Music for Social Emotional Development

Being Well Regulated / Thrive vs Threat

About:

Many years ago I have had the great privilege to study with cellist and master music teacher, David Darling at his music for self expression seminar at the Omega Institute. Many of the participants at this seminar had little music background but were drawn to learning to make music.
In a relatively short amount of time (ofter the second day of the seminar), participants would sit in quartets or random players and instruments. With no written music or music music chart or any plan other than start in silence, and find a natural ending, plays who embark on a particular 5 min musical journey and play the most extraordinary pieces. They played music that would move you to tears or laughter or deep sense of affirmation.
What I came away from from this seminar is that making music is not so much about levels of skill but more about the state of the heart and our willingness to show up.

Principal:

Being well regulated show up as behaviors. Behaviors that are balanced, thoughful, orderly. These behavior are possible because of a person being in a particular state that then allows for positive behavior, caring social interactions, learning and creative thought. This balance state has to do with a physiological state of the autonomic nervous system- that is the mostly unconscious brain, endocrine system nervous and the heart are functioning.

More:

Being well regulated is about a state or continuity of state that allows a person to behave in their own best interest.

Well regulated students:

• feel safe, organized and relatively comfortable.
• are able to engage and get the most out of experience.
• experience and express appreciation and gratitude.
• show empathy for other students and to a reasonable level for a teacher.
• that are generally happy can content.
• when they are hurt or upset are able to get through it reasonably quickly.
• connections with others
• make friends
• follow reasonable directions.
• sit where they are asked to sit.
• pay attention to the assignment and current activity.
• ask questions when they don't understand something.
• can manage themselves for a while when the have to wait their turn.
• listen to their own body signals and know when they are hungery, thirsty, or need to use the toilet.
• assert themselves if they are being taken advantage of
• manage their physical space with others
• have interests, and involve and invest themselves in projects, games activities, play
• take a break when they need to

These behaviors are linked to and dependent on physiology.

A student who is generally cooperative and patient is in a particular physiologic state.

A student who is behaving recklessly, aggressively, avoidantly is in a particular physiologic state.

A student who is frequently impulsive, self centered and aggressive may suddenly show empathy, thoughfulness, and take effective actions. So behavior is not who the person is, it is about the state that they are in.

A theory which helps to explain these phenomena of states is the 'The Polyvagal Theory' developed by Stephen Porges PhD.
A very quick synopsis of the Polyvagal theory. Our autonomic nervous system, the system that runs much of the functioning of our bodies like: heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, how reved up we are or how mellow we are has different states, sort of like gears on a car. Certain states are good for some things but not for others.

This is relevant because in some states or gears, we are attentive, we see and hear the subtle messages people give each other. Some states we can think on many levels and put together complex understanding. In other states, we really don't hear much of what others say; we don't read the expressions on their faces accurately. We don't read our own body signals well. We don't know if we are hungary tired lonely. We may not even know if we are cut or bruised. In others states we barely notice the world at all.
By understanding and tracking what state a student is in, we can better respond to them. They can learn certain thing in some states that they can not learn in other states. As we can interact with them in ways that helps them be in the best state for the given situation.
The write up of various games, I will be pointing out how to use different games to address students state. Here is more information on the 'The Polyvagal Theory'.

Next:

Learn through Direct First Hand Experience

---