple minds bring multiple ways of analyzing and interpreting the data…[that could] possibly generate new and richer codes” (p. 34). Finally, the authors agreed on similar clusters that eventually resulted in the creation of themes surrounding the concept of well-being that is the focus of this article. The next section elaborates these themes with illustrative quotes from the respondents.

Findings

This section presents the findings based on the analysis of the survey data from the 11 school administrators who participated, focusing on the three survey questions and specifically highlighting the school administrators’ perceptions on how the pandemic affected their own, teachers’, and students’ well-being. The results are organized by: importance of well-being, desired knowledge and skills for addressing social-emotional well-being, and suggestions for leadership development.

The importance of well-being

Our investigation provided opportunities for school leaders to recognize the challenges facing their staff, students, and families and reflect on their leadership experiences in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Excerpts from these school leaders’ reveal how the pandemic affected their, teachers’, and students’ social-emotional well-being, and the critical practices they implemented to address these persistent problems.

Lessons learned. Six of the school leaders highlighted the need to attend to their own personal self-care. One middle school administrator noted, “I have learned that maintaining my personal and mental health are far more important than burnout I put upon myself.” Self-care is critically important because “focus[ing] on everyone else's well-being before my own” (high school administrator), can have negative effects on school leaders, as noted by several respondents:
It is essential that I take care of myself physically and mentally in order to lead through this pandemic. (high school administrator)

I need to take care of myself better. (high school administrator)

Seven of the respondents acknowledged the pandemic's emotional toll on teachers and students. An elementary school administrator mentioned, “The approach I have more now than before is…everyone is going through something and I need to be open to staff's well-being. It has been tough…,” suggesting the need to become more flexible when plans did not go as intended. Four participants acknowledged the importance of having compassion or “grace” when making decisions:
I've had to give myself grace when things haven't exactly happened the way I wanted them to. (elementary school administrator)

I've learned to give (more) grace, both to myself and to my co-workers and all kids. (middle school administrator)
Four administrators also recognized the trauma students were experiencing that was affecting their classroom behavior. Lamenting the emotional and behavioral problems students exhibited were evident in these comments:
We knew coming back to 100% capacity would provide challenges to student engagement and behavioral expectations, what are affected by [their] social-emotional needs or deficits. (elementary school administrator)

Good kids are bucking regular social norms and we are seeing at least double the amount of disciplinary incidents and referrals than is normal this time of year. (middle school administrator)

COVID and virtual learning have created students with ‘escape strategies’ rather than ‘coping strategies’. (elementary school administrator)

Critical practices. The pandemic brought to the fore how teachers’ and students’ social-emotional well-being needed to be addressed promptly in order to deliver the core functions of schools—teaching and learning. A majority of the respondents mentioned strategies to cope with their own and others’ emotional turmoil as well as new collaborative approaches to improve instructional practices aimed at helping teachers address students’ emotional and behavioral difficulties. For instance, six of the school leaders acknowledged the need to address their own personal well-being—they understood they cannot lead without being emotionally healthy. Respondents gave themselves permission to attend to their social-emotional needs, as noted by these comments:
I have also found it essential that I take a true break from the campus by giving myself permission to “not” be principal 24/7. (high school administrator)

[I] try to go home at more reasonable hour…not staying till 7:30 or 8:00 pm to get my work done after everyone has gone home for the day. (elementary school administrator)

[I] schedule a timer for me to leave work and walk away at a reasonable time. (middle school administrator)

They also were intentional about spending time interacting with family members and engaging in activities that re-energized them and gave them pleasure:
[I] take a day off to play hookey with one of my teenagers, or meet my husband for a play date at a wine bar. (high school administrator)

I have inserted daily bike riding in the mornings. (high school administrator)

I have also been more purposeful in scheduling activities that bring me joy. (middle school administrator)

In addition, five of the respondents were more likely to implement activities and practices to address teachers’ slumping morale and well-being. They recognized that if teachers did not feel emotionally safe and secure, then they would not be at their best for their students. Several comments highlight specific ways to acknowledge teachers:
I include positive videos, quotes, selfcare challenges with my staff weekly to help promote a positive way of living. (elementary school administrator)

We have definitely implemented more cheer carts that we push around at random times throughout the year to show appreciation; more leeway is given in terms of lesson plans. (elementary school administrator)

Finally, four of the school leaders recognized the importance of supporting the instructional needs of teachers to address students’ behavioral problems. New approaches included:
[Our professional development focuses] on strategies for trying to close these learning gaps with accelerated instruction. (middle school administrator)

We are incorporating the counselors a LOT more than usual in disciplinary issues (which, to be honest, should have always been the case). (middle school administrator)
Finally, two school leaders sought collaborative approaches to support students’ social-emotional learning. These efforts include “partnering with an outside agency on ways to support students in trauma” (elementary school administrator) and implementing new ways of engaging with parents:
[When I was] at the high school last year, we implemented a program to reach out to parents of struggling students and schedule intervention meetings with the students, parents, teachers, counselors, and campus administrators. (middle school administrator)

Desired leadership knowledge and skills

School leaders stressed the need to increase their knowledge and skills about influencing students’ and teachers’ social-emotional health. Six of the respondents wanted to learn how to deal more effectively with the pandemic's continuing effects on students’ behavioral and emotional problems. Similarly, the emotional and personal welfare of teachers also troubled school leaders—four acknowledged the pandemic's toll on teachers’ mental health, morale, absenteeism, and motivation to continue the job. Noting the tremendous stress teachers were experiencing, several school leaders pointed out:
I’d like to learn new strategies to model for my teachers [and] look for other ways to support my teachers in order to promote their mental health. (elementary school administrator)

I need support in how to recruit and maintain teachers due to the pandemic. I have never led a year where we had so many vacancies and teachers quitting the profession due to the emotional stress of the pandemic. (elementary school administrator)
Resources to address social-emotional well-being. To address the social, emotional, and motivational challenges experienced by students and teachers, four of the school leaders identified specific programs as well as the types of knowledge and skills they wanted to learn. Some felt that learning about new student discipline strategies was critical, especially since “the books [on discipline] need to be re-written at this point” (middle school administrator). Others mentioned the need to help teachers blend social-emotional learning strategies with academic instruction, expand their instructional strategies dealing with students’ mental health and social development, and recognize the effects of trauma on students and teachers. Examples of these needs were revealed in these replies:
I also realize that social-emotional learning of students is equally important [as improving classroom instruction]. I have talked with some other school leaders who are focusing on student mental health and social-emotional well-being. (middle school administrator)

I would like to continue ways in supporting the behavioral and emotional support that staff and students need due to loss, grief, and trauma we are all experiencing. Resources [are needed] to continue learning how the brain works in dealing with trauma. (elementary school administrator)
Others mentioned the importance of understanding the relationship between classroom management and social-emotional development, as illustrated by this response:
As a school leader, I would like to look at [the] Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports [program] coupled with social-emotional learning training. (middle school administrator)

Suggestions for leadership development

Similar to their concerns about their professional learning needs, respondents believed leadership development programs for aspiring and practicing school leaders must devote more attention to how school leaders can become better equipped to address the social-emotional dimensions of learning, development, and teaching. As an elementary school administrator succinctly stated, “The days of being an instructional leader without [understanding] social emotional learning is no longer an option.”

Students’ SEL. Five of the respondents mentioned specific ways leadership development programs can address students’ SEL. Suggestions included incorporating curriculum focusing on educating the whole child, understanding the traumatic effects of the pandemic on students’ SEL, and expanding the expertise of school leadership teams to address students’ SEL. These comments illustrate the priorities they believed should drive future leadership development:
If programs are not [focusing] beyond academics, we will be doing an injustice to students. The trauma that everyone has experienced is going to be [occurring] in the future for quite some time. (elementary school administrator)

I think involving the counseling staff - how they can work hand-in-hand with administrators - would be effective learning. How to include counseling and/or counseling's role in administration would be a great addition. (middle school administrator)
Teachers’ well-being. The need for leadership development programs to assist school leaders to provide emotional support for teachers also surfaced. Four of the respondents suggested future school leaders must attend to teachers’ emotional needs, recognizing the necessity “to keep morale up … [and] ease the burdens/stressors of pandemic life” (elementary school administrator). Resources dealing with the emotional well-being of teachers were underscored in these responses:
I would appreciate a focus on… the well-being of students and staff. There are some great books that focus on instructional leadership by DeWitt that ties in instruction and SEL. Also, another great book is The Daily Leader. (elementary school administrator)

More [content] on educating the whole child, but also the whole teacher self. If teachers aren’t happy, then kids aren’t successful. (elementary school administrator)
Overall, these responses clearly revealed school leaders’ continuing concerns about the emotional effects of the pandemic on themselves, students, and teachers. They not only perceived students’ SEL needs often outweighed gaps in their academic performance, but also were troubled about their staff members’ well-being as well as the emotional toll they were experiencing. What was striking is the school leaders did not mention their own emotional well-being in their responses to questions 2 and 3.

Discussion

Lessons learned

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the educational systems and the functioning of schools at a level not seen in recent history. School leaders were thrust into unprecedented circumstances creating firsthand learning opportunities to lead in and through crisis (Drysdale and Gurr 2017; Mutch 2015; Okilwa and Barnett, 2021; Smith and Riley, 2010). Our results suggest that during the pandemic, school leaders were presented with multiple opportunities to reflect and act on their own social-emotional well-being and that of teachers and students. Most of the school leaders quickly realized the limit of their capacities to deal with the complexities of the moment, exacerbated by the pandemic. As one elementary school administrator said, “I have learned it's ok to not be in control and to give myself grace (I’m still struggling with that but [am] learning).”

This self-awareness or realization is an important first step in acknowledging and seeking personal well-being in order to support the social-emotional needs of others—teachers and students. It is consistent with the all too familiar advice given while flying, “put on your oxygen mask first before assisting others.” In other words, school leaders have to be well, healthy, first before leading and supporting others as acknowledged by one high school administrator in our study: “It is essential that I take care of myself physically and mentally in order to lead through this pandemic.” Burke (2021), puts it this way, well-being is “a journey of promoting and improving individuals’ mental health and conditions, so that they can contribute to the school communities’ overall wellbeing, and vice versa” (p. 8). Therefore, the well-being of school leaders stands at a critical intersection point for teachers’ and students’ well-being. Burke further notes, “Teachers’ and students’ wellbeing is interconnected and interdependent” (p. 10). Harding and colleagues (2019) confirmed the interconnectedness in their study with 3215 students and 1182 teachers in the UK, which indicated that when teachers expressed high levels of well-being, their students expressed similar outcomes as well. School leaders, therefore, have to be proactive in supporting teachers so that teachers can do same for students. In this current study, school leaders recognized and sought ways to support teachers: “I include positive videos, quotes, self-care challenges with my staff weekly to help promote a positive way of living” (elementary school administrator). School leaders are integral for the school to post an overall culture of wellness.

Desired knowledge and skills

While respondents indicated the personal toll they were experiencing during the pandemic and how they sought to increase their self-care, they did not suggest the knowledge needed for their own well-being or how preparation program could address this topic. Their responses almost exclusively focused on teachers and students. However, as stated earlier, the overall well-being of the school hinges on the well-being of the school leader hence the need for the leader to come to grips with ways to enhance their personal well-being. Emerging scholarship on this topic is beginning to highlight voices of school leaders regarding areas of growth to enhance their personal social-emotional well-being: work-life balance, intrapersonal skills, self-care, self-efficacy, assertiveness, crisis management, leading change, mentorship/coaching, etc. (Beisser et al., 2012; Burke and Dempsey, 2021; Hayes et al., 2022, Okilwa and Barnett, 2021; Okilwa et al., in press; Ray et al., 2020).

Furthermore, the school leaders acknowledged wanting to learn more about providing emotional and professional support for teachers. The growing trend of teachers leaving the profession is of great concern and consistent with the pandemic-related phenomenon known as the “great resignation,” “big quit,” or “great reshuffle” (Curtis, 2021; Fox, 2022a, 2022b; Gittleman, 2022), a situation heightened by the pandemic. Jones and Kahn (2017) suggest it is important, “to provide adults with adequate motivation and opportunities to develop and practice their own social and emotional skills, and to align SEL programming and content with the values, culture, needs, goals, and comfort-level of the adults delivering it” (p. 10). As voiced by these school leaders, SEL tailored specifically for educators could be part of a menu of approaches to combat the devastating pandemic effects on education.

Student behavior and discipline issues are known to be part of the schooling experience. However, considered as part of the pandemic effects, these school leaders expressed concern with the variety and magnitude of students’ disruptive behaviors. Consequently, school leaders, even seasoned ones, sought new programs and approaches to address these growing behavioral and discipline issues. Participation in SEL-related programs, such as the 4Rs Program, Leader in Me, Character First, Al's Pals, Responsive Classroom, and PATHS Program, is showing promise for positive academic, social, and emotional student outcomes (Bouffard et al., 2009; Durlak et al., 2011; Wallace, 2021).

Implications for leadership development and research

Leadership development programs. Given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, respondents felt leadership development programs for aspirants and practicing school leaders must provide additional content and skill development to address students’ and teachers’ social-emotional trauma. Although respondents did not focus on needed content and skills for their own well-being, burgeoning research is identifying areas preparation programs and district-based professional development should address: self-care, intrapersonal skills, work-life balance, crisis and change management, and mentorship/coaching (Beisser et al., 2012; Burke and Dempsey, 2021; DeMatthews et al., 2021; Hayes et al., 2022, Okilwa et al., in press; Ray et al., 2020).

As existing evidence indicates, educator preparation programs and professional development have previously overlooked educator and student well-being. Most recommendations to prepare and support SEL program implementation, however, center on teacher training and development, rather than on school administrators. Suggestions for teacher preparation include incorporating additional content (e.g. understanding child and adolescent social-emotional development) and introducing new learning activities (e.g. completing residencies in schools using high-quality SEL programs) (Schonert-Reichl, 2017; Schonert-Reichl et al., 2017). What, however, can be done to ensure current and future generations of school administrators are committed to supporting students’ SEL? As recommended for teacher training, additional content can be embedded in leadership preparation and professional development programs, such as ensuring desired social-emotional skills and competencies appear in the school vision, adding counselors to school leadership teams, evaluating teachers’ SEL skills and competencies, and locating proven SEL programs (New Leaders, 2022). Others recommend school leaders allocate adequate time for SEL program implementation, apply SEL skills and strategies outside the classroom (e.g. playground, home environment), allow staff to take ownership of the program, and use student performance and behavioral data to inform program adjustments (Jones and Associates, 2021). To reduce teachers’ stress, school leaders should listen to teachers to identify their sources of frustration and tension; nurture a climate of self-care; and learn more about trauma, as is being done in the Los Angeles Unified School District (Nava et al., 2021; Sparks, 2023). They also can invest in established programs, such as the Garrison Institute's CARE program (Jennings et al., 2011), to address teachers’ stress levels and well-being.

Research. A more robust research agenda focusing on educator well-being could include: (1) the effect of educator preparation and professional development, focused on well-being, on the longevity of educators in the profession or roles; (2) gender and racial/cultural differences in acknowledging the personal social-emotional well-being and the effect thereof; and (3) the role of context on the degree of social-emotional well-being. Furthermore, research over the past several decades has identified effective instructional leadership practices affecting academic achievement (e.g. Day et al., 2016; Hitt and Tucker, 2016; Leithwood et al., 2008); however, little empirical work reveals how principals positively impact students’ behavioral and social learning outcomes and teachers’ social-emotional well-being. Important issues worth investigating include how do: (1) school leaders promote and sustain effective SEL programs, (2) teachers benefit when implementing student SEL programs, and (3) graduates of teacher and administrator preparation programs exposed to SEL implementation support students’ and their own SEL when employed in schools (Schonert-Reichl et al., 2017). Researchers and practitioners can collaborate to conduct qualitative, mixed method, and experimental research to reveal promising interventions for addressing educator well-being and students’ behavioral and emotional needs (Naff et al., 2022; Schonert-Reichl et al., 2017).

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged and exposed the education system on multiple dimensions. School leaders, being at the forefront of trying to keep schools delivering on their vision and mission, created multiple learning opportunities, personally and professionally. Personally, they quickly recognized others’ and their own well-being was a major factor in leading during uncertain times. Acknowledging their own vulnerabilities positioned school leaders to empathize with the struggles of teachers, students, and parents. A positive byproduct of a shared experience of uncertainty was that these school leaders became better able to extend grace to themselves and others. A collaborative or shared approach to handling the unprecedented pandemic-related challenges was imperative. Leading alone was the antithesis of acknowledging self-well-being and attempting to lead during and following the pandemic.

The scale of emerging pandemic-related challenges, especially teachers’ high stress and declining morale and students’ increasing disruptive behaviors, has left school leaders scrambling to seek innovative approaches to maintain a safe and orderly teaching and learning environment. Implementing SEL for students and educators seems to hold promise. For students, there are benefits for their positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes; for educators, stress and burnout can be mitigated. The teaching profession is at a crossroad of the great resignation—something has to be done to stop the bleeding. Leadership preparation programs must join the efforts to prepare school leaders to confront the pandemic's effects. Future leaders enrolling in university preparation programs require experiences that are relevant, consistent, and match the increasingly complex school contexts in which they work.

Footnotes

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Nathern S. A. Okilwa

Author biographies

Nathern Okilwa, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Before joining the ranks of higher education, Okilwa's experience and commitment to education spans 13 years of teaching general and special education K12 settings across a variety of sociocultural contexts in Kenya and the U.S. Both professional and personal experiences have shaped Okilwa's scholarly interests and commitment to educational outcomes for disadvantaged or marginalized students. Some of Okilwa's areas of scholarly interest include educational access and equity for underserved students, educational policy, sociocultural influences, school leadership, and international organization of schooling.

Bruce Barnett, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Since 1980, Bruce has conducted and disseminated research, delivered professional development programs for practicing school administrators, coordinated and delivered university graduate programs in school leadership, and consulted with researchers and practitioners around the world. In the late 1990s, he became interested in international research and program development, co-authoring books on school improvement; researching mentoring and coaching programs; and presenting workshops in numerous counties.

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Dealing with the social-emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: School administrators’ leadership experiences in Texas,USA

Abstract

Keywords

Literature review

Educators’ well-being

Students’ social-emotional learning

Methods

Participants

Instrument and procedures

Data analysis

Findings

The importance of well-being

Desired leadership knowledge and skills

Suggestions for leadership development

Discussion

Lessons learned

Desired knowledge and skills

Implications for leadership development and research

Conclusions

Footnotes

Declaration of conflicting interests

Funding

ORCID iD

Author biographies

References