An Exploration Of Culturally Responsive Teaching In A Midwestern High School Choral Program

"Discussion points include discourse on cultural barriers to learning in a music classroom and Culturally Responsive Teaching as a possible means to alleviating those concerns ... The discussion is intended to yield insights through real classroom experiences on how white, middle-class teachers with formal training in the Western Classical tradition can create a more equitable learning environment for all students."--Abstract.

Culturally Responsive Choral Music Education visits the classrooms of three ethnically diverse choral teacher-conductors to highlight specific examples of ways that culturally responsive teaching (CRT) can enrich choral music education. Principles of CRT are illustrated in contrasting demographic contexts: a choir serving a sizeable immigrant Hispanic population, a choir with an African American classroom majority, and a choir comprised of students who identify with eighteen distinct ethnicities. Additionally, portraits of nine ethnically diverse students illuminate how CRT shaped their experiences as members of these choral ensembles. Practical recommendations are offered for developing a culturally responsive classroom environment.

Culturally Responsive Teaching in Music Education presents teaching methods that are responsive to how different culturally specific knowledge bases impact learning. It is a pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including students’ cultural references in all aspects of learning. Designed to be a supplementary resource for teachers of undergraduate and graduate music education courses, the book provides examples in the context of music education, with theories presented in Section I and a review of teaching applications in Section II. Culturally Responsive Teaching in Music Education is an effort to answer the question: How can I teach music to my students in a way that is culturally responsive? This book serves several purposes, by: • Offering theoretical/philosophical frameworks of social justice • Providing practical examples of transferring theory into practice in music education • Illustrating culturally responsive pedagogy within the classroom • Demonstrating the connection of culturally responsive teaching to the school and larger community

Culturally Responsive Choral Music Education visits the classrooms of three ethnically diverse choral teacher-conductors to highlight specific examples of ways that culturally responsive teaching (CRT) can enrich choral music education. Principles of CRT are illustrated in contrasting demographic contexts: a choir serving a sizeable immigrant Hispanic population, a choir with an African American classroom majority, and a choir comprised of students who identify with eighteen distinct ethnicities. Additionally, portraits of nine ethnically diverse students illuminate how CRT shaped their experiences as members of these choral ensembles. Practical recommendations are offered for developing a culturally responsive classroom environment.

The current student population in U.S. secondary schools is more diverse than ever, yet the traditional music education curriculum and content do not always reflect that diversity. Students with marginalized identities report being uninterested in participating in school music ensembles due to the lack of representation of their culturally relevant backgrounds. Preservice and inservice music teachers report feeling unequipped to teach music outside of the traditional Western European art canon that they learned. Culturally Responsive Teaching could provide a tangible and meaningful way for students to see themselves represented in music classrooms and ensembles. Concepts and approaches that educators already regularly use in their teaching can provide a foundation for the incorporation of CRT into the music ensembles: Student-Centered Learning, the Constructivist Classroom, and relationship-building. Teachers and students can engage in identity exploration and cultural sharing within the music classroom to not only expand upon their musical literacy but also build their skills in cross-cultural communication.

This paper provides an in-depth definition of culturally responsive teaching as it applies to the music classroom, and examines incorrect perceptions that have arisen throughout the development of this pedagogy. It provides a framework for what a music classroom would look like if run by a culturally responsive teacher. Finally, literature is explored and synthesized that addresses pre-service teacher preparation in the field of music education and its intersection with cultural responsiveness. An appendix in the form of a teachers guide is informed by the literature surrounding this topic. Developed to be a practical application of the research, the guide is intended for the pre-service teacher or experienced teacher in a new context.

In the United States, there is a push towards culturally responsive music education in response to a rapidly changing student demographic. However, teaching music from unfamiliar traditions presents a unique set of challenges for the music e3ducator. The 2020 Tennessee SATB All-State repertoire provides one example of music selected with the goal of teaching a wide array of cultural traditions. This thesis analyzes these seven pieces from a musical and pedagogical perspective to demonstrate this collection's utility for culturally responsive music education. Evaluation of the pieces demonstrated that while most of these works come from distinct cultural traditions, few present major learning challenges from a textual or tonal perspective. Multicultural works have accommodations to simplify the learning process, such as consistant use of piano accompaniment, limited text volume, and Western notational format. Conclusions from this research can inform high school teachers seeking to incorporate music from unfamiliar cultures in their classrooms.

For the first time, this volume provides a definitive collection of Gloria Ladson-Billings’ groundbreaking concept of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP). After repeatedly confronting deficit perspectives that asked, “What’s wrong with ‘those’ kids?”, Ladson-Billings decided to ask a different question, one that fundamentally shifted the way we think about teaching and learning. Noting that “those kids” usually meant Black students, she posed a new question: “What is right with Black students and what happens in classrooms where teachers, parents, and students get it right?” This compilation of Ladson-Billings’ published work on Culturally Relevant Pedagogy examines the theory, how it works in specific subject areas, and its role in teacher education. The final section looks toward the future, including what it means to re-mix CRP with youth culture such as hip hop. This one-of-a-kind collection can be used as an introduction to CRP and as a summary of the idea as it evolved over time, helping a new generation to see the possibilities that exist in teaching and learning for all students. Featured Essays: Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant PedagogyBut That’s Just Good Teaching: The Case for Culturally Relevant PedagogyLiberatory Consequences of LiteracyIt Doesn’t Add Up: African American Students and Mathematics AchievementCrafting a Culturally Relevant Social Studies ApproachFighting for Our Lives: Preparing Teachers to Teach African American StudentsWhat’s the Matter With the Team? Diversity in Teacher EducationIt’s Not the Culture of Poverty, It’s the Poverty of Culture: The Problem With Teacher EducationCulturally Relevant Teaching 2.0, a.k.a. the Remix Beyond Beats, Rhymes, and Beyoncé: Hip-Hop Education and Culturally Relevant Pedagogy