Social Emotional Learning and General Music Learning Revisited

Abstract

Unfortunately, 2025 feels like it has been littered with events that lead to a persistent sense of uncertainty for students, teachers, and their families. Emotions appear to perpetually run high, and divisiveness has reached epic proportions at both local and national levels. Today, like when I first began writing about the natural alignments between SEL and music education, we find ourselves living in what feels like an increasingly high-risk, uncomfortable new normal. As a result, I find myself wondering if a Social Emotional approach to music education continues to have value. Or are we just spinning our wheels with busywork that reduces our ability to teach music effectively? In this column, I revisit the value of an alignment between social emotional learning and music learning.