A Comparison of Urban High School Students’ Perception of Music, Culture, and Identity

Abstract

Forty students ( N = 40) enrolled in the world drumming classes at two midsize urban high schools, School A ( n = 18) and School B ( n = 22), responded to a survey in which they freely responded to questions about their music preference, cultural background, school environment, their involvement in music in their schools and community, and how they believe their music choices express their identities. Results revealed that students in School A, where teachers and administrators seemed to have adopted culturally relevant pedagogies, articulated their perceptions of music, culture, and identity in a more meaningful way.

Grounded Framework for Culturally Relevant and Responsive Music Teaching

“…In addition, Sleeter (2012) noted a lack of research connecting CRP to student achievement and a fear of political backlash and loss of hegemony on the part of White educators. Similarly, Dekaney and Robinson (2014) found that U.S. urban high school teachers had a limited understanding of CRP and were mostly unsuccessful in implementing CRP in the classroom. Muñiz (2019) found that teacher preparation and professional development programs nationwide have thus far not kept up with the demand for culturally responsive educational training and that training in culturally responsive practices is often narrow in scope and treated as separate from core curricula.…”

“…Researchers have provided access to understanding culturally responsive pedagogy and its uses in general and music education (Bond, 2017; Brown-Jeffy & Cooper, 2011; Caldera, 2018; Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 1995b, 2015; Muñiz, 2019; Paris & Alim, 2014; Villegas & Lucas, 2002), alongside successes and pitfalls (Dekaney & Robinson, 2014; Hynds et al, 2010; Kotluk & Kocakaya, 2018; Shaw, 2016; Sleeter, 2012). In cases where the implementation of culturally relevant or culturally responsive pedagogy was unsuccessful, researchers found teachers had a limited understanding of culturally relevant or culturally responsive pedagogy, and therefore used the pedagogy in inconsistent and unproductive ways.…”

“…The FCRRMT consists of four quadrants (see Figure 1): (a) teacher competencies, (b) informed choice, (c) authenticity, and (d) holistic/comparative lessons. Researchers have shown the successful application of culturally relevant and culturally responsive pedagogy relies on the teacher having a deep understanding of the pedagogy, and then implementing the pedagogy with fidelity (Dekaney & Robinson, 2014; Hynds et al, 2010; Sleeter, 2012). Culturally responsive education in the music education setting is often based on critical race theory rather than the multicultural education approach familiar to many music teachers.…”

Developing a Critical Consciousness for Diversity and Equity Among Preservice Music Teachers

“…Over recent years, music teacher preparation programs have attempted to incorporate more non-European–based music, multicultural music, and world music ensembles into the teacher preparation curriculum. As a result, preservice music teachers may be equipped with a broader scope of diverse repertoire, instructional strategies, and curricular materials; however, similar to general education, such content integration does not provide the knowledge, skills, and teaching dispositions required to understand and effectively teach sociocultural diverse students (Abril, 2009; Banks, 2004; Dekaney & Robinson, 2014; Howard, Swanson, & Campbell, 2014).…”

“Finding the Other Half of Me”: Culture-Based Approaches to Music Education in Hawaiʻi

“…The concept of culturally relevant or culturally responsive pedagogy (Gay, 2000/2010; Ladson-Billings, 1994/2009) has been explored frequently in music education over the past two decades (Bond, 2017; Doyle, 2014; Lind & McKoy, 2016). Music education scholars have explored issues of culturally relevant pedagogy from both empirical (Abril, 2009; Baker, 2012; Bell-Tolliver & Lind, 2014; Boon, 2014; Dekaney & Robinson, 2014; Fitzpatrick, 2011; Kelly-McHale, 2013; McKoy, 2013; Robinson, 2006; Shaw, 2015, 2016; Spradley, 2013) and critical perspectives (Bond, 2017; Butler et al, 2007; DeLorenzo, 2012; Doyle, 2014; Fitzpatrick, 2012; Lind & McKoy, 2016). Uses of culturally relevant approaches to music education in Hawai’i have not previously been explored.…”