Ep. 83: Connecting the dots between SEL and music, with Scott Edgar, PhD

Image by genielutz from Pixabay 

February 23, 2021

The development of social emotional learning (SEL) skills is embedded and inherent in musical training. And yet there are many ways we as educators and parents can streamline this process through being intentional in how we integrate SEL and music. A global pandemic has made this integration exponentially vital, and has increased our awareness of social and emotional needs – and how they can affect other areas of our lives, whether we’re talking about mental health, immune function, or academic grades and performance. We discuss reasons music teachers are in a prime position to build students’ social and emotional skills; resources for parents and educators; and an exciting new venture that will launch in March 2021!

Scott Edgar, PhD

Guest

We’ve talked quite a bit about social emotional learning (SEL) on this show. In a recent episode about genius and music’s relationship to genius, Dr. Craig Wright pointed out the benefits of cross-training in the arts and sciences, and then combining things and connecting the dots.

My guest today is a leader in connecting the dots between SEL and music. Dr. Scott Edgar is the author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: The Heart of Teaching Music. He teaches graduate courses on the topic and is an internationally sought-after clinician. Dr. Edgar is currently Associate Professor of Music, Music Education Chair, and Director of Bands at Lake Forest College in IL.

Notes

  • Scott explains how he came to focus on and specialize in SEL and music.
  • We discuss reasons music teachers are in a prime position to build students’ social and emotional skills; resources for parents and educators; and an exciting new venture that will launch in March 2021!

Connect/Other Resources

In-Episode Promo

If you’re a regular listener of this show, you’ve probably heard me talk about my Rolflex Pro. It played a significant role in healing my repetitive use injuries; and I have continued to use it every day for years, both to prevent injuries – and because it feels so good! The Rolflex Pro is a foam roller tool with clam-shaped arms that provide leverage to adjust the pressure to whatever you like or can tolerate. I use it mainly on my arms and neck/shoulder area; but it can be used on any body part because of how it’s designed. I highly recommend it. As I mentioned, I’ve been using the Rolflex daily for years, and recently signed up as an affiliate; so you can help support the show – at no extra cost to you – by purchasing through this link. The Rolflex is eligible for reimbursement from Flexible Spending Accounts and HSAs; it’s also eligible for medical insurance reimbursement in certain situations. More information is on the Rolflex website. (Visit Ep. 80 show notes for a photo of my Rolflex Pro in my workout area in my basement.)

Coda

Scott shares a memorable moment of experiencing SEL learning through music when he was in high school!

Closing Words

Thanks so much to Scott for joining us today, and for all he does to enhance lives with music through all of his many projects, including his teaching, podcasting, and writing. Speaking of writing: his new book, Portraits of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning: Teaching Music with Heart, will be available soon. But you can download the book’s Table of Contents and Introduction free on the publisher’s website. Scott mentioned International SEL Day, which I didn’t know was a thing. But it is: The second annual International SEL Day is March 26, 2021. And that’s your fun fact for the day! I would love to hear how you connect the dots between music and social emotional learning! Let me know on email, social media, or my website; all links are in today’s show notes at mpetersonmusic.com/podcast/episode83. Thank you so much for joining me today. Until next week, may your life be enhanced with music.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of this site’s product links are affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for purchases made through these links. 

7 responses to “Ep. 83: Connecting the dots between SEL and music, with Scott Edgar, PhD”

  1. Trying to catch up on listening to the podcasts—-really loved this #83, Scott’s enthusiasm and ability to articulate all things true about SEL was over the top great—extremely interesting. Also enjoyed your personal interaction with him in style and tone plus your own understanding and applications for this subject. This podcast reminded me of how fortunate the music students of Mindy Peterson are—no bias on my part involved, 🙂 You are the epitome of SEL being lived out through the years.

Comment