SHAPING SCHOOL CLIMATE TO FOSTER SOCIOEMOTIONAL LEARNING: A THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL REVIEW

Abstract

School climate represents a context that can facilitate or hinder the development of intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies through safety, relationships, teaching and learning practices, as well as the organizational and cultural patterns of the school. Socio-emotional education and the development of competencies take place within real school conditions; therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine the operationalization of key domains and mechanisms linking school climate, teacher competencies, and student well-being. A review of relevant international and Croatian scientific literature provides an overview of previous research findings in the context of shaping school climate as one of the predictors of socio-emotional learning. The results indicate that a supportive classroom climate and socio-emotional activities mutually reinforce each other, highlighting the importance of considering the conditions in which the educational process occurs and how students perceive the classroom as a safe and pleasant environment for a comprehensive understanding of education. The best outcomes are achieved in an emotionally supportive climate shaped by the teacher, whereas an unsupportive climate leads to lower academic achievement and/or disrupted relationships.