Can music truly transform our lives and the world of education? Join us in a heartfelt conversation with our inspiring guest, Sean Gaillard, a school leader, author, and podcaster, as we uncover the powerful connection between music, wellness, and authentic leadership. With his vast experience in instructional leadership, school culture, and his love of music, Sean offers valuable insights that will resonate with anyone seeking personal growth and connection.
Explore the profound role of mentors, music, and leadership in shaping our lives as we dive into Sean's journey of self-discovery and growth. We also discuss how he uses his podcast to connect with fellow principals who may feel isolated and the incredible power of music as a universal language. Hear our favorite songs and the stories behind them, and be inspired to reflect on your own musical journey.
Discover the importance of being your authentic self in education and how that can lead to meaningful connections with others. By the end of this episode, you'll be reminded of the importance of family, community, and self-expression - the gifts and gems in this life. So tune in and let the music play as we embark on this enlightening and soulful journey together.
Episode Resources:
Can music truly transform our lives and the world of education? Join us in a heartfelt conversation with our inspiring guest, Sean Gaillard, a school leader, author, and podcaster, as we uncover the powerful connection between music, wellness, and authentic leadership. With his vast experience in instructional leadership, school culture, and his love of music, Sean offers valuable insights that will resonate with anyone seeking personal growth and connection.
Explore the profound role of mentors, music, and leadership in shaping our lives as we dive into Sean's journey of self-discovery and growth. We also discuss how he uses his podcast to connect with fellow principals who may feel isolated and the incredible power of music as a universal language. Hear our favorite songs and the stories behind them, and be inspired to reflect on your own musical journey.
Discover the importance of being your authentic self in education and how that can lead to meaningful connections with others. By the end of this episode, you'll be reminded of the importance of family, community, and self-expression - the gifts and gems in this life. So tune in and let the music play as we embark on this enlightening and soulful journey together.
Episode Resources:
Welcome to SEL in EDU.
Speaker 2:Where we discuss all things social and emotional in education. I'm Krista, I'm Craig and we are your host on this journey.
Speaker 1:This podcast is created in partnership with Pennsylvania ASCD.
Speaker 2:All right, sel at EDU family, we hope that it has been good to you the day, the energy, the weather, the meal, depending on where you are at this point when you hear us. We hope that the world has been treating you well, or you've been treating yourself well, because you are the gift. Krista. how are you doing? What is going on in your world today?
Speaker 1:I am doing fantastic. I've been checking in with my kids. My two that are in high school are heading to the prom this week. By the time this drops it will be past there, but my other is coming home. He and I are going to Nashville, tennessee, for a couple of days to check out some live music. I think that's fitting, because our guest today is a huge music lover. I have a feeling that a lot of what we talk about is going to be education, mixed in with some really good music band songs, yes. So I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks. We've got some good stuff planned. How are you?
Speaker 2:You know I'm holding up well in these streets. Anytime I could get up and this 40-plus year-old needs still keep working and I don't have to put an OWD 40 on them. I think it's a good and great time. I'm just saying So. You know, i have recently become part of the Noom family. For those who are trying to figure it out, just to keep my weight loss, you know fitness and wellness, because it's more than weight loss. It really is about behavioral change and things like that. So I'm really trying to incorporate some accountability tools and things that are going to help me with behavioral change, because wellness really is about what is happening in our minds first our hearts, and then our bodies hopefully will follow, and so I'll really do some deep work in that area. So it's been all right, we've been all right.
Speaker 1:I think I need to check out Noom. Our guest, who I'm not going to say who it is yet was giving the thumbs up And I think we're all kind of on that same page. Where I started working out in the last couple of weeks and I don't want to, a friend was like we just rust as we get older. I'm like I don't want to rust. Oh my gosh, i don't want to have to get new parts And I don't want to rust.
Speaker 1:I don't start getting good habits again. I used to work out. I don't get those again. I don't want it to be too late. So and I know our guest definitely agrees with us, and so I'm so excited to introduce our guest, our friend Sean Gaylord is here. He is a school leader, author and podcastor. You've probably heard of him our SEL, a need to you family. He is the author of the Pepper Effect. Can you guess what band? I'll give you a couple minutes to think what band he is a fan of And he has contributed to various books and composed articles on the topics ranging from instructional leadership, school culture and music. Sean hosts the Principal Liner Notes podcast and serves as the principal of the Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork. Sean founded the hashtag celebrate Monday movement and is working on a second book with Routledge. Oh, maybe we can get some inside scoop on this second book. But, sean, welcome, we are so happy to have you with us today. How are you doing?
Speaker 3:I'm doing well, krista and Craig, it's great to be here with you in this moment And real quickly. Craig, you mentioned Noom And I want to second that emotion little nod to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, because that and Noom, if you're listening hook Craig and I up with some sort of there's not a paid endorsement, but anyway It really has been. It is that accountability partner And it's also that kind of key for not only weight loss but just it's like you know they do the psych tricks and it's just good. It echoes, i think, a lot of y'all's work and what you do with SEL and balance and wellness and behavior and responding to yourself and responding to each other. So Noom has helped me on my journey just to be a better person. But you know everyone's going. What's with the Noom endorsement?
Speaker 3:I thought this was SEL and you but, anyway, I just I couldn't let that go without saying that because it really is. And for you, Krista, you know, the two weeks in just everything's a moment. You win that moment and then you'll, you know, you'll start, just keep at it, really, And you're giving a gift to yourself, not the gift of rust, Oh my God, because I'm 50 plus And, Craig, I know what you mean by the WD-40 on the knees and the joints, man. So, yeah, you know, when you get to my age you need like the WD-80. But but, anyway, that's, that's how I'm doing, Krista. That's answer your question, Sorry.
Speaker 1:And it is Thank you for that kind intro too.
Speaker 1:Of course. Of course It is all related to SEL, because I find that I am very much in my head. I love to sit and think and process and learn, but I forget to get up and move. And you know, i'm entering into the second half of my 40s and I'm like this is going to catch up with me if I don't start doing something now to establish those healthy habits. And I'll let you know, my legs are like it was a big legs day. My legs are feeling it, but it does feel good to know that I got up and I did something And so we're all morning workout people. I didn't think I would be, but I like knowing that by seven o'clock I've accomplished something for the day.
Speaker 3:So that's, do you find, krista and this helped me too early on And and and Craig, maybe you can attest to this as well But when, when you work out early in the morning and I get up super early, and you know, not only do I have that that physical space to do what I need to do, but I also find and you guys study the brain and study emotions But there's something, and again, that just kind of clicks or opens up the space in the brain for me, and that's where I get a lot of my ideas and and, and you know, jot down either an idea for a book or something that I'll tweet out, or even an idea for a podcast.
Speaker 3:But I find So that's the other thing kind of gets me going in the morning, like, ok, cool, i'm going to, if I work out and do, do, do this set, i know something's going to kick in, or I'm going to get a thought. So I either have to like, jot down something Usually I have sticky notes in my pocket I'm probably the only geek that that brings sticky notes to the gym Because I have to like jot down stuff or my friend Julie Hasson says I need to use the voice recorder, which I still can't figure out. But But yeah, i find that that that helps too. So so I know that you, you like to produce content. So you know, you never know, maybe a podcast idea will end, or an article idea or a presentation idea, and just Bring the sticky notes and jot it down, that'll that'll help. Once that starts kicking in, i'm sure it has already- Beyond the like.
Speaker 1:Am I going to die? Am I going to? he's going to collapse out from under me, am I like? I'm very. I have the self depreciating humor right. So there is there's like five of us at five thirty And there's somebody like a personal trainer who kind of goes around. It's a small group And so I try to like get him in between. You know the set. So that's kind of my goal, you know, to make people smile that fully in the morning. But I do think I'm gonna start ideating once I get into a routine.
Speaker 3:It's gonna happen And that's the gift that keeps on given. It's a great magic and synergy. So that's one of the gifts of that wellness And when you get to our vintage ages.
Speaker 1:Yes, love. And so, speaking of vintage ages and classics and synergy, i am really loving the Pepper Effect book, thank you, the way that you are weaving something that's really important and profound to you with education, another piece that's really important for you. It's just so well done And I think that it was published in 2018. And so I'm a little bit to the game, but I have a couple of questions that I've been pulling out here that I'd like to toss to you. So, at two different parts, in the beginning, you talked about George Martin. He was, i believe, the producer for the Beatles and was kind of a mentor for them, or was a mentor. They ran all of their songs past him and he would help. And then you talked about a spiritual and musical guru for George Harrison and how they served as catalysts for them, and so I'd like to know who served as a catalyst or a mentor or a guru for you in life, in education, both.
Speaker 3:Wow, that's a good thank you. Well, first of all, christa, thanks for reading and mentioning two great catalysts. You know George Martin, who is the Beatles producer, and if you, we've all heard his music and if you've heard the song in my life, that's George playing the piano, solo in the middle. He played a lot. He's kind of like the fifth beatler, considered to be the fifth beat in some circles. And then George Harrison, who was in the Beatles, his kind of musical mentor and mystical guru, spiritual guru. Robbie Shankar played the sitar.
Speaker 3:I find that the older I get, the more I hone in on mentors and helpers and teachers. And you know I'm we. As a principle, i am in the business of supporting teachers and helping establish belief And you know, often we think of, of those folks that have influenced us and inspired us. So for me, first and foremost, my mother and my father, my first teachers. I am very fortunate that both, both parents, are still with us and that they instilled in me, and still do, that I could do anything And that nothing was limited. I could do anything, i could be anything. And they, you know just that. Not only did I get love for them, but I learned the lesson of giving love, and my parents are very loving people and very altruistic people and very faithful people, so they gave me my faith.
Speaker 3:James, probably along those lines, my fifth grade teacher and I talk about her a lot when I talk about her in the book Mrs McMonical who who saw something in me that I did not see in myself and an open a world for me of music and literature that that I've never, i've never, forgotten, and you know so. And then and then I would. I would also say, you know, and she, she's probably my best mentor and my best friend and my closest advisor, that's my wife. You know, deb, she, she is the one that that I lean on. We lean on each other. She's also a teacher And and but she is, she is someone that that I look to for a lot of guidance and a lot of support. And then you know I know this podcast is limited, but but I'm real lucky that that I've learned a lot from the teachers. I've served A whole lot from the teachers I've served, and so I I lean on them too. So I'm, i'm, i'm very blessed, i'm very lucky that I've had some some kind of great bandmates That you know.
Speaker 3:Probably another one I mentioned, julie Hasson.
Speaker 3:You know, who is a great author, and I know you guys are connected to her And and, and we are connected through, you know, our work with AppState University, all of the folks that have been at my, my assistant principal, in some way shape or form, who are thought partners and gurus for me.
Speaker 3:So I I count myself very blessed And I always try to and I think it's important, you know, just not for my own SEL, but for anyone who's seeking SEL to kind of look for those gurus, look for those folks that that that are emanating some sort of guidance or something. Well, man, this guy, craig, he's saying some really cool things. I got to, i got to talk to him more. You know, takes a lot of courage too, right, but but tune into those folks. I think that's important, as all educators were constantly learning, were constantly growing, and the Beatles themselves, even though they were this great man, they still lean to and look for advisors and counselors and and and folks to bring out the best in them, as they brought out the best in each other as a band.
Speaker 2:I am really curious to the origin story of the your your podcast and just why. What made you decide to go with an integration of music and there's some mindfulness. There is some really great tips for leaders and principals and some of your own musing, So just kind of curious how you came to say you know what I want to share this with the world.
Speaker 3:Absolutely One of my SELs, besides getting up before the crack and dawn before the chickens is I don't know what string space assessment I took or whatever it is, but I kept coming up with Creator. By trade, i'm a high school English teacher who happens to be a principal. I play guitar, i write, i have to create, i have to put things out. The primary part of that podcast, craig, is connection. That's two parts. I'm using the podcast to connect with myself and to hone in on my core. I just happen to share that with everybody. So there are times and folks who really know me will listen to that podcast and go oh okay, i know what you're talking about, i know what you're referring to. Oh, you're going through something right now. So that's the first part, is I use the podcast to really connect with me. But then the other part of that too is being a principal. You're the only principal in the building. You're the only one, not even an assistant principal. You're the only principal Everybody has. If they're lucky, there's another second grade teacher and there may be another assistant principal. I know there's some exceptions to that rule, but principles there's a weight that's upon us that folks don't always understand, and I wanted to use the podcast as a way. Not only am I connecting with myself, but I wanted to connect with others, and so there's a directness to what I do. In the podcast I take a page from Mr Rogers where he was really focused and connected, like he felt like he was talking to you, and so I was looking, i'm always trying to connect with that principal that feels lonely, alienated, that's going through imposter syndrome, that is going through the stuff, and part of that bridge for me is music. Music is the universal, divine language that connects all of us And I really, when I, at some point in the course of our conversation today, i'm going to ask you, christa, what's on your turntable right now, craig, what's on your turntable right now? And not necessarily to be judged and go oh gosh, why are you listening to the monkeys, mr Craig? why are you listening to that or whatever? But music connects us And so, like I'm looking for so when I ask that question, when I talk about music, because we all have a song or an album or something that means something to us or evokes a memory. Man, what a great way to find common ground with somebody. What a great way to find a shared humanity or a shared experience.
Speaker 3:So in the Principal Liner Notes podcast it's again three parts. I'm connecting with me because I got to create, i got to get something out of my system As much as I've been known to kind of ramble on, which I'm kind of doing right now in faculty meetings, but I'm looking for, i got to get it out of my system. And then I want to connect with that lonely, alienated principal or school leader who doesn't feel like they fit in or who's tried and been to all the workshops and is still not and fallen flat. And I want them to know you're not alone. We can connect, we can be leaders together and we can get through this together And music is that bridge to connect us.
Speaker 3:So I always try to find some kind of meaning and what have you in the podcast So that and you don't necessarily have to be a principal listen to it either I mean it's, it's for everybody, it's. I mean we're all leaders, we're all, whether you're principal of your classroom or principal of your PLC or principal who's the principal of this podcast, by the way? I'm just messing.
Speaker 3:But yeah that's, that's all it is, and I'm grateful for folks listening and downloading and tuning in and and, and, and and lately, and very similar to what you all do. I like I bring guests on and and and try to, you know, and I use that to help amplify the voice of others, if I can, and to help So very much an internal dialogue, but it's also a collective dialogue in that podcast or music and amplify the voices of others, which I think all leaders were called to do. You know, that's, that's part of our gig.
Speaker 1:To me that just embodied social, emotional, learning, the intra personal pieces and then leveraging that to connect to the inter personal. And what is it that can connect us? And for me, music has always been a hugely important part of my life. My dad plays by ear. He can pick up any instrument and play, and my brothers also play. My sister and I did not get that skill set or we didn't hone it like we should have, but I remember being in the car and listening to eight tracks of the cars Nice, we went to every Friday night. My mom worked in an emergency room So my dad had us and he would pull out his guitar and sing, and so the one band that we all love is Pink Floyd. Like that was the one piece that brought us all together. But I remember John Denver songs and we'd go to my grandmother's house and watch the monkeys, and so you're like one of the only people I ever know who like would be. Like I love the monkeys. I'm like you can do.
Speaker 3:Same here. You just dropped a lot of great musical nuggets there. I mean Pink Floyd, i dark side of the moon What an epic album And even the one before it. Metal is so good And I love the kind of conceptual thread that weaves in between them And there's so much there, their music, john Denver man My mom played the greatest John Denver's greatest hits with a hat and him smiling in the field And that's a big. That's big with us here at home. My wife's a big John Denver fan And I remember being in a one band where we did the eagle and the hawk, which is a great song, and the monkeys let's you know if you you know, if you want to turn this into a monkey's podcast, let's do it. They are a legitimate band and they change the face of music and pop culture. So I said it unabashedly.
Speaker 1:And I second it, Craig, have you ever seen the TV show The Monkeys?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Okay good, okay good, i just want to make. Well, i was going to tell you it was okay if you didn't, but I really didn't want to do it. We can record it afterward.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i grew up in an era I think my, my mom and dad my dad surprises me because you could hear things from John Denver to Lou Rawls, to Blue, you know, bobby Bluebland. You got the Motown sound, i think, and my dad also had some not just funk, but he had rock. So we heard the Beatles and we heard Rolling Stones and Nice. I'm just you know, and so I'm like, where did you get all of that from? But he grew up in Mississippi and it is Orleans, which is a hearth. So it's like there's so many influences And from time to time I surprised myself and I'll play some things. People are like how do you know this? I'm like like John Denver and the monkeys round the same ramp And I learned, you know, i'm like, come on, why would I not know?
Speaker 3:So yeah, you just you just dropped Bobby Bluebland. That was the first blues concert I had ever seen. He played here in Winston-Salem, north Carolina, at a thing called Street Scene. I was 14 years old and he that blew my mind. I had never heard or seen music like that. You know when he's going, i've been in the food.
Speaker 2:I've been in the food looking at the people you know I mean that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, not not many people drop that name Craig. So that right on, right on.
Speaker 2:All right, you got all this tonality Like I need to come down to North Carolina just for the show. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I got the WD80, man Okay.
Speaker 2:Come through town, here we go.
Speaker 1:Give it to us. So let me ask if you had to pick a soundtrack for today's education, what couple songs might you pick Throw on there? Could you talk in your book about mix tapes And then you have a specific role for a mix tape in your book. But it got me thinking, like if we put a soundtrack to today's education And I know that's kind of putting you on the spot there, yeah, absolutely. I wonder what you'd put out there.
Speaker 3:So I'll mention just some quick first impressions that when you first said that, the song that first came to mind and it's sad that I'm gonna say this is Helpless by Crosby, stills, nash and Young And a lot of educators right now, having been through COVID and been through everything in the last three years And we are now still dealing with so many issues Band books, the otherism, the microaggressions, the attacks on teachers and teachers do I believe this? I don't think there's any teacher, educator, principal, i don't think there's anyone right now who gets up and says you know what? I'm gonna jack up the system today, i'm gonna jack up kids today. I don't believe that. I don't believe that for any moment. I don't think anyone has that intention. I'm gonna go in and I am going to be the and give the worst possible lesson and the worst possible class or whatever. I don't care what the belief, whatever it is, i don't the one thing that holds teachers together, all of us together. I don't think that's the intention.
Speaker 3:But sometimes, you know, we go in there and all these things are thrown at us, all these things are taken, all these things are piled on and we feel helpless, helpless, helpless. So the song too helpless if you, you know there's one way to look at it is it's a recognition of helplessness. There's a little bit of hope too. So I would say so, you know, i would also have to say too that not every day or every moment is a bad, helpless moment. So there are those moments as teachers where, you know, i would put on Johnny, the great, johnny Nash's I can see clearly now, you know, where we have these moments of euphoria, those teachable moments that are still there, where maybe not necessarily if it's us as the educator, seeing clearly and having that moment of joy, but just the moment of joy, whether it's from a leader standpoint or a student standpoint. So I would say that those moments are there.
Speaker 3:I always believe that there's hope, you know, and I know folks are going to hope is not a strategy. In fact somebody told me that the other day, and you know I rolled with it And then that's their point of view. But I do believe in hope. I do believe in believe Ted Lasso. And then, you know, i would also say too, a song that I play a lot. In fact I got it from my dad, introduced it to me The great Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.
Speaker 3:Wake up everybody, wake up teachers. Time to teach today, time to make a brand new day. You know, you know there's still that, that anthem that we all, you know, get us going, get us grooving, right, you know I, you know I. So I mean I, you know, again, we can do a whole mixtape. That actually would be a fun exercise. You know what, what? what is the mixtape? That would be kind of cool to do on social media And we can. You know, tag tag in SEL and EDU, or you know, hashtag, principal liners. If you were to make a mixtape for the current state of education right now, we could, we could curate some things. That would be, that would be a fun, fun mixtape And it would be a good way to build connection and for folks to to think about what are what are your three songs? you know I will. And then and then sometimes you got to put on the pink Floyd and just be comfortably numb, right, you know, because, hey, i'm on cruise control.
Speaker 1:Just, I need to survive.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Kids need to survive. Well, it's interesting because I've done with some of the work. We talk about SEL and music, And so I'll say list your top three favorite songs, Love it? Then why are they your favorite songs? And if you had to align them to a competency one of my SEL competencies which one would it be? And so then I start to create music based on a competency for myself, Not just mood matching and like do I need up energy or do I need to calm, But also like do I want to focus on social awareness or maybe some self-management? And I'm thinking about goal setting and how I'm responding and not reacting. And so it's neat to do that on a padlet too, because then people can upload videos and you can create something for a district or for a school. Gets used in sharing, you know, oh, I like this song too, but I had it in a different competency for this reason.
Speaker 3:Wow. And then what that does is it creates conversation. Conversation leads to action, action leads to synergy. What a great activity, krista. That would be great for like a faculty meeting or PLC or district, you know. And then, well, even if you pick the same song, wow, that's some empathy mapping building right there. That's fun, that's cool And that's the beauty of music I mean, that's a part of my work is if you can find that connection And you know it's an entry point to so many things right now. You know, go, i would encourage anyone listening. Go, start your next faculty meeting. Or whether you're a leader or not, you know whether you're in that role or not, it's okay to hey before we go. I just wondering what's your favorite song right now? Or kids, you know, what are you listening to right now? What's your favorite song?
Speaker 1:Yeah, my boys and I do that a lot. We swap music and so they'll text me things. Or when they're in the car they take control and they like all different types of things. But it's interesting to hear They're like don't focus on the lyrics of this one, but this is why I like this song right.
Speaker 3:My daughters tell me that too, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, This makes me think about like song association. My staff did a. There was a couple of leaders who decided to have, like, divide everybody into groups. They chose fruits is the way that they were going to organize people. People had to pick a car that had a fruit on it. Now it was their groups, and so you got a word and you had to come up with as many songs as you could that were connected to that word. So it could be in the song title, it could be in the lyrics, but you have finite amount of time to generate this And you had to, like sing some line or two out of it That included the word.
Speaker 2:And so here you have people who are cross generations or cross experiences all united about. You know, around this thing of like I need to come up with a song that I can share with everyone and then figuring out how do we get everyone to sing a song that has this word or whatnot. It was super fun. You saw the depth of people's experience in the process, of the kinds of songs that came up for them, and it was just a great time, and so I think it helped to create like a playlist of folks of like. This is what our playlist is around, or it's like love and reading. I don't think read was one, but you know there was some different things. That it was fun, it was cool.
Speaker 3:That's. I'm going to steal that from you. I'm going to use X faculty meeting because what a great entry point. And then to shift the energy right And a good way to model that. I mean, hey, this is it, cause I'm always hey. Getting meta in faculty means hey, what would this look like if you did this with third grade? Or what would this look like if you did this in your class? You know, i like that, i like that a lot. I mean again, music is that connecting force And it, it gosh. It just brings in so many connections to SEL and one's peace and balance. I love that, craig.
Speaker 2:And you know we look if that goes a long way. And I am curious what do you consider that at this time in your you know your day, what do you feel like is your superpower?
Speaker 3:Wow, i would say the ability to and I don't know if superpower I appreciate the image of a possibility there But I would say the ability to connect, you know, or finding that entry point to connect, you know, whether it is through music, whether it is through storytelling I'm a big storyteller, i love to tell stories And then, and then I, and then that connecting too is is, i would also say, just inviting hey, what are you? hey, come over here, what are you? we? you know, come on in here. We're talking about music, what do you? what do you think you know? Um, so I would say, connecting in some way. I like to do that And I feel, i hope that others appreciate that move as a way to help and invite and create a sense of belonging.
Speaker 1:One of the things that you mentioned in your book that I loved was that I think, in creating that sense of belonging, also honoring who's in the room And this is a quote that just when I walk into a schoolhouse, i believe that somewhere in the building is the next Steve Jobs or Frida Kahlo Yes, later on it's you know or the parents of, or the grandparents of, like there is so much potential, like just waiting to burst out into the world, and so how are we showing up and how are we connecting with and ensuring that it's a welcoming space for everybody so they can thrive? That really just resonated. And I know you said you were going to ask us what we were listening to, and I know you're always swapping around what you're listening to, so I'd love to know what is the current album that you're listening to, and I need to know what your favorite monkey song is.
Speaker 3:Okay, well, if I'm okay. So currently the album that I've been listening. There's two albums I've been listening to heavily, heavily, one being Chris Isaac's San Francisco Days, which just celebrated a 30th anniversary, and I have a great emotional attachment to that album. It's such a great, great, soulful album And I love his voice and I love how it was recorded. And then the second album that's been on heavy rotation I just did a podcast about this is Headquarters by the Monkeys, and it's their third album And it's their first album in which they got to play their own instruments And I see that album as being emblematic, which I talk about in the book making the impossible possible.
Speaker 3:And here's the four guys that came together. That shouldn't have been a band, but they had to become a band, you know, learn instruments and made great music and took something that was deemed to be impossible and possible And it took creative courage to do that. So those two albums and then my favorite monkey songs, number one, porpoise song from the from the, written by Carol King. Carol King, of course, the genius songwriting genius, said and wrote that masterpiece of an album, tapestry. And sure, a lot of it, a lot of their hits. I love that song a lot.
Speaker 3:That song probably gets played daily Love the Door into Summer. Mike Nazmuth sings on that. That's just a just a sublime, sublime song. And then probably and I have a good memory associated with it, a little bit me, a little bit you, because when we lived in Boston, the monkeys were performing a live concert in the Boston Common for free, and I just have this great memory of my wife and our oldest daughter at the time, who was maybe two or three, on her shoulders and they were dancing. It's just a great memory. So what's on your turntable, krista? What are your three favorite monkey songs?
Speaker 1:Yeah. So a little bit of I think, a little bit of you, a little bit of me. That's one of my top favorites. For some reason I love Pleasant Valley Sunday just because of I mean, i was a social studies teacher, right, so thinking about how everybody was lined up and the same in this facade it was happening. And I have to say my little kid self loves Daydream Believer. But I do have to share and, craig you might like, lately I've been really into two different areas. So I love Jacob Banks His voice is just like deep and soulful. And White Buffalo and John Moorland I'm really drawn to like the dark, like deep, raspy voice, and so they remind me very much of Chris Stapleton. But if you haven't heard Jacob Banks, he's phenomenal. I haven't.
Speaker 3:I'm going to check it out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and my son has been sending me the new Shine Down CD has some really great songs about humanity and change and treating people, and he just saw Muse in concert And so he sent me a bunch of their songs And so really just thinking about humanity and our connectedness and standing up for the rights of other people, so I've been listening to a lot of that at the same time. So nice. Kind of bouncing around. How about you, Craig?
Speaker 2:So one that I remember was I'm a believer, i think Neil Diamond wrote that, neil Diamond, yep. And so like I remember that And I'm trying to connect it because I don't know whether or not it was like played during the World's Fair in New Orleans, and I know that the World's Fair was only around for a few years because I was born in, i was more of an 80s baby, so I'm like I think that's where I heard it, nice, and that was my connection to it. But what is on my turntable right now is John Coltrane, love Supreme live in Seattle. Oh, yes, yeah. And so I remember I was in a class at Harvard and we were doing a reflection exercise And I think Psalms was played for us to reflect on, or might have been resolution.
Speaker 2:She might have went through, or the professor went through a couple of songs And I was like what is this? I had never heard of John Coltrane before. That And I the way I can get focused or do work, like if I need to write, do a project I'm not going to write a project, any project based, i can play that. Or I can play the photograph soundtrack, which was curated by Robert Glasper.
Speaker 3:Nice, coltrane man. Love Supreme, you want to talk about a warm up song, acknowledgement. I play that sometimes If I want to get, if I get to a certain place, acknowledgement, and that repeating bass line do, do, do, do, do, do, do, and then the chant man, and then it just yeah, that's a try that out as a warm up song man, and you will get in a groove. And then you know, carlos Santana and John McLaughlin covered Love Supreme and two electric guitarists. Just yeah, check that out, that's a deep album, man, that's a deep album. Love, devotion and Surrender is the name of the album. Okay, and that's another good one to work out to as well. I may do that tomorrow morning. But yeah, coltrane, a gift a. I don't have words, man, yeah, i have something to do.
Speaker 1:I need to catch up. No-transcript.
Speaker 2:Like I look I just got to get. I was like, let me check this out, Let me find, let me pull this off my spot My Spotify So and I mean Santana, is whole soldiers. Uh, I can't wait.
Speaker 3:Okay, yeah, you'll, yeah, and then, when they do, let us go into the house of the Lord. I'm telling you that that album we cover his name. Another Coltrane song Get ready, fusion Jazz. It is, it is, it is phenomenal.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, check it out.
Speaker 2:All right, now I'm ready.
Speaker 3:You know, christy, you mentioned you didn't, you didn't have any musical talent, but you must remember one of the great monkeys episodes, the devil and Peter Torque, where Peter sells his soul to the devil And Mike Nesmith defends him and he says that beautiful line if you love music, you can play music. And to me, you know that you want to talk about SEL and talk about renewing folks, and I'm not here, i'm not this, i'm an imposter. How did I get this class? Or how did I get this gig?
Speaker 3:Listen, if you love kids, if you love, if you love the content, you can, you, you, who, who, who? you know what teacher of the year's got it on you, you're the year, you know. You know what I'm saying. I mean that, that, that to me, again, it's an entry point and providing that, that, that renewal, think about, i mean again just that, that healing force, you know, and if it's and here's the thing for me, i share with folks if music is not your thing, that's okay. But what is your thing If your thing is, is antique typewriters, and you can make connections to that and that's your entry point to, to, to build meaning and to build relevance and to build connection. Do it, do it If your thing is out of tune.
Speaker 3:Mandolins, you know, played on mountain tops, that's your thing. Be you, be on a bastion. That because it, because that might not be somebody else's thing, but that's going to inspire a child or or another educator, go, man craves up there playing an out of tune mandolin on a mountaintop And he just goes to every mountaintop he can with a mandolin playing and he and that's his thing, and he and he connects it to our thing. What's my thing going to be? You know, part of part of the teaching and part of our SEL is being our authentic selves, being true to our authentic selves. And you know, we have so many bastardization notions of what a teacher is or what a principal is. Hollywood has done that, you know, and and and then we think, oh, i'm supposed to be like this teacher because I saw this person in the movie, or I'm supposed to be like, you know, mr Belding, on Saved by the Bell, little 80s reference there for you, craig, you know you know I'm supposed to be the principal, ed Rooney and Ferris Bueller's day off?
Speaker 3:No, no, that's somebody else's interpretation. Be who you are, be who your core is, and then don't be afraid to show it. It's hard, though, and I know it's easier said than done, especially if you're in a place where you don't feel psychologically safe. But we have things like SEL and EDU. We have things like the Principal Lighter Ones podcast, where there are educators out there that are trying to find connection and connect you to yourself and connect you to others, so that you can be that person that is impactful for others and yourself.
Speaker 3:So you know people who? I don't listen to music, i don't know music. I don't know what they're talking about. John Who, cole Cole, what Cole? Train Cole Carr, what is that? You know the monkeys? Oh man, they're not a band, you know, and that's okay, that's fine What's your thing And what's your thing that you're going to share and be passionate about and put out there. And it's hard, man. It's hard because, remember, we talked about the song Helpless, feeling Helpless, and it's hard. It's hard for me some days. I'm not always ready to do the Mr Music Guy or Mr Connection Guy. There's some days where I am in the rut, i am in the stuff. It's hard, it really is So when we have these kinds of conversations or connecting, or whatever you know. So we're human right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think I'm looking like for the title of this and one of the things you had talked about is you're in the band And when you are your authentic self, you're able to find it a lot. It kind of gives people permission to be who they are And then you get to make your band Like. You get to surround yourself with like-minded people that can, you know, lift you up when you're dragging behind or shine a spotlight when you're not giving yourself enough credit for the work that you've done. Yeah, you know, and we get to control that, and you mentioned that in your book too that what you can control is the sincerity of your interactions. Right, and we control. We can control how we interact with people, we can control who we spend our time with and who we get our energy from and keep our focus on the kids, and you mentioned that. That's it.
Speaker 3:If you could find common ground. I was in a conversation about this earlier today, about leveraging change and motivating folks to go to the next level, and I said, or I shared in this conversation with this thought partner listen, if we can at least agree upon or find the common ground, which is kids, we'll figure out the rest. We'll figure out the rest. And a lot of great bands and musicians. There are a lot of great bands. I won't name too many names, but you know they don't get along, they don't like each other, they hated each other.
Speaker 3:But, boy, we sure do love playing music together. We sure do love playing, playing a sweet sound together. Michael Nesmith and Peter Torque and the monkeys did not get along at all At all. Well, boy, we should make a great sound together when we play together. Wow, you know, let's find a way to work together. You know for the music, you know, and it's the same thing in education There's a lot of varying ideas and conflicting and divergent and convergent points of view And there's some tension. But, man, if we can, if we can just figure out what our common ground is, and maybe it's just asking them what's our common ground, what's our common ground here? You know, what is it? Kids? Okay, you're okay, i'm okay, let's, we'll figure out the rest. Yeah, i respect that, i respect you And that's that's. That's hard too, but what I think it's necessary, what's our common ground here? How can we know And how can we navigate in the space to find, to serve the common ground that we, that we want to support?
Speaker 1:Hmm, thank you. I have so many things I need to process and focus on So many gems.
Speaker 3:Well, thank you. This is just fun talking with you all.
Speaker 2:For those who are most inspired and can't wait to find you. What is the best way for them to get in contact with you?
Speaker 3:Well, there's a few ways. One through Twitter at SM Gaylord, or Instagram at SM Gaylord, facebook, sean Gaylord. They can also find my podcast through the hashtag principle liner notes, that's on Spotify and all the platforms that are there Always, always, you know, don't mind a direct message or an email at S Gaylord 84, at gmailcom or at a record store, you know that's, i'll be there, you know. And or the hashtag the pepper fact. That's another one too. You know so many, many, many ways to connect And I'm always happy for conversation or question or thought or way I can help and support.
Speaker 2:Wow, oh my, it's been such such a treat. Oh my, i already, you know, curated some things while we were talking. I just cannot wait to you know, if use my workout with someone as great music that you have shared today. So thank you so much, sean, for spending time with us and giving us so many gems and gifts and just being you. You are definitely a gift to our world.
Speaker 3:Oh man, thanks, Craig. That means a lot. I've enjoyed our time together, christa and Craig, and somehow we're not going to let this project go. We got to figure that out.
Speaker 3:We will hold each other to that And then, and then I now, now I have another I have to find an excuse to get to Pennsylvania, right? So I haven't been been in a few years since COVID, i think the last time I was at Isti in 2019. That was the last time I was in up that way, so I need, i need to get back there.
Speaker 1:Histi's up here again This June. Just said no.
Speaker 3:I know and I'm torn. I got to figure that out because I got a lot going on in June. I got not, I got to finish a book. And you guys got to know because I've listened to some of y'all's episodes You are so, so impactful and and the vibe and just seriously, keep, keep putting it out there, Keep doing this. We need this. You're filling buckets And, like I said, today I had a human moment. I said no, I'm getting ready to talk with Craig and Crystal later. You'll be all right. You'll be all right. Just keep thinking about that And I did.
Speaker 2:We're glad you joined us. All right well, sel and EDU family, it has been quite the hour We have been going, but when things get good, we keep on keeping on. So, sel and EDU family, we absolutely love and adore you. We just wanna continue to remind you that you are the gift, you are the gem, and we are so glad that we can add a little bit of joy to your day. So continue to hold you in yours tight and we will stand together in this wonderful SEL and EDU light. Y'all take care. Thank you very much for watching.