One of the first activities I do at the start of the semester is have my students complete an About Me sheet. In this form, I collect information on student preferred names, pronouns, and give them a space to tell me anything upfront that they want me to know. The form also includes some instrument specific questions, depending on the course. One question I always pose to my students on the form is to let me know of any music they might like to learn or explore more of. There were a lot of suggestions for R&B music in my Vocal class this past year, and the students were grateful for the opportunity to learn and perform the genre.
One perk about rebuilding the Music program is the opportunity to include student voice. Making connections to my students’ lives gives them a chance to encourage discussions about the music being studied, and deepen their understanding. Even so, it is crucial to remember to go about these lessons in an ethical way, and engage with authentic sources. For music that we cannot teach ourselves, we need to consider inviting guest musicians and watching performances by musicians from the culture we are studying.
Toronto, December 2024
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