Caring and Connectivity: A Framework for Active Caring in the Music Classroom

Abstract

<jats:p> In an age where caring for others may seem like a relic of a bygone era, we all must be reminded of the importance of active caring in the classroom and beyond. This article explores the work of Nel Noddings, an educational scholar at the forefront of caring research, and her four dimensions for bringing active caring into the classroom. Modeling, dialogue, practice, and confirmation provide teachers with concrete starting points for reflecting on the ways in which they cultivate caring in their music classrooms and how they develop caring relationships with students that reflect the ways they need and want to be cared for. Music educators often work with the same students over the course of many years—it is to our advantage to use this time to teach caring and teach with care. </jats:p>

World Music Pedagogy and Building Empathy in Early Childhood

“…Empathy-related topics were drawn from relevant literature, center curriculum documents, and consultation with the teachers and directors. Watts (2018) As these engagements occurred on-site in the center classrooms, I was somewhat limited in terms of audiovisual resources that could be incorporated into each lesson. Therefore, audio recordings and print images were key to bringing the children closer to each musical culture.…”

“…World music encounters in the early childhood setting may be a key component of building empathy in young children as they wrestle with egocentricity and begin to understand the experiences and viewpoints of other people. Watts (2018) noted that the early childhood years are a crucial time of learning social skills and aspects of self-regulation:…”

“…(p. 2) Teachers may approach the exploration of global music cultures in various capacities ranging from a more general approach to implementation of the World Music Pedagogy (WMP) framework developed by Patricia Shehan Campbell. This framework allows teachers and students to use thoroughly researched musical encounters featuring different levels of listening engagement (Attentive Listening, Engaged Listening, and Enactive Listening) as well as strategies for integrating world music into multiple topic areas and creating new music (Campbell, 2004(Campbell, , 2016Watts, 2018). According to Campbell (2004), "the teaching and learning of the world's musics can happen in courses and curricular programs from preschool through post-graduate studies.…”

“…Despite varying meanings and manifestations, music is a common human endeavor that spans time, geography, and culture. World music encounters may present a concrete way to bring these multifaceted musical cultures into the consciousness of children and youth, starting from their youngest days in early learning centers (Watts, 2018). As populations in early childhood learning centers continue to represent a wide diversity of cultural traditions and origins, it is essential to implement curriculum and support systems that celebrate this diversity and to explore basic concepts of empathy and connecting to others (Donnelly, 2018).…”

“…Empathy is a concept that is receiving attention in a variety of contexts in education, music education, and in other caring professions such as nursing. Music education practitioners have been thinking more about the social and emotional well-being of children and youth as well as issues of empathy, compassion, care, and humanity (Edgar, 2017;Hendricks, 2018;Laird, 2015;Watts et al, 2020;Yob & Jorgensen, 2020). As we continue to Update 42 (2) navigate changes in the world and resultant shifts in human experience, it becomes more compelling to deeply explore issues of empathy and how we might overtly develop empathy skills at all ages and stages.…”