Students in the music classroom are more culturally and linguistically diverse than ever before. Latinx students are the fastest growing population. Often, these students are neglected through deficit-based pedagogical practices with regard to their cultural and linguistic practices; however, other research into asset-based pedagogical practices…

Increased availability of tablets at home and in classrooms provides educators access to a powerful tool for music instruction. Music production lessons on tablets offer alternate approaches to developing music literacies while teaching valuable technology skills. These activities are ideal for general music education because they align with…

The global COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning environments, adding significantly to an already-challenging time for adolescents. In many cases, students and teachers have abruptly shifted to online learning platforms that may occur entirely in a home environment. Music often plays a significant role in adolescents' processes of identity-building…

Scott Joplin was an African American composer and pianist of singular merit and influence. This article is the final entry in a three-part series considering the biographical, artistic, and cultural contexts of Joplin's life and work and their use in K-12 general music education. "Ragtime Spaces" focuses on cultural globalization and the…

As more states pass bills banning critical race theory in schools, it is especially important for teachers to understand what critical race theory is and the implications of such bills. To understand what critical race theory is and intends to do. I look at its origins and how it has been employed in the field of education. Recognizing the legacy…

The purpose of this column is to promote the use of group drumming as an important access point to improved self and community relationships that naturally develops the competencies of student self-awareness and social awareness in the general music classroom. Group drumming is a far-reaching activity with the capacity to improve and transform…

In this column, I discuss a soundscape composition activity that I implemented with primary/elementary music classes. During this activity, students used the iPad app, iMovie, to record, organize and edit sound to accompany photos of artworks that they had created. Overall, I found iMovie to be a useful app for music composition with general music…

In world music ensembles such as African and African Caribbean percussion ensembles, the Gamelan ensemble, and the Latin marimba ensemble, members may sing a song, play instruments, and dance simultaneously. This practice is known as music multitasking. For musicians in Western art music traditions, music multitasking can be a challenge. This…

This article discusses transformative learning in secondary general music (SGM), while considering students' transitions from elementary to secondary music classes. SGM is uniquely situated for expanded pedagogies and musicianship, yet a gap in music activities persists between elementary and secondary classes and between home and school. The…

Along with standards describing what music students should be able to do, the National Core Arts Standards developed Model Cornerstone Assessments suggesting how teachers can measure student learning for each artistic process. This article explores the Respond Model Cornerstone Assessment. This column explains the Model Cornerstone Assessment for…

Students with disabilities often have difficultly applying information learned in one context to another, also called transfer. Music teachers can provide opportunities for students to transfer and make connections between classes to enhance their learning and encourage students to think differently about the content. By including nonmusic ideas,…

This article is the second in a series intended to assist general music teachers in creating gender-inclusive music environments. Technology can be used in general music classrooms to support learning and to extend musical creativity. Previous authors have shared ideas that can help general music teachers use technology in ways that promote more…

Music cannot be separated from its historical, geographical, and cultural context; therefore, it is important that students be taught music from a variety of genres, cultures, and historical periods relevant to the music to which they are introduced. In this article, I introduce an interdisciplinary approach through contextualization of the…

As cultural diversity is increasingly celebrated in classrooms, multicultural learning in music education has become more essential and meaningful. Therefore, this article emphasizes the integration of Cantonese nursery rhymes into early childhood music classrooms by providing a detailed lesson plan and some teaching suggestions. This effort aims…

Scott Joplin was an African American composer and pianist of singular merit and influence. This article is the second in a three-part series considering the biographical, artistic, and cultural contexts of Joplin's life and work. "King of Ragtime Composers," focuses on Scott Joplin's artistic processes, including his structuring of…