Social Scaffolding and Learner Success

How can you ensure that learners see themselves reflected in the material that they study?

Learners see themselves reflected in the material that they study because we are often selecting repertoire together as a class. I have found that students feel more compelled to perform music they have a personal connection with, so I always make sure to get their input. I have selected some pieces where students feel a bit hesitant to try at first, mostly because they are unfamiliar with the piece and do not like making mistakes. Through daily practicing and encouragement that mistakes are a part of the learning process, they eventually learn to connect with the music and express gratitude to me for introducing them to music they would not have thought to listen to.

How can you provide them with a safe platform to use their own experiences as fodder for growth?

We can provide a safe space to our students by ensuring our students feel that their voices are heard. We can give them opportunities to take on leadership roles within the classroom and be the experts. Demonstrating honesty, admitting when you do not know something, and letting your students know you are also on a continuous learning journey, shows vulnerability. When students see us modelling this open behaviour, they will be encouraged to follow our example.

Share an experience from your practice or your own education where music education was delivered in a way that used social scaffolding to boost learner success.

In my first year of contract teaching, I had a student in my guitar class who I had met previously when I was supply teaching. I remembered her because the day I filled in for her teacher, she refused to follow instructions, was disruptive, and I came quite close to having to send her down to an administrator. However, when they showed up in my guitar class, they were quiet and respectful. The first day, she had long, fake nails that were making it challenging for her to hold down the frets. Very early on, I recognized that this was a student who was not receiving a lot of support and reassurance in her life, so I made a note to always construct any feedback using the “compliment sandwich” method. By the second week of term, she had removed her fake nails and was making good progress on the guitar. Still, I could tell there was something holding her back. One day, I asked her what was wrong. The student opened up and told me about everything that was happening. I listened, offering some words of advice. The next day, she gave me a handwritten thank you letter where she stated that I had been the first person to ask her what was wrong in a long time, and she appreciated me listening. She said she remembered me from last year and apologized for her past behaviour. After that, working with her became a lot smoother. She knew she could come to me about things now and be completely herself.

We started duet projects not long after that. As this student would sit alone, I introduced her to two of the girls sitting in front of her and they were able to provide her with help, and the trio eventually became friends. All three of them did their first public performance by November. This caused a lot of performance anxiety for the student, but I made sure to work with her a little each day and provide her with support and guidance. At the end of the course, I have my students write a reflection about their learning experience in the course. The student wrote about how she was grateful I pushed her to try new things, make new friends, and could now play the guitar. She recognized that she may not have been the most proficient player, but she had learned a new skill, and learned a lot about herself.

That student is now in grade 11, and though she no longer takes music, she will always acknowledge me when she sees me. She and the two girls are still friends and share classes together. The whole experience taught me the importance of giving your students more than one opportunity. It would be impossible to reach every student, though many of us try to. By recognizing that our students are people too, learners will be more encouraged to take risks, knowing that they have a safe space to do it in.