Sammie Cohen

MUED373

Community of Singing Reflection

In reading this article, it is clear that a music program which reflects the values of its

community can foster very strong, meaningful engagement and motivation from students. There

are many ways to achieve this effectively in teaching and managing a program. To begin, the

program can identify itself with the community and function as a part of its culture through

attending community events and working with local institutions and individuals. While the social

aspect of a community depends on its cultural and socioeconomic context, music programs can

actively treat their classroom as a community, encouraging social interaction by encouraging

peers to talk, interact, work creatively and with one another. Programs can also incorporate

musical and non-musical elements relevant to the community, whether this is in certain playing

and learning practices, content performed and discussed, or adjusting the formality of the setting.

Music can also be used a as vehicle to discuss topics and values that are important to the

community by making connections to the composition, history, and expression of the material

being taught. School programs in general have many ways through which they can create

community-program connections. Formality of setting, role of the teacher, content taught,

methods and practices, and materials are all examples of areas which can be adapted to reflect

the values of the community. However, there are certainly potential challenges with

incorporating community elements into the classroom including resources of the school,

restrictions of which practices can be replicated according to school and district regulation, and

efficacy for teaching program curriculum. Overall, I believe it is very critical for students’

motivation and connection to their learning to reflect the identity and culture of their community.