Benefits of this approach for music education
· Builds connections and trust between teachers and students
· Students feel a sense of safety and belonging
· Helps students to affirm their cultural identity
· Builds on students’ prior knowledge and experiences
· Promotes inclusion
· Develops positive relationships between families, cultural groups and communities
· Increases awareness and understanding of other cultural traditions and practices
· Learning experiences are more relevant and effective
· Increases student engagement, empowerment and ownership of their learning
· Gives students a voice and helps them to feel validated
Drawbacks / challenges
· Students have different levels of connection with their cultural background
· Dissonance between teachers and students – they come from very different worlds
· Lack of authentic understanding on the part of the teacher may lead to cultural insensitivity
· Teachers may need to overcome their own preconceptions or judgements
· Teachers need to be careful not to make generalised assumptions – students have their own individual identity regardless of cultural background