Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the role emotion plays in the process of learning and what beginning teachers identify as significant learning events from high school, and what context, environments, and emotions were associated with these learning experiences. Methodology. This study was designed in a descriptive and ex post facto manner and was both qualitative and quantitative. The population consisted of beginning teachers from two Southern California Beginning Support Teacher Assistance (BTSA) cluster areas in San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties. The procedures used to gather data were the frequency of responses and the chi-square. Findings. There is a significant difference between what individuals remember in positive and negative learning events. People who experience positive learning events remember life lessons and skills related to the lessons; however, those individuals who participate in negative learning events recall life lessons and not skills related to the lesson. Learning experiences that are positive and negative show similar findings. A variety of learning contexts and environments are seen in both positive and negative experiences. Teachers were most often identified as the person responsible for the learning in both positive and negative learning events. Conclusions and implications. Positive learning events are active, social, and meaningful, and support the learner emotionally. Negative learning events are disappointing, discouraging, and threatening to the learner. Learners in negative learning events do not remember the academic skills taught in the lesson. The teacher controls whether the learning is positive or negative. It is important to include training on current brain research and emotion in teacher training programs. School districts need to provide administrators and teachers with staff development on brain research and the importance of emotional safety.