Educational inequity for students in highly impacted urban schools in the United States remains a persistent challenge despite efforts to reshape teaching practices. This article argues for the inclusion of holistic qualities of novice teacher effectiveness, including how the social and emotional learning (SEL) of teachers contributes to the development of critically informed pedagogies for teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. Using data from 21 interviews with novice teachers, mentor teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders, we argue that the skills and dispositions for student SEL can be used to inform understanding and implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy for novice teachers.