Artistic SEL: Powerful Social and Emotional Learning Practices for Student Wellbeing

May 16, 1:00 pm ET

Join the team of The Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning (ArtsEdSEL) to explore how Artistic SEL intentionally embeds life skill development into artistic processes and practices in service of student empowerment - all with the goal of supporting artistic fluency, human development, wellbeing and mental health. Through tangible examples from arts practices and a range of professional learning engagements, learn how one organization builds the capacity of arts and non-arts educators to strengthen student identity, agency and belonging. Participants will experience the key tenets of Artistic SEL and the ArtsEdSEL’s approach to impactful implementation that is embedded, intentional and sustained.

While others are welcome to attend, this event is intended for members and education grantmakers.

There is no cost to attend this Grantmakers for Education program. Registration closes 15 minutes prior to the program time. By registering for this program, you agree to our Learning Environment Commitment. Thank you for your patience; we review each registration in advance.

About the Speakers

Dr. Scott Edgar
Co-director of Practice, Learning, and Research
ArtsEdSEL

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). Dr. Edgar prioritizes facilitating spaces where people can explore their identity, build a sense of belonging, and experience agency.

He is grateful for the many experiences he has had at Bowling Green State University (B.M.E.), University of Dayton, (M.S.), and the University of Michigan (Ph.D.) to learn from his mentors. He is Associate Professor 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 Co-Director of Practice, Learning, and Research for The Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning. Dr. Edgar is also a Music for All Educational Consultant, a Conn- Selmer Educational Clinician, and VH1 Save the Music Foundation Educational Consultant. Striving for work/life balance, he enjoys grilling, exercising, and spending time with his wife Steph and their son Nathan, and their rescue golden retriever, Aria.

Dr. Yorel Lashley
Co-director of Practice, Learning, and Research
ArtsEdSEL

Dr. Yorel Lashley is the Director of Arts in the Office of Professional Learning and Community Education at UW–Madison’s School of Education and Co-Director of Practice, Learning, and Research for the Center for Arts Education and Social and Emotional Learning.

He is a developmental psychologist interested in self-efficacy and social-emotional learning in arts, academic and integrated environments as well as the Founder/Director of Drum Power. Drum Power uses learning West African Traditional, Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Cuban percussion to help young people develop and practice social-emotional skills-discipline, community and leadership. The program has supported more than 3,900 young people from New York City, Denver and Madison, Wisconsin to date.

Wendy Liscow
Executive Director
Arts Ed NJ

Wendy Liscow is the Executive Director of Arts Ed NJ. During her 17-year tenure at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Wendy worked in Dodge’s Arts grantmaking area, then went on to lead Dodge’s Education and Technical Assistance programs. She has been a champion of the transformative power of arts education both for students and educators and is a committed advocate for more quality arts. She has led statewide initiatives advancing arts integration and culturally relevant and responsive practices, especially for students attending New Jersey’s most historically under-resourced school districts.

She led a team of arts education leaders to produce the New Jersey Arts Integration Think and Do Workbook. Additionally, she worked with researcher Dr. Deborah Ward to develop a series of collective arts education survey tools to measure key impact indicators, and an arts education data collection dashboard, and an evaluation training series, all with the goal of demonstrating the impact of arts education

Also, while at the foundation, Wendy developed sequential adult learning opportunities to help ensure nonprofit staff and boards deepen their organizational impact. Ms. Liscow is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory. After receiving her education degree from the University of Michigan, and prior to joining the foundation staff in 2003, Wendy worked for 25 years as a professional theatre administrator, director, dramaturg, and producer. She was associate artistic director, dramaturg, and resident director of George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick for 12 years, and then served as the director of programs and services for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance. She has served on many boards, advisory boards, and committees over the years, most recently on the Arts Education Partnership’s newly established Equity Committee, the Arts Education Impact group at Grantmakers for Education, Arts Ed Newark, Arts for Any Given Child Trenton, and the Newark STEAM coalition. She is a 2021 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement NJ Governor’s Award.

Kira Rizzuto
Director of Programs and Partnerships
ArtsEdSEL

Kira Rizzuto is the Director of Learning Programs at Arts Ed NJ and serves as Director of Programs and Partnerships for the Center for Arts Education and Social Emotional Learning. Since 2010 she has designed and facilitated professional learning workshops for numerous organizations and school districts.

Kira earned a BA in Social Science from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2014, she completed an MA in Art + Design Education at the University of the Arts. The focus of her research was visual thinking methods and the impact upon organizational learning. In the fall of 2015, she completed the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program for emerging leaders at the Institute for Ethical Leadership, Rutgers Business School. Kira’s belief in the transformative power of the arts can be traced back to a teaching artist who inspired her creative practice; decades later, those formative experiences continue to fuel her commitment to arts education.