As elementary music educators, we often grapple with the challenge of limited instructional time. Like many specialist teachers, my interactions with students are brief, often just once a week for 40 minutes, sometimes even less at the end of a busy school day. In my early years of teaching, I frequently questioned how to cover the breadth of curriculum content within such a tight timeframe. It felt like an ongoing race against the clock.
However, a professional development session I attended a year ago on curriculum design profoundly shifted my perspective. The presenter emphasized a crucial point that has since become the cornerstone of my teaching philosophy: Beyond asking “What knowledge should my students acquire?”, we must contemplate “Who do we aspire our students to become upon leaving our Learning Music Class?”. This question has revolutionized my lesson planning. Undoubtedly, imparting musical concepts remains vital. Yet, of equal, if not greater importance, is fostering an understanding of how music and the arts can empower them to contribute positively to the world around them.
In the early weeks of the school year, against the backdrop of societal events, I chose to share the children’s book We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song with my students in grades two through five. Anticipating the need to bridge the historical context to contemporary issues, I was struck by how readily even the youngest students grasped the connections and initiated insightful discussions.
In one particular third-grade learning music class, a poignant moment unfolded when a Black student expressed apprehension about visiting his uncle in another state due to recent events highlighting social divisions. Immediately, a White classmate voiced her concern for her own Black sister. Adding another layer of depth, a student who had recently immigrated from Turkey and was still relatively new to English, eloquently articulated that while skin tones may vary, our shared humanity is evident in our skeletal structure, which looks the same in X-rays.
These spontaneous, student-led reflections underscored a powerful truth: these discussions and the underlying empathy they cultivated would resonate far beyond any isolated musical concept taught in that 40-minute session. If our time with students is so precious and limited, shouldn’t we prioritize meaningful dialogues? Shouldn’t we explore music that not only hones technical skills but also nurtures empathy and inspires students to advocate for justice and equity?
Over the past year, I’ve witnessed the transformative power of this approach. Students’ faces light up as they engage with dances from diverse cultures, like those from Muslim countries, realizing that people across the globe, seemingly distant, share fundamental human experiences. We’ve delved into the historical injustices faced by Native Americans and examined how Indigenous communities have voiced these experiences through their rich musical traditions. Through these explorations in our learning music class, students discover that music possesses the power to effect real change, and they’ve even embarked on creating their own songs and action plans aimed at making a positive impact.
For designated observances like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, it’s common practice for specialist teachers to bring out resources specifically reserved for these periods. Given the constraints on instructional time, the urge to concentrate on the contributions of specific groups primarily during these months is understandable. However, by weaving this content into our regular, everyday learning music class curriculum, we provide students with opportunities for genuine growth and understanding throughout the year. They not only master essential musical concepts but also develop into compassionate individuals equipped to champion a more just and equitable world.
Ultimately, as educators in a learning music class, we must continually ask ourselves: What kind of individuals do we aspire for our students to become by the time they leave our classrooms? Are we merely imparting musical knowledge, or are we cultivating empathetic, engaged citizens ready to shape a better future through their understanding and appreciation of music?
