Integrating Social-Emotional Learning into Music (Part 1

Shawna Longo Durban Avenue School, Hopatcong Borough Schools shawnalongo@gmail.com

“The relevant question is not if an arts practice will affect a social-emotional competency, but how that will happen and what arts educators can do to improve the odds that the impact is positive.” ~Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning Outcomes

With all that has been going on in our world throughout the past year, social and emotional learning (SEL) has never been more relevant and necessary within our classrooms. The integration of social and emotional learning with music (or, for that matter, any arts content) is a synergistic pairing. The term synergistic means the connecting of two or more parts that produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. When we integrate or connect social and emotional learning with music in our classes, we are able to impact our students more than either of those contents can do alone.

According to CASEL, these five goals can be combined to create three areas of focus: SELF, OTHERS, and DECISIONS. Let’s break down these three areas and the competencies that lie within each. There are two competencies that fall under the SELF-category: Self-Awareness and SelfManagement.

Self Awareness: • Identifying emotions • Linking thoughts and feelings • Integrating personal and social identities • Examining beliefs and biases • Self-confidence • Self-efficacy

Self-Management: • Stress management and coping skills • Self-discipline • Self-motivation • Goal setting • Planning and organizational skills • Collective agency

There are two competencies that fall under the OTHERS-category: Social Awareness and Relationship Skills.

Social Awareness: • Perspective-taking • Empathy • Respect for others • Acknoledging diverse social norms • Recognizing situational demands and opportunities • Social interdependence

SEL is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to: • Understand and manage emotions, • Set and achieve positive goals, • Feel and show empathy for others, • Establish and maintain positive relationships, and • Make responsible decisions.

You will notice that SEL not only applies to students but also adults. It is important to understand that if adults (teachers and administrators) are not comfortable with, understand, and intentionally practice and model SEL skills, they are less likely to effectively and successfully integrate activities within their classrooms (or buildings) that assist the students in practicing those skills and attitudes, as well as knowledge surrounding SEL.

Relationship Skills: • Effective communication • Social engagement • Relationship building • Teamwork • Cultural competency • Collaborative problem-solving

And last, one category falls under the DECISIONS-category: Responsible Decision Making.

Responsible Decision Making: • Identifying social problems • Evaluating • Reflecting • Ethical responsibility • Analyzing interpersonal and institutional impacts • Co-creating a sense of belonging

As you read these categories and their defining competencies, I hope that bells are going off in your head and you heard yourself saying, “Oh, music class already does that!” And, you are right. Music class does offer these skills, attitudes, and knowledge in an authentic way. But, as the teacher, we must be INTENTIONAL in how we approach and shine light on these connections between SEL and music.

The five SEL competencies of Self Awareness, Self Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision Making align perfectly with the artistic processes of Creating, Performing, Responding, and Connecting. These four artistic processes are the pillars of New Jersey’s 2020 revised Visual & Performing Arts Standards.

We, as music teachers, can intentionally embed SEL into practice within our classes through the following activities: • Reflective practice journals • Setting goals (individual and class/ensemble) • Continual re-evaluation of goals and progress • Analyze emotions/feelings as a performer and audience member • Communicate emotions/feelings through music • Collaborate with others • Make choices while creating/performing music

These activities align directly with the five CASEL competencies and will give you a great start on your way to intentionally embedding SEL into your music classroom.

An incredible resource created right here in New Jersey that is getting international attention is the www.selarts.org website and project. If you haven’t taken some time to peruse this website, I highly encourage you to carve out some time and do so, now! The website not only features a link to our revised standards, but also the matrix of connections between the four artistic processes and the SEL competencies. Please note that all NJ Visual & Performing Arts curriculums need to be revised to include the newly adopted standards AND the SEL Framework by September 2021. Here is an example of the intersection of CREATE with SELF AWARENESS:

Consolidated Enduring Understanding and Essential Questions: • EU – Creative ideas and inspiration can emerge from a variety of sources. Creativity is a life skill that can be developed. • EQ – How do artists generate creative ideas?

Self-Awareness Competencies (1 and 2): • Recognize one’s feelings and thoughts. • Recognize the impact of one’s feelings and thoughts on one’s own behavior. • Recognize ones personal traits, strengths and limitations.

Self-Awareness/Create Enduring Understanding: • EU: One’s feelings, thoughts, personal traits, strengths and challenges influence the creative process. • EU: Recognizing the impact of one’s feelings and thoughts on the creative process.

Self-Awareness/Create Essential Question: • EQ: How does the awareness of one’s strengths, challenges, feelings, and thoughts influence the generation of creative ideas?

The selarts.org website will also be providing lesson ideas for how teachers can effectively embed SEL into arts classes. If you’ve had a successful experience with SEL in music, I encourage you to submit your lesson plan to the website to share it with your colleagues.

I leave you with three very important words to live by when integrating SEL into your music classroom: EMBEDDED, INTENTIONAL, and SUSTAINED. You must intentionally embed social and emotional learning into your music class and sustain that practice. This isn’t just one lesson that “checks the box.” SEL needs to be an intentionally embedded practice that is sustained throughout the year within your music class.

www.selarts.org CASEL - www.casel.org SEL4NJ - https://sel4nj.org/ Music for All SEL Support Team - https://education.music forall.org/sel/ “Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music” book by Dr. Scott N. Edgar “Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music” student workbook by Dr. Scott N.

Edgar “The ABCs of My Feelings and Music” book by Scott and

Stephanie Edgar

Shawna E. Longo is the General Music (Music Technology) teacher and Arts Integration Specialist at Durban Avenue School, Hopatcong, NJ. She also serves as the Arts Integration & STEAM Specialist for TMI Education; Coach for The Institute for Arts Integration & STEAM; and an Ambassador/Consultant for Music First, Hal Leonard, and Jamstik. With 19+ years of teaching experience, Mrs. Longo holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC; a Master of Public Administration in Arts Administration from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ; Supervisor/Curriculum Director’s certification from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ; and certification as an Arts Integration Specialist (Level 1) as well as certification as an Arts Integration Leader (Level 2) from The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM. She is a clinician and consultant for music education, music technology, social emotional learning, arts integration, and STEAM. She is also a recipient of the 2021 Governor’s Educator of the Year for Durban Avenue School, 2019 Mike Kovins Ti:ME Music Technology Teacher of the Year, 2019 New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education, 2019 Teach Rock Star Teacher Award from The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, 2018 NJMEA Master Music Teacher Award, and 2016 Governor’s Educator of the Year for Hopatcong Middle School. Twitter: @shawnalongo

The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra is one of the world’s top youth orchestras. Under the direction of Maestro Louis Scaglione and guidance from prestigious faculty members, students from the tri-state area receive superior technical, musical, performance, and life skills instruction through PYO Music Institute’s six program divisions: Philadelphia Youth Orchestra for ages 15-21; Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra for ages 13-18; Young Musicians Debut Orchestra for ages 11-17; Bravo Brass for ages 12-21; Prysm Strings for ages 6-14; and Tune Up Philly - Orchestral Pathways Program, an after-school engagement program from 1st-8th grade students.

The PYO Music Institute hosts auditions throughout the year. For application forms, audition schedules and info visit online: pyomusic.org/audition

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