Culturally Responsive Teaching

Archie Roach’s illustrated Took the Children Away is a great resource for introducing the history of the Stolen Generations with younger learners

In this final week of learning, the focus was on how to be a culturally responsive teacher in music education. Choosing which stories to tell, what narratives to focus on and how to ensure that the content of the class is reflective of the society in which it's being taught. This is no easy task, considering the diverse nature of classrooms and the differing influences from school and community on the values we should be espousing. 

In looking at protest music, and comparing songs made in response to the Black Lives Matter movement both in the US and Australia, I found myself considering how social justice is represented through musical story telling. It made me reflect on how as teachers we have much influence in the narratives we present, and it's our moral duty to ensure that we aren’t simply conforming to the norm, and are actively empowering marginalised voices. When unit planning, is the repertoire in the classroom starting conversations, and is it asking students the right questions? What indeed are the right questions? 

The NSW Department of Education says that teachers must adhere to strict guidelines on the presentation of ‘controversial materials’, and that the content “not be intended to advance the interest of any particular group, political or otherwise.” This to me seems limiting in the prism of music education, as so much music is inherently political, and the stories they tell are important to teach to students. As you might be able to tell, this has all left me with more questions than answers, as I find myself considering both the importance and implications of culturally responsive teaching.