Social and emotional learning and resilience in Southeastern Europe: Educators’ cross-cultural perspectives

It has become clear in recent years that resilience is crucial for maintaining one’s own and others’ well-being in the face of the many expected and unexpected challenges in lives and careers. Educators are increasingly required to be resilient and promote resilience in their students to continue building capacities that improve their future, make them ready for the world of work and life, and maintain the well-being of all. The inclusion of social and emotional learning (SEL) in educational practices supports this aim and acts as a crucial nourishing component of resilience. In fact, teachers who have many SEL resources to address professional challenges become more resilient; and when they are aware of this, they are also able to transform the experience of their students by modelling resilient behaviors. In this paper, we will explore the understanding of resilience in the framework of SEL of 252 educators from Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Romania. The collected data are part of an international SEL research project involving more than 17 countries across the globe, which aims to explore educators’ perceptions of SEL skills and their impact on students’ career development. Results are discussed nationally and explained in relation to specific socio-cultural challenges. Moreover, in discussing the results transnationally, pedagogical suggestions are provided to help educators to develop materials and teaching activities that target SEL skills development.