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.
It's #musedchat time! Our topic tonight: Diversity and inclusion in music education. Be sure to introduce yourself!
Also, what's your favorite Olympic event?
Greetings! Amy from MI. I teach middle school band. I haven't watched any of the Olympics this year. No cable means no randomly coming across it and getting sucked in! #musedchat
That still means purposefully seeking it out. I enjoy reading good stories related, but watching anything was always accidental as I channel surfed. 😅 #musedchat
Sorry I'm late. Mikaela, K-5 General/Instrumental, Illinois. I don't get into the Winter Olympics. I love watching swimming in the Summer Olympics #musedchat
Laura Urda, 6-8 choir and GM in Gahanna, OH plus high school electives (World Music and History of American Music). My husband is a hockey player so that (and curling) are always on top! #musedchat
Q1: A 2015 study showed that music teachers in the US are overwhelmingly white, much more so that the pop as a whole. Why do you think minorities are underrepresented in the field? #musedchathttps://t.co/UIMdJ4Jl0U
A1: Because getting into the music program at any university requires you to be in private lessons for years and to perform at a senior in college level as an incoming freshman. RIDICULOUS!!!! #musedchat
According to p. 6 of this, teachers as a whole (in 2011-12) were 82% white. In 2015, music teachers were roughly 86% white. Pretty comparable. #musedchat
A1: It's part of that cycle where when we don't see people who look like us doing something we're interested in, it makes it seem less plausible. #musedchat
A1: I would speculate that the elimination of music programs in schools that serve students of color is a big contributing factor. In some areas of the country music education is considered a luxury that districts cannot afford. #musedchat
And most of the instrumental teachers are white males. One of the few fields that has males as a majority. That was a PD topic for me at one point. #musedchat
This is the only major you HAVE to start by middle school years. You can't decide to be a music major as a freshman. Without that access to that foundation, it's not possible. #musedchat
A1: It’s really interesting to think about. I teach in a culturally diverse district (in terms of student population), yet in my experience, the music staff is, yes, predominantly white. #musedchat
A1-2: We're also snobs about the lit one can read for an audition. You can be an amazing singer, but don't audition with Broadway or a pop song. #musedchat
Saw a really interesting discussion on this on the BDG on FB. Great soloist played a "jazz" piece for Solo and Ensemble. Judge thought it was inappropriate for the type of performance. What makes that less legitimate than "classic" solos? #musedchat
A2: I've been giving this a lot of thought lately. I do a composer of the month and I'm searching out resources on diverse composers. It is not easy, and time is a factor. It's a work in progress. #musedchat
A2: Depends on which school I'm at. One school, I am trying to teach music in their home language. I teach hip-hop and point out that there is a history there, and it isn't pretty and I'm not sugarcoating it. #musedchat
A2: Admittedly not well, but excited to diversify our music library with a grant we were awarded for our district MS bands. Looking to do some major updating and expanding! #musedchat
Huh.. I've seen some stupid comments from my sister's S&E experience though. She got docked points bc a judge didn't like her outfit- which she had approved by my mom before she left. #musedchat
Man...some of those judges...we showed up in matching Hawaiian shirts for a brass quintet performance one year. Judge at districts loved it, states not so much. #musedchat
Okay...I don't like the term 'world music' because to some kids, that's not 'world' it's 'home.' Am I the only one who hates calling it that? #musedchat
A2: Part 1 - Exposure through experience is imperative. Seeing performances, hearing new sounds, and perhaps most importantly listening to each other. In CISD, we thrive on embracing cultural differences as something to celebrate. #musedchat
I've been making sure I say the actual genre instead of calling it 'world.' (ex: mariachi) Then I make sure my kids know what it's actually called instead of thinking it's something unattainable. #musedchat
A2: Part 2 - last year my 5th graders did a PBL performance containing mini musical plays from 4 countries around the world. We performed for K/1, then broke into small groups and had discussions on cultural sensitivity and our reactions to things that are new. #musedchat
Agreed. I've mentioned this before, but I struggle to do this well with MS instrumental. Just haven't found much in the way of authentic offerings that are accessible for their age/playing level. #musedchat
A3: I wish getting an ESL endorsement as a music teacher would be a norm...I'm loving the coursework and feel much more welcoming and accommodating, as well as a fierce protector, for my students. #musedchat
A3: Be aware of what we accept as music. If we send the signal students' music doesn't belong in our class they will feel like they don't belong. #musedchat
A3: Leading by example. Picking music representative of a diverse range of cultures. Include folk instrumentation. Making a point of keeping your classroom a safe environment that lifts Ls to success. #musedchat
I find myself jealous of choral colleagues when it comes to this. So many languages that can be explored that don't have the same impact when played on an instrument. We can listen, but it's not the same as the understanding through making music. #musedchat
A3: Repertoire and classroom study music selection is crucial. Choosing what music students are studying, singing, and playing is vital. Therein lies a key to inclusion of many cultures, styles, genres, etc. #musedchat
Brings me to Q4: how do you overcome concerns about authenticity? Like, even if you're teaching an authentic piece from another culture, how do you approach it as someone from a different culture? #musedchat
A4: As a general music teacher, I like to accompany new cultures with books and when I do the actual language component, I look it up. Especially in certain Asian languages. #musedchat
A4-2: I teach Spanish all the time, and even speak quite a bit of it. The kids also know that I'm learning and think of new cultures as us learning all together. #musedchat
Conversations like this make me think about diversity in things like our Basic Music List from MSBOA. Until organizations like that value more diverse selections, it will limit what's played regularly in performance ensembles. #musedchat
Finding a native culture bearer is huge but there is a lot available online that can help. We may not be perfect but we can be educated and be as true to a culture as possible with our means and musicians. #musedchat
With a sense of humility and appreciation. It’s not “what can my Ss gain from this,” but “what can we all gain from this music, the lyric, the story?” That “what” might be different for everyone. #musedchat
Brings me to Q4: how do you overcome concerns about authenticity? Like, even if you're teaching an authentic piece from another culture, how do you approach it as someone from a different culture? #musedchat
A4: Literature extensions, and authentic video experiences. I also find that written reflection can help gauge the depth of lessons with Ls. #musedchat
We owe it to our students to at least do a small amount of research into the music we choose and its cultural context. We can at least open the door this way #musedchat
Jumping in late....with so many cheesy arrangements with another cultures name in the title, we need to at least find the characteristic piece of the puzzle. Even if it just a different mode and a shaker in the background. #musedchat
Thanks for the mention! SamuelFritz: 2017-18 centergrovemsc centergrovemsn honors recital is underway! 17 of best MS band, choir, and orchestra students showcasing excellence! #E3CG#cgi3#musiceducation#musedchathttps://t.co/9qSmVsESJI
A5: I bought curriculum in Spanish, written by Spanish speakers. I found it in the West Music catalog. Also- https://t.co/mMATGJfC4v covers a lot of things #musedchat
A5 i watch youtube vids of musicians talking about what they listen to. Opens the door to all sort of new misic 4 me. “Whats in my bag” is a good one tho more geared to pop culture #musedchat
A5: I tend to move towards resources produced by the people that understand the specific culture rather than large-brand name publishers when I'm worried about authenticity. #musedchat
Pushing our orgs to diversify could have a big impact in getting more teachers to expand though. The music on the lists is good, but there's a lot out there being missed. #musedchat
