Principals' perceptions regarding SEL in religious and non-religious Jewish high schools in Israel (Hebrew)

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is defined within the educational field as the acquisition and application of a set of skills crucial for students' success in relationships, life, and employment. Despite the recognized importance of SEL, there is a paucity of research examining school principals' perceptions regarding its conceptualization and implementation. This qualitative study investigates the perceptions of 19 high school principals (from State/Secular and State-Religious education sectors in Israel) concerning SEL, and how the concept is manifested in their schools, while exploring variations based on their sectoral affiliation.

The research, based on semi-structured interviews, utilizes the theoretical framework of the "floating signifier" to analyze a global and ambiguous concept that acquires variable meanings in local contexts. Findings reveal that principals do not rely on a unified academic definition; rather, they instill the concept with meanings derived from their worldview and organizational context. The principals' perspectives could be organized across four primary categories: (1) the principals' stance on the SEL concept itself, (2) the goal of SEL (holistic versus focused on pedagogical objectives), (3) SEL implementation strategies, and (4) the perceived connection between SEL and Jewish culture.

A majority of principals interpret SEL as a re-labeling of existing practices, a process indicative of Sensemaking occurring through Retrospection. This leads to a broad spectrum of implementation strategies, often accompanied by reflections on the gap between the desire to implement and the actual capacity to do so. The inter-sectoral comparison highlights a significant divergence in cultural interpretation: Principals from State-Religious high schools found a profound connection between SEL and the values of Jewish tradition, perceiving alignment with the Torah and heritage. Conversely, principals from State/Secular high schools tended not to find direct relevance or presented a viewpoint that connects SEL to universal and civic values.

The study's main contribution lies in emphasizing the power of managerial and cultural interpretation in the adoption of global concepts. It theoretically validates the "floating signifier" model and suggests an implementation framework that allows for adaptation in a heterogeneous educational system rather than rigid fidelity.