Musical SEL intentionally embeds life skill development into musical processes and practices in service of student empowerment to enrich both musical fluency and human development. There is not one prescriptive way or technique to embed SEL into music education. This session will help guide educators to better understand their practice and how their classroom can be a space for rich social and emotional growth through music. Teachers will engage in learning experiences that facilitate a better understanding of their learning culture, develop routines and mindsets to organically build SEL competencies for their students, and build strategies that support student empowerment through the SEL Pillars of Identity, Belonging, and Agency.
Target Audience
All inservice and pre-service music educators
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Scott Edgar
Lake Forest College
Dr. Scott N. Edgar (he/him) has dedicated his career to highlighting the potential music education and educators have to build life skills students will utilize long after they leave the classroom. As a notable authority on music education and Social Emotional Learning, Dr. Edgar has emerged as the leading researcher, best-selling author, and internationally sought-after clinician on the subject. He is the author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music, The ABCs of My Feelings and Music (co-authored with his wife Stephanie), and editor of Portraits of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning (published through GIA Publications). He is Assoc. Prof. of Music, Chair of the Department of Music, and Director of Bands at Lake Forest College, Social Emotional Learning Editor for GIA Publications, and serves as Director of Practice and Research for The Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning.