When social emotional learning (SEL) is embedded into music education, students learn the skills that will help them confront life’s complexities and challenges long after they leave the music classroom. Musical instruction and social emotional development can go hand-in-hand.
Save The Music Foundation, in partnership with the Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning, present a professional learning program specifically geared towards teaching music educators how to embed social emotional learning in the classroom. The free program titled Student Empowerment Through SEL in Music Education includes nine captivating webinars, an introduction to SEL video (watch below), and a practical reflection guide to help embed these ideas into teaching and learning. The program shows the importance of SEL in the music classroom and how SEL can be integrated into multiple art forms and subjects. All videos, materials, and resources are now available on demand.
This program will help music educators better understand how to elevate the lived experience, voices, and cultural assets of their students through the development of exemplary music education practices and approaches, designed to activate the SEL competencies of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making through the artistic processes of create, perform, respond, and connect. This program was announced on September 8, 2021 and continues to support educators with social emotional learning through music education.
The webinar series has concluded but its episodes and resources are accessible and available below and on demand. What does the future of SEL in music education look like? Read a reflection written by the ArtsEdSEL team, “Many Voices, Common Mission” published on June 15, 2022.
“Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.
SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy and just communities.” (CASEL, 2021)
How Music Supports Social Emotional Learning
Participating in music creates a strong foundation to support social emotional development through key student experiences met by the pillars of music education: Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting. Making music in school and in their communities gives young people the important opportunity to express themselves, collaborate with others, and build confidence through personal and shared creative experiences. Development of social skills, emotional intelligence, and even leadership can prosper from SEL in the music classroom. Music teachers can intentionally help students meet their social and emotional needs in addition to instructing musicianship skills. Music and social emotional learning are naturally linked and for students to be successful, educators must recognized and teach the whole child (Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music, Scott N. Edgar, 2020).
The reflection guide includes an introduction to social emotional learning, SEL framework, guiding principles, teacher and student reflection questions, and ideas for intentional, embedded and sustained implementation of SEL in your music classroom.
Benefits of SEL in the Music Classroom
Music IS social. Music IS emotional. Musical social emotional learning capitalizes on the power of music education to help students build the competencies of identity, belonging, and agency. SEL should facilitate a space for students to practice and explore core values, shared agreements, and student learning goals intentionally embedded into musical instruction. Social emotional learning in the music classroom helps students…
- collaborate with their peers to build positive relationships in a safe environment.
- practice empathy through engagement with different perspectives and musical traditions.
- connect with their emotions and reflect on their creative responses.
- gain a stronger sense of identity and belonging in their school.
- use their unique and special voice.
When done well, musical SEL should feel like great music teaching and learning. The following series and resources are intended to help teachers navigate and reflect on processes to deepen the connection between music, identity, belonging, and agency.
The following webinars feature expert guest speakers in discussions about unlocking the potential SEL has in the music classroom to deepen our connections with students in our classrooms, schools, and communities. View and download presentations and additional resources from the guest speakers in our resource folder.
All episodes are available to watch for free on demand. Each on demand video includes audio transcript, option for closed captioning, and the webinar’s live chat box. You may also choose to view and share the webinar series on YouTube.
Watch and share the complete webinar series for free on YouTube.
View materials from the webinar series in our attendee resource folder.
Receive emails about future professional learning opportunities.
EPISODE 1
September 13, 2021
“Connecting Music Education & Social Emotional Learning (SEL)”
Featuring Pamela R. Randall, Ed.D, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
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ArtsEdSEL Team: Bob Morrison, Dr. Scott Edgar, Dr. Yorel Lashley, & Kira Rizzuto
EPISODE 2
October 13, 2021
“Belonging & SEL in Music Education”
Featuring Alysia Lee & Darlene Machacon
Facilitated by Kira Rizzuto, Director of Programs & Partnerships at ArtsEdSEL
EPISODE 3
November 10, 2021
“SEL for Equity & Vitality Through Music Education”
Featuring Dr. Connie McKoy & Mickey Smith Jr.
Facilitated by Dr. Yorel Lashley, Director of Student Empowerment at ArtsEdSEL
EPISODE 4
December 8, 2021
“Supporting Neurodiversity, Through SEL & Music Education”
Featuring Dr. Alice Hammel, Dr. Eugenia Hernandez Ruiz, & Elise Hackl-Blumstein
Facilitated by Dr. Scott Edgar, Director of Practice & Research at ArtsEdSEL
EPISODE 5
January 12, 2022
“Culturally Relevant SEL Through Music Education”
Featuring Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings & Franklin Willis
Facilitated by Dr. Yorel Lashley, Director of Student Empowerment at ArtsEdSEL
EPISODE 6
February 9, 2022
“Embodying & Modeling SEL for Music Educators”
Featuring David Adams of The Urban Assembly & Adrienne Hill, a public education administrator
Facilitated by Kira Rizzuto, Director of Programs & Partnerships at ArtsEdSEL
EPISODE 7
March 9, 2022
“Reimagining the Orchestra Through SEL”
Featuring Jonathan Taylor Rush of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra & Isaac Sinnett of Ravinia
Facilitated by Dr. Scott Edgar, Director of Practice & Research at ArtsEdSEL
BONUS!
March 23, 2022
Live webinar from the 2022 Hybrid ASTA National Conference featuring Jonathan Taylor Rush, Isaac Sinnett, and Dr. Scott Edgar. Watch how an encore conversation of “Reimagining the Orchestra Through SEL” takes shape with the ASTA audience. Learn more about the American String Teachers Association (ASTA): astastrings.org
EPISODE 8
April 13, 2022
“Hip Hop for Student Empowerment Through SEL”
Featuring Dr. Tasha Iglesias, Sheikia “Purple Haze” Norris, & Michele Byrd-McPhee,
Facilitated by Dr. Yorel Lashley, Director of Student Empowerment at ArtsEdSEL
EPISODE 9
May 4, 2022
“Amplifying Student Agency Through SEL & Music Education”
Featuring Alysia Lee, Sheikia “Purple Haze” Norris, and Franklin Willis
Facilitated by Dr. Scott Edgar, Director of Practice & Research, and Bob Morrison, Executive Director, at ArtsEdSEL
FEEDBACK SURVEYS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATES ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR THIS SERIES.
The Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning is dedicated to illuminating the intersection between arts education and social emotional learning to facilitate the embedded, intentional, and sustained application of SEL-informed arts education. ArtsEdSEL is a program of Arts Ed NJ.
This work was made possible through the support of KKR Covid Response Fund, a sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.