A great deal of discussion of religious music in schools has been generated in our field. As we become increasingly sensitive to the diverse interests of the multiple stakeholders in public schools, issues of political correctness and pedagogical goals are raised. The author poses questions about religion and music education. To generate a different dialogue on this topic, four vignettes and alternate interpretations of the situations as well as possible unintended consequences are examined. The author describes alternative approaches to music-learning contexts and offers questions to wrestle with while keeping in mind the goal of music for all.
This article describes a culturally responsive music curriculum through which students and teachers affirmed diverse stories of individuals present in our public school community. An arts-integrated curriculum project helped make learning more meaningful while concurrently creating a safe learning space for students. This grant-funded project comprised three interwoven facets: a schoolwide focus on world cultures and U.S. immigrant populations throughout the academic year; community celebrations of student learning through arts-based, experiential activities; and a core group of students who met weekly with teaching artists each week to disseminate knowledge via community informances. The themes connecting disciplines, content areas, and the school community served as lenses through which students gained artistic and academic skills as well as conceptual understandings about elements of language, culture, and community.
Music educators in the United States and those who support them currently wrestle with the fact that students from low-income communities and homes are underrepresented across the country's music programs. Music education classes, particularly at the secondary level, do not represent the broader population enrolled in U.S. public schools. In an effort to better meet the needs of low-income students, this article suggests an often unconsidered set of questions that may lead toward more nuanced understandings of the ways in which teachers structure music programs. By examining school and classroom practices, we might better meet the needs of socioeconomically diverse school communities.
Previous generations applauded grant-funded programs that brought living composers into the lives of K–12 music students. The current economic climate, however, limits opportunities similar to those enjoyed in the past. We designed a virtual composer-in-residence experience that uses technology to overcome the barriers of funding limitations and geography. This article describes ways such a program can be implemented in an elementary or high school classroom. Included is information about technological considerations, criteria for finding a composer, and some ideas on planning, implementation, and evaluation.
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