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Abstract

Understanding how social-emotional learning develops in middle level education is important for educators and parents as they work to guide youth toward healthy relationships and responsible citizenship. Many studies demonstrate that students who participate in theatre have shown greater emotional health and more capacity to move through conflict positively. This study asks if social-emotional learning through theatre education can still happen outside of a formal educational setting. This study is a mixed methods investigation of a week-long theatre camp in the summer for upper elementary and middle school youth. Four aspects of social emotional learning were studied: task articulation, self-regulation, peer relationships and confidence. The findings demonstrated relationships between the four aspects of social emotional learning studied and suggest that social-emotional learning may not need to be formal to be impactful for students’ development.

Author Bio

Emily E. Virtue, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of Educational Research and the director of the Educational Leadership doctoral program at Western Carolina University. Her research focuses primarily on pedagogical practices in higher education and in project-based learning contexts.

Lisa C Mann, Ed.D. completed her doctorate in the Educational Leadership program at Western Carolina University. She is also the Director of the Career Center at UNC Asheville, where her work and research focuses on the intersection of career development, assessment, and higher education outcomes.

Hannah Diener is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counselling at Western Carolina University. She is a Graduate Assistant for the Department of Human Services with a strong interest in counselling children and adolescents.

DOI

10.20429/cimle.2025.29106

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