Each Monday evening at 8PM EST, music teachers get together and share ideas about important topics within music education. It’s a great chance to interact directly with educators from all over the world and to get new tips and tricks to help you succeed in the classroom. The entire #musedchat discussion is organized and moderated by Joe Guarr.
Hi everyone - I'm happy to be guest moderating #musedchat tonight. I'm an orchestra teacher in the Chicago suburbs, but Michigan grown. Happy to be here!
A1: Creating a positive and supportive environment for all. I always say "this is a safe space to escape stressors and have fun making music." #musedchat
A1: Stress the importance of trying new things and experiencing things you may not have seen/heard before. The more you try, the broader your thinking is #musedchat
A1: Vocal music is so personal — it’s this imperative to create a culture of rapport. I ask a random “question of the day” to help create that culture — it makes all students feel more comfortable and on the same playing field going into what can be a anxious subject. #musedchat
My colleagues and I also constantly talk about our "band family", we want our students to spend time together outside of class, and to care for each other #musedchat
A1- I second what everyone has been saying. I want my classroom to be a place where everyone feels safe and respected. We are all part of the team! #musedchat
I often tell my students that when we are rehearsing, we are criticizing our performances, not our persons. I love your questions of the day idea. #musedchat
My colleagues and I consciously step into each others' classrooms and have friendly banter to show students how we enjoy each others' company. Such a fun time :) #musedchat
I met my husband at my first job and we got married two years ago. I was his feeder program. Kids from both our schools came to the church and after the wedding said the band family is now complete! #musedchat
A1: try to validate/acknowledge students' words and thoughts - even if they're wrong, acknowledge the effort or the "right path." When Ss are right, reinforce and connect to other thoughts and topic #musedchat
A1: I try my hardest to take the emphasis off of grades. While I believe they are important, and useful at times, they are not the end all be all and do not necessarily reflect ones ability to make, creative, be imaginative and connect to others through music #musedchat
Question number two: Do you consciously teach music that is considered more inclusive? Music reflective of non-white cultures, LGBTQ communities, etc.? What led you to this? #musedchat
I start every school year with the phrase "I don't care about grades". Students are often shocked! I follow up with "I care about you more as people, not as assessments." #musedchat
A2: If at all possible yes. It was not so much the fact that these composers were part of LGBTQ communities, it was because the music was good first. #musedchat
A2: I've lately been purposefully programming music of Latinx composers and cultures. I make it clear to students why I'm doing it. My Latinx students have been appreciative. #musedchat
A2: I teach in a very diverse district, I try to include the voices and cultures of my students. Always looking for input and guidance from other teachers and families #musedchat
A2.1: That being said I think programming music written by non-white cultures can be very inclusive because often times the stereotypical image for a "composer" is a dead white person. #musedchat
A1. One of the keys is to allow the students to be whoever they want to be. I have taught a couple transgender students in recent years. While they were exploring their gender identity I treated it like no big deal. I let them know they could be whoever they needed to #musedchat
A1: I'd say it comes down to respect. If the students see that you respect and care for them corporately and individually, they will be more likely seek to listen to your instruction as well as respect and include their fellow students. #musedchat
A2: YES. I'm in a rural school district, and it can be difficult for all Ss to understand that there is a lot of world out there (I grew up in a similar environment). Programming ethnic music especially & explaining the background does wonders for Ss' understanding. #musedchat
The grant I just wrote was for pieces by composers who are either 1) young 2) female 3) POC or 4) multiple of the above. I work in a smaller rural-ish community and wanted Ss to think outside their comfort zone #musedchat
I would encourage you to work hard to propose music to add to your festival list that is more diverse. I recently did this here in IL - it was much appreciated by my colleagues that I was the voice to offer the idea. Be brave! #musedchat
A2: yes, in fact, my colleagues and I discuss diversity in music every week (if not every day) and we make an effort to teach the underrepresented. Our classes are constantly being examined with "how can we add more diversity?" #musedchat
A2: I think that first and foremost good music is good music. That being said, there is a ton of great music by female, LGBT and multi-cultural composers. I try to incorporate at least one in each concert and give context! #musedchat
A1. My students know they are only judged on their contributions to music. Never their gender, races, sexuality, etc. We are a music family. Music and respect are all I ask from my students #musedchat
A1. My students know they are only judged on their contributions to music. Never their gender, races, sexuality, etc. We are a music family. Music and respect are all I ask from my students #musedchat
#musedchat Students benefit from people that look and speak like them. It shows them someone successful "like them." On the flip side, it shows students that someone *different from them* is successful too. The empathy runs both ways.
I'm lucky to have a before school chamber orchestra group that is conductor-less, and performs all alt-styles. Student directed. It's powerful. #musedchat
I molded it into what it is now...before my time, it was a "serious classical music" group. Now students own (almost) every aspect of it. Took some convincing at first, but it's paid off in dividends. #musedchat
A2. A few years ago we worked on Markowski’s City Trees. The piece was commissioned by the Gay & Lesbian Band Association. My students and I chatted in detail with Markowski via Skype about the messages he was trying to portray in the piece. Great experience #musedchat
A2: I think it is important to include music from different cultures in the classroom. Much like world travel expands your horizons, being exposed to different music gives students a different perspective. #musedchat
I make this part of my job. To teach people’s history through music. And bc we have a great diverse population, we celebrate the cultures within and their music. #musedchat
Question number two: Do you consciously teach music that is considered more inclusive? Music reflective of non-white cultures, LGBTQ communities, etc.? What led you to this? #musedchat
A2: I try to expose my students to a large variety of music, including jazz, hip-hop, gamelan music and kora music. This important because it not only exposes students to different musical styles, but also cultural values and traditions. #musedchat
A2: Context = important. It often isn't enough to just introduce musical sounds. The different cultural attitudes & viewpoints are important too. Otherwise, we're just exposing Ss to an abstract rather than something that helps memory and understanding #musedchat
A3. An interesting issue that came up this year was transgender students singing in choir. Some festivals still have all male and all female divisions. We didn’t end up competing in those festival but I wonder if anyone else has had this situation arise? #musedchat
A3: It hasn't come up for me yet. I think it's important to discuss aspects of a composer that are important in context of the music being played. #musedchat
Not a ton of conversation in my MS classroom. Students have a better support network building-wide once they get to the HS, so I think they feel more comfortable talking then. #musedchat
No. I live in a very liberal community in Canada. In fact our Xmas concert this year is a fundraiser for the local LGTBQ resource center. Everyone is very open minded. #musedchat
In my classroom, I find (ironically) that lately me talking about my boyfriend/partner has opened up avenues for LGBTQ discussions. I like to speak onley to create normalcy around a possibly charged topic. #musedchat
A2: i always try to incorporate alternative styles and touch of many cultures, etc. through my teaching. My Ss hopefully understand that Music is for everyone- truly universal.
#musedchat
I think that it's important to give Ss authentic context into the life of the composer who wrote the music. I believe that in order to learn the message the composer was trying to send with a piece of music, we must learn about their life in the context of a piece. #musedchat
A3: nothing specific in my classes (I only really spoke about it in college music history classes as a student)- but students learn that music is for ALL- it does not discriminate and hopefully, they can see it in that way... it’s most organic way! #musedchat
The conversation for me has been ones biological sex and then their gender and their voice part, as sometimes different entities. It’s a very interesting intersection where we have to discuss where bio and gender as they relate to the voice. #musedchat
A3: nothing specific in my classes (I only really spoke about it in college music history classes as a student)- but students learn that music is for ALL- it does not discriminate and hopefully, they can see it in that way... it’s most authentic way! #musedchat
A4. I would love to know where to find resources about LGTBQ themed music, composers, etc. Besides the Gay & Lesbian Band Association I am not aware of many other communities or resources. #musedchat
Are you on facebook? I would encourage you to join the LGBTQ Safe Space for Music Educators group. You can connect with other band teachers who could help you with this. #musedchat
A3. I taught a student who changed gender identification in the 5 years as my student. Music was his comfortable space where he could be open even before he was with family. All band students were very accepting and when he graduated he got this tattoo #musedchat
A4: what are some best practices to introduce an LGBTQ+ artist/song/topic to a group that is, say, less open? What are good ways to have meaningful discussion and dialogue? I'm always looking for new ideas! #musedchat
I would suggest starting with something contemporary (i.e. Frank Ocean) and share a song with lyrics about love/personal issues. Connect there, and then mention that this song was written in a LGBTQ context. I would ask if that changes initial perceptions. #musedchat
For years I worked with an a cappella boys choir that competed in the barbershop youth festival. Just recently they have opened the festival to transgender students. #MusEdchat
I would also ask the students if they know anyone that identifies at LGBTQ...I guarantee a large number of them will! Even if it's not a personal connection (think of celebrities). #musedchat
Bath time for the baby, so I've got to sign off a few minutes early here. Many, many thanks to @mattnix89 for sharing his expertise and advocacy tonight! #musedchat
Listing celebrities might be a good start esp with the specific type of music ed that we work with. It is also safer so that they do not accidentally out a classmate. Also, there's no shortage of LGBTQ in rock and roll! :-)
