I Just Feel Like Singing! The Inherent Qualities Of SEL In The Secondary Choral Classroom

Abstract

Social Emotional Learning or SEL is defined by The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as “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.” This paper seeks to explore the inherent existence of the Five SEL Competencies (The CASEL 5)—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making—in the modern secondary choral classroom, how to elevate them, and how the synergy between the content area and the SEL competencies can establish the classroom community as a “safe space” where social and emotional skills are taught alongside musical skills. A case study was used to contextualize CASEL’s five SEL competencies in the setting of a modern middle school classroom. The purpose of this exercise was to recognize and explore the inherent connections between the choral art that cultivate social and emotional skills in the context of choral pedagogy to determine how the choir classroom is well-positioned to be an environment where life-long social and emotional skills are fostered in addition to musical skills.