In Like Music to My Ears, Dwayne D. Williams shows how to use hip-hop cultural elements to develop social emotional learning (SEL) competencies, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.

These SEL competencies have been effective at increasing academic engagement and decreasing suspension rates among students who completed the program. Additionally, Williams provides evidence-based strategies practitioners can use to help students process traumatic events—and he shares stress reduction strategies that all students can use at any time.

In this curriculum, Williams provides
• A step-by-step map to creating hip-hop SEL groups—and how you can get your students to help you do it
• 18 lessons by Williams, all tested and shown to increase academic engagement
• 18 action-item agendas to bring hip-hop and trauma-informed lessons to life
• A simple, evidence-based tool students can use to monitor their progress
• Rap songs aligned with the 5 SEL competencies