Option #1 Update:

Dorothy Espelage focused on bullying as a social-emotional issue that affects students’ ability to learn. For my own focus, I chose motivation, because it is one of the strongest social and emotional factors on how students perform. Motivation is built through self-efficacy, which is the belief that one can succeed, and through skills like goal setting, self-management, and persistence (Filgona et al., 2020). In addition, students who are motivated see challenges as something they can learn from, not just as failures. They see difficulties as opportunities to improve, and they are more willing to persist even when tasks are demanding.

Furthermore, Greenberg (2023) states that students in supportive learning environments with strong social-emotional programs demonstrate better attendance, higher engagement, and improved academic outcomes. Motivation is closely tied to a sense of purpose. If students understand why they are learning something and how it connects to their future goals, they are more engaged and committed. Hence, this proves that motivation depends not only on the individual but also on the social and emotional support they receive.

References:

Filgona, J., Sakiyo, J., Gwany, D. M., & Okoronka, A. U. (2020). Motivation in learning. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 10(4), 16–37. https://doi.org/10.9734/AJESS/2020/v10i430273

Greenberg, M. (2023, March 6). Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning in Schools. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/evidence-social-emotional-learning-schools-report