The importance of socio-emotional learning (SEL) in shaping academic success and emotional well-being cannot be overstated. As educational systems around the world face rising levels of violence, emotional instability, and academic underachievement, this research explores the critical role of SEL in transforming learning environments. In South Africa, where socio-economic challenges and historical inequities hinder students’ emotional and cognitive development, SEL has emerged as a key strategy to mitigate disruptive behaviors and enhance student engagement. This study investigates the integration of SEL practices in Life Science (N=4) and Life Orientation (N=4) teachers in a South African secondary school and examines their impact on both cognitive achievement and emotional well-being. Teacher's range of emotions and perceptions affects a student's success and well-being, because teaching is a highly social and emotional exercise, linking practical education and emotional intelligence.

South African schools have long grappled with the widespread issue of violence, rowdy behavior and disruptive schooling environments, which impedes effective teaching and learning. In these schools, the culture is volatile and socio-emotionally charged, with students coming from diverse backgrounds such as divorced parents, abusive homes, and single-parent families, which affects their mental well-being and leads to aggressive behavior. This culture of violence disrupts productive learning environments and creates stressful work conditions for teachers. Due to South Africa's violent history, children often respond to difficulties aggressively, and inequality exacerbates mistrust and misunderstandings, leading to bullying, murder, arson, brawling, and damage to school property thus making schools unsafe. However, studies in SEL underscore that improved behaviour and higher cognitive skills are some of the favourable outcomes that emerge when socio-emotional practices are incorporated into the schooling system. A meta-analysis of over 200 SEL assessments involving more than 270,000 students showed that SEL programs, significantly enhance academic achievement alongside social and emotional benefits.

This ethnographic case study drew from Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, using teachers’ interviews, classroom observations data, and their students’ surveys, to explore how SEL influences students’ academic outcomes and mental health. Data were analysed thematically using five socio-emotional learning categories which are: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The findings reveal that teachers who consistently integrate SEL practices—such as daily check-ins, peer collaboration, and motivational activities—create supportive, safe environments that boost both student motivation and performance. Remarkably, SEL integration within Life Science, a traditionally content-heavy subject, showed significant improvements in students’ academic achievement, highlighting the potential of cross-curricular SEL integration. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of teachers’ emotional intelligence (EI) in successfully fostering these environments. With teachers facing burnout, job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion, training on SEL practices and wellbeing could also help teachers’ mental wellbeing and support teacher retention in schools.

Keywords: Socio-emotional practices, positive learning environment, cognitive achievement, emotional intelligence, safe schools, educational reform.