Discovering Identities 1

Discovering Identities:

The importance of culturally responsive curriculum in an Elementary Music Setting

MUED 380: Music in the Elementary School

James Madison University

By Annalise Sears

 Discovering Identities 2

Questions

How might culturally responsive teaching help to influence a students development of cultural

identity, and how might influence the other students learning in a classroom?

What approaches might be used to acknowledge a students musical cultural experiences in a

respectful way?

Rationale

Culture will always be a part of a music classroom whether it is purposely addressed or

no. Often, culture is absorbed by students as an invisible concept (Abril & Kelly McHale, 2016).

This can occur when teachers overlook the opportunity to educate and acknowledge the varying

individual backgrounds and experiences within a class. It is important for music educators to

show students that music can be used as a tool to unify and include all kinds of individuals.

When music teachers make a conscious choice to use resources that explicitly depict aspects of

other cultures and ethnic groups, cultural competency is achieved (Abril & Kelly McHale, 2016).

Although it is important to teach and introduce different cultures to students in an

elementary classroom, acknowledging specific cultures and backgrounds of individual students

can be beneficial to including marginalized groups within any environment. Aside from

broadening the perspectives of students, planning a culturally diverse curriculum is equally

important to maintain an inclusive classroom for students whose cultures may be considered to

be in the minority. Valuing the individual backgrounds of students supported by their families

can help to communicate that music is a unifying power that can bring different people together
 Discovering Identities 3

(Andrews, 2011).

An issue that comes along with acknowledging different cultures in a classroom, is the

constraints of some traditional forms of music education that focus on ideas such as notation and

competency in theoretical concepts. Though these elements of music education are important,

they sometimes fail to value the notion that music is a form of self expression. Teaching these

valuable skills sometimes isolate incorporating life experiences from music making

(Kelly-McHale, 2011). Teachers should take advantage of the idea that they are able to

acknowledge these ideas that are held within the identities of their classrooms. Along with

valuing the relevance of these individual cultures, it is vital to remain culturally respectful

(Bradley, 2006).

Findings

General Music Education should intend to help children to mold a duality of achieving

cultural competency by exposing students to other cultures while also aiding to help students

form their own cultural identities. It is through this identity that students are able to help possess

a concept of self awareness that motivates a need for artistic expression. As music educators, it is

our goal to present music as a tool for both artistic and self expression. A way by which students

can help to display this method of expression is through acknowledging their cultural identity. It

is the teachers responsibility to value the incorporation of materials and learning strategies that

recognize and respect the student. This approach is the way that a culturally responsive learning

environment is achieved and should be the goal of instruction (Kelly-McHale, 2011). To go

about maintaining this goal, music educators must do an in-depth examination of the musical

experiences of the students comprised in their classroom in the context of the environment of the
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school. This shall ensure a clearer understanding of the influence of elementary general music on

the development of identity for students who are not members of the dominant culture of the

school district (Kelly-McHale, 2011).

A valuable point that should not be overlooked when acknowledging the different

cultures of a classroom is the difference between multicultural education and intercultural

education. Multiculturalism in education is based off of the intent of fostering cultural pluralism,

meaning that more than one culture coexists in a school system and that a classroom is

comprised of students of multiple cultures and races (Wilson, 1997). Unlike multicultural

education, intercultural education acknowledges a transformation of society through education.

Although these ideologies differ, both practices seek to gain understanding of differences

between cultures. As described by Villodre, 2014:

Multicultural education does not seek to ensure social harmony, but rather a peaceful

coexistence for all cultures. This means that multicultural education doesnt try to

promote cultural exchange, which can result in racial segregation and rejection of social

harmony, while leading to an adoption of paternalistic attitudes towards minority

cultures. Conversely, intercultural education is not closed or exclusive given that it

promotes cultural communication and encounters and, therefore, a change and fusion of

cultures. It advocates defence for diversity, cultural respect, dialogue between different

cultures living in the same country and an understanding of the other to ensure dialogue

as an essential tool for social harmony.

As our world continues to change and evolve the effects of globalization on school systems

becomes more and more relevant. As the vast increase of intercultural communication and
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interaction continues to foster, there becomes a demand for a new orientation in education and

the implementation of school programs that acknowledge global perspectives and promote

intercultural understanding and respect (Papageorgiou & Koutrouba, 2014). In music education,

an example of acknowledging this idea of societal transformation is exploring different songs

and instruments from different cultures. This not only acknowledges the influence that a music

educator can have in their school and community, but also the effects it can have on the rest of

the world. This change starts with acknowledging the cultures that make up your classroom.

Understanding the cultural backgrounds of your students, music educators have the ability to

start to create a curriculum that can help to shape and understand a students cultural identity.

After this cultural identity is formed, students can integrate their knowledge to a music

classroom environment, showing that music is a universal tool to include diversity. This can help

to teach classmates the differences and similarities between each other. Recognizing the home

cultures of children by embracing a students musical mother tongue in elementary instruction

can help to further a students development. This is achieved through creating multiple pathways

for learning that benefit childrens social and cognitive development (Andrews, 2011). Creating

this welcoming environment is a representation of what music can provide in the context of a

students social, cognitive, and artistic growth. Valuing and recognising the wealth of

perspective and knowledge that a student can provide for the rest of the classroom can help to

accommodate multiple pathways for learning. All of this is achieved through an instructors use

of everyday language that is inclusive and respectful while acknowledging the different

perspectives in the classroom. As stated by Andrews, 2011, Valuing students everyday

knowledge includes engaging students knowledge as an object of inquiry as well as privileging

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the linguistic and cultural resources that students bring to school. Including these ideas in an

everyday routine as an educator can help to provide culturally responsive and inclusive

instruction.

A large issue that might emerge when attempting culturally responsive pedagogy is the

constraints of current music education practices and its limitations for individual expression. As

teachers get to know their students more, there is a need for recognizing what is appropriate in

terms of boundaries. There are limitations when attempting to understand all of the cultural

backgrounds of your students. The most significant limitation a teacher is phased with when

learning about the backgrounds of students is the small amount of time. The times that a teacher

has to spend confirming and deepening knowledge of individual musical experiences is limited

to the general music classroom. This may leave development of a cultural identity through music

isolated as it does not represent culture that occurs outside of a typical day at school. An

unfortunate response to this constraint, as teachers attempt to instruct a culturally diverse

curriculum, is the idea that teachers merely reflect on their own personal experiences and

knowledge of different cultures. Recognizing an instructors time is limited, the music

curriculum should be approached with a more open perspective using the resources of those

comprised in a classroom. Kelly- McHale, 2011, conducted a study stating that educational

practice is often rooted in the identity of the teacher, as opposed to the experience of the

students. This concept makes sense, as teaching is often most authentic when it represents the

experiences that an educator is most knowledgeable about; however, this does not include the

other experiences and cultures represented in a classroom. This limits the perspective that a

classroom of students could be absorbing. Most importantly, this way of teaching does not
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address the issues of cultural responsiveness. Life experiences are not a separate entity from

music, but rather should be used to influence self expression (Kelly-McHale, 2011).

Another reluctancy that surfesses when discussing cultural diversity and inclusivity in a

classroom is the unwillingness to value the perception of students perspectives. There is a

reliance in many classrooms where music education unintentionally creates a classroom situation

in which the students experience is perceived as deficit and is not recognized as relevant to the

goals of instruction (Nieto, 2002). This works against the fact that culture and language shapes

the way children learn and make sense of their world, and music is an important representation

of that culture. Elementary general music education should be used to acknowledge the way

children learn and understand the world through their cultural backgrounds and experiences.

Music curriculum often fails to serve in the development of musical identity because it neglects

to understand the life experiences that shape and support their development (Kelly-McHale,

2011).

In order to gain understanding in music education and its ability to value cultural

diversity may be to observe the ways by which different cultures teach their music. For instance,

if you are presenting repertoire from another culture to a class, the most authentic way to

represent that culture is the way the material is taught or presented. An example of this idea, is

the methods used for the way music of African cultures is taught. Cultural practices in Africa are

represented through teaching music by using call and response singing. Music in Africa normally

is comprised of a phrase of two sections sung alternatively by a cator or a leader and the chorus,

which might be repeated multiple times (Akponome). When teaching African songs in a general

elementary music setting, it only makes sense to use this same technique. This represents both
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the music and the culture in its most authentic way. Not only are you being culturally responsive

to the integrity of the music, but you are being culturally responsive to the way that the music is

being taught. Another subject with similar approaches is the teaching of nursery rhymes from

different cultures. Due to their compositional characteristics, nursery rhymes are the perfect tool

to develop intercultural values. Nursery rhymes can be so culturally varied that they not only

ensure that children understand their own culture but also recognize cultural characteristics of

other cultures (Villodre, 2014). For example the nursery rhyme Tengo una una mueca (I have a

doll) is a popular song used in early childhood education in Spain. Tengo una una mueca is also

commonly sung in El Salvador in Central America. The two versions of the songs differ in some

lyrics, however the music remains the same across the two cultures. Both versions of Tengo una

una mueca can be played in a class to demonstrate that despite the fact that we are different

cultures can still have a lot in common and can find a unifying power through music. It also

discusses the idea that nothing is solely mine but rather ours from the moment we share and start

to talk about music from different perspectives (Villodre, 2014).

Another application of becoming more culturally responsive to in teaching is becoming

more familiar with students families in your classroom. In order to expose yourself to the

cultures that are more available to you as a teacher, it is necessary to find ways to be exposed to

the cultures in the community that you teach in. As a music teacher, you must talk to the parents

and students about the musical practices in the community. Asking students about outside

of-school activities provides many different options. These questions might provide you with

musical practices that students engage in that are representative of their culture (Kelly-McHale,

2011). An example might be saturday schools to learn languages of their cultures or asking
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students if their parents are in any musical groups. Valuing cultural backgrounds of individual

students in elementary classroom instruction provides multiple pathways for learning that benefit

childrens social and cognitive development. An instructor must acknowledge a students

everyday knowledge as an object of inquiry as well as privileging the linguistic and cultural

resources that students bring to school. (Andrews, 2011).

Although it is wildly important to prioritize culturally inclusive and diverse curriculum

into teaching, it is even more pressing of a responsibility to remain culturally sensitive. Honoring

and respecting the privacy requested by students and families is more important than exploring

them and sharing them with the rest of the class. As described by Kelly-Mchale, 2016:

Classrooms are getting more diverse as the percentage of minority students increases.

In the fall of 2014 there were more minority students in the the public education system.

According to a report from the Pew Research Center, 50.3 percent of students in 2014

were minority, whereas 49.7 percent of all students were white. By 2022, 45.3 percent

are projected to be white, and 54.7 percent are projected to be minority.

Kelly-Mchale in this same research, discussed the cultural identity if students in a high school

choir setting. It was there that it was found that students whose identities were not respected

developed a sense of isolation. This development of isolation, or otherness, is a great danger that

comes along with creating a culturally inclusive curriculum. This feeling of isolation can be

traced back to both historical and unfortunately, often present times in our society when public

schools can be a place where cultures in the minority or isolated, or even a place where feeling of

racism still fester in the hallways (Bradley, 2006). As time has continued, culturally inclusive

curriculum has helped with the societal issues that pool into public school systems. Progress is
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continuing to be made in bringing music of the world into a general music classroom.

Unfortunately, there is still work to be done as teachers to improve on this issues (Campbell,

2002). Fortunately, as educators of music, we have a power unobtainable by other subjects to

bring meaningful experiences of multiple cultures to students. This aids in developing a students

means of self identity and artistic expression.

Sources:

Abril, C. R. & Kelly-McHale, J. (2016). Thinking about and responding to culture in general

music. In C. R. Abril & B. M. Gault (Eds.), Teaching General Music: Approaches,

Issues, and Viewpoints (pp. 241-263). New York: Oxford University Press.

Akponome, A. Music Education and Cultural Identity. Retrieved from

http://www.globalacademicgroup.com/journals/nigerian%20journal%20of%20research%

20and%20production%20/Akponome.pdf

Andrews, Stephanie. (2011). Privileging culture through incorporating folk music in the general

elementary classroom: Implications for teacher education. Visions of Research in Music

Education, 18. Retrieved from http://www-usr.rider.edu/~vrme/v18n1/visions/Andrews-

Priv ileging%20Cultures

Bradley, D. (2006, December). Music Education, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Can We

Talk? Retrieved from http://act.maydaygroup.org/articles/Bradley5_2.pdf

Campbell, P. Shehan. (2002, September). Music Education in a Time of Cultural

Transformation. Retrieved from http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2307/3399881.

Lenette, C., Sunderland , N.(2016) Will there be music for us?: Mapping the health and
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well-being potential of participatory music practice with asylum seekers and refugees

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http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17533015.2014.961943?needAccess=true

del Mar Bernab Villodre, Mara. (2014). Cultural identity and using music in the intercultural

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Kelly-McHale, Jacqueline L. (2011, June). The Relationship Between Children's Musical

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Kelly-McHale, Jacqueline. (2016, April 25). Why Music Education Needs to Incorporate More

Diversity. Retrieved from https://nafme.org/music-education-needs-incorporate-diversity/

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Papageorgiou, Panagiota, Koutrouba, Konstantina. (2014). Teaching multicultural music in

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http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/keith.html