Equity & Affirmation
Every student has a right to an education, as well as a right to be heard and respected. As an educator, it is my responsibility to create an environment that promotes learning, safety, and respect for each person that walks through my door. My classroom is an intelligence-friendly, relationship-driven, learning-centered space. Each student and their success are at the forefront of the lessons. There is encouragement, and collaboration occurring between the students. I hope that every individual who passes through my classroom, student, staff, or parent, feels welcomed and valued because creating an equitable space for everyone is important to aid in student learning
Programming & Music-Making
Concerts should have a variety of repertoire showcasing the students' hard work as well as who they are as people. Programming should involve research. The director should know the background of every piece being performed and they should go out of their way to include historically excluded composers. The students should be able to relate to and see themselves in the repertoire they are singing. With that being said, I think it is still important to push our students to learn not just pieces they relate to, but pieces their other classmates relate to. This is also not to say that we should simply stop using all of the pieces that have been done for years. There should be a blend of history and more contemporary repertoire.
When performing repertoire and discussing topics that I am uneducated on, I will bring in guest speakers to facilitate the learning. I will also leave room for students' input and collaboration.
Music-making should be a multi-perspective experience.
Music should involve movement. Music should involve reflection. Music should not always be taught through sheet music and written notes. It needs to be felt and internalized. This is hard for some students so we need to guide them and teach them how to see music from all different sides. I think there is also a lot to be said for teaching our students a solid base of music theory and music history. It should be pertinent to what is being worked on, and we should always be building upon prior knowledge.
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Students will be given opportunities to compose music. They will be encouraged to add movement of their own and other times choreographed to assist in learning how to feel the music. Music theory and music history won’t be an afterthought, rather they will be interwoven with the curriculum and repertoire. Music will be taught through various means (sheet music, rote, imitation, small groups, large groups, piece by piece, section by section, practice tracks, and individual practice) in order to differentiate learning and help students find what works best for them.
Current Practices vs. My Classroom
The basic curriculum in classes currently is to teach classical music. Then, to supplement these required music ensembles, teachers offer extracurricular ensembles such as jazz band, a capella choir, musical theater, marching band, etc.. Teachers tend to rely heavily on classical repertoire in their planned curriculum and then they throw in a “diverse” piece to check the box in their programming. This virtual signaling makes it easy for teachers to continue using what they are comfortable with and avoid doing any additional research.
Despite these somewhat negative current practices, music classrooms are commonly seen as a safe haven for students. They offer a place for students to express themselves and grow. There is still a lot of progress to be made, but the performing arts seem to be progressing faster than a lot of other fields.
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Current Practices
My students will be expected to sing a wide variety of repertoire selections. Each and every class students will turn in a note card telling me something positive or negative about their day so that I can get to know them on a more personal level. This allows me to follow up with students who are having a hard time and learn more about students' lives outside of my classroom.
My lessons will involve routine but will be flexible. If the students are having a difficult time, the lesson will shift to cater to their needs in each class. Lessons will also include multiple modes of learning: aural, kinesthetic, linguistic, and visual. Student feedback is always encouraged to help me know how the students are processing the information. Assessment will also be varied to give students every chance to succeed.
My classroom has an open-door policy. During the times I am not teaching, students know that they can stop by and talk to me. If they need help with an assignment, or if they need someone to talk to, I am always available during school hours. To create a relationship with my students from the beginning of the year, students will participate in a variety of get to know you activities. Once I know my students, I can better support them and supplement their needs.
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