Contemporary pedagogies: culturally responsive pedagogy

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