Contextualizing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in Qatar’s Education System

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) practices, which are activities and lessons focused on teaching students social and emotional regulation skills, are gaining popularity in education worldwide. They are meant to help students learn about themselves and their society. Research shows that emphasis on SEL sets students up for academic success and better life outcomes. However, they are often taught in isolation from the social and cultural lived emotional experiences of students. In order to create an effective SEL program in a local Qatari context, this thesis argues that SEL practices must be implemented through the contextualization of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma. The thesis also argues that in order to implement such a program in Qatar, there must first be institutional reform throughout the schooling process. This is important because Qatar has been on an educational reform journey for decades, moving from centralized to decentralized and back again to re-centralized forms of education processes; however, student motivation remains low. Through an intersectional feminist critical analysis of Qatar’s educational reform and existing ACEs and trauma-informed toolkits available to educators world-wide, this thesis makes suggestions for the adaptation and adoption of such toolkits in a local context, as well as provides suggestions for future research on the topic. Doing so will allow us to explore root causes of some of the issues faced in school environments.