The change needed in urban music education not only relates to the idea that music should be at the center of the curriculum; rather, it is that culturally relevant music should be a creative force at the center of reform in urban education. Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom: A Guide to Leadership, Teacher Education, and Reform is the start of a national-level conversation aimed at making that goal a reality.
The prevailing discourse surrounding urban music education suggests the deficit-laden notion that urban school settings are "less than," rather than "different than," their counterparts. Through the lens of contextually-specific teaching, this book provides a counternarrative on urban music education that encourages urban music teachers to focus on the strengths of their students as their primary resource. Through a combination of research-based strategies and practical suggestions from the author's own experience teaching music in urban settings, the book highlights important issues for teachers to consider, such as culturally relevant pedagogy, the "opportunity gap," race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, musical content, curricular change, music program development, student motivation, and strategies for finding inspiration and support. Throughout the book, the stories of five highly successful urban music teachers are highlighted, providing practical, real-world advice for music teachers across the domains of general, choral, band, and string music teaching. Recognizing that the term "urban" can encompass a wide variety of different school and community settings, this book challenges all teachers who work in under-served and under-resourced settings to take a critical look at their own music classroom and work to tailor their pedagogy to meet the particular needs of their students.
This second volume, the follow-on to Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, Volume 1: A Guide to Survival, Success, and Reform, extends the conversation to include educational leadership, teacher education, partnerships, and school reform. As with Volume 1, classroom music teachers, inner city arts administrators, well-known academics, and policy-makers from across the United States and Canada join together to offer a full range of political, philosophical, and practical approaches to reaching kids in urban schools. These authors, whose voices are distinct and yet united, guide music educators at every level, motivating them to challenge tired assumptions, reconsider the issues, and transform their classrooms and their students. See also: Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, Volume 1 ORDER BOTH VOLUMES 1 & 2 NOW AND SAVE 1-57886-545-X
Engaging Students with Music Education is a groundbreaking book about using DJ decks and urban music in mainstream schools to re-engage disaffected learners and develop a curriculum which better reflects overall contemporary tastes. Many young learners are ‘at risk’ of exclusion; this book argues that for such individuals, the implications of such a shift in the music curriculum could be especially positive. Drawing extensively on the author’s own wealth of teaching experience, and bridging the gap between practice and theory, this book demonstrates through case studies that DJ decks can prove extremely valuable in mainstream classroom situations across the secondary school age ranges. Addressing challenging and crucial topics, combining rigorous theoretical analysis with practical suggestions, the book addresses questions such as: Are DJ decks actually a musical instrument, and are they suitable for classroom teaching? Will Ofsted's school inspectors approve of music teaching involving DJ decks and urban music? If we bring urban music into the classroom, will this further marginalise classical music? Are DJing and MCing skills recognised within examination specifications, at least in the UK? Current teachers will find the practical advice on how to incorporate DJ decks and urban music into their classroom especially helpful, whilst educational researchers will be captivated by the critical discussion of the child-centred tradition and a theoretical approach which stretches from ‘continental’ philosophy to practice-based reflection. With an insistence that the starting point for music education should always be the interests and experiences of the learners, this book is essential reading for those music teachers and researchers interested in the benefits of non-standard music-making in the classroom.
Successful professional music teachers must not only be knowledgeable in conducting and performing, but also be socially and culturally aware of students, issues, and events that affect their classrooms. This book provides comprehensive overview of social and cultural themes directly related to music education, teacher training, and successful teacher characteristics. New topics in the second edition include the impact of Race to the Top, social justice, bullying, alternative schools, the influence of Common Core Standards, and the effects of teacher and school assessments. All topics and material are research-based to provide a foundation and current perspective on each issue.
Culturally relevant music can drive reform in urban education. Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, Volume 1: A Guide to Survival, Success, and Reform opens a national-level conversation aimed at making that goal a reality. This first of two volumes addresses cultural responsivity, teaching strategies, and alternative teaching models. Contributors, who include classroom music teachers, inner city arts administrators, well-known academics, and policy-makers from across the United States and Canada, offer a full range of political, philosophical, and practical approaches to reaching kids in urban schools. These authors, whose voices are distinct and yet united, guide music educators at every level, motivating them to challenge tired assumptions, reconsider the issues, and transform their classrooms and their students. See also: Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, Volume 2 ORDER BOTH VOLUMES 1 & 2 NOW AND SAVE 1-57886-545-X $65.00 paper set / 1-57886-544-1 $130.00 cloth set
Discover the teaching practices that make the biggest difference in student performance! This practical, research-based book gives principals, teachers, and school administrators a direct, inside look at instructional practices from top award-winning urban schools. The authors provide detailed examples and analyses of these practices, and successfully demystify the achievement of these schools. They offer practical guides to help educators apply these successful practices in their own schools. Teaching Practices from America's Best Urban Schools will be a valuable tool for any educator in both urban and non-urban schools-schools that serve diverse student populations, including English language learners and children from low-income families.
Sketches of Democracy is a captivating book that chronicles the first year in the life of a new urban high school. Based on journal entries and educational literature, this booktraces the author's challenging journey toward creating a democratic community of learners within a tangle of socio-economic and political issues. An experienced public school teacher and university educator, DeLorenzo brings a unique perspective to the teaching/learning process. Her poignant anecdotal stories, along with information from authoritative sources, provide a narrative that is deeply reflective and affecting. This book is a must-read for teachers, teacher candidates, and teacher educators who share a passion for teaching those on the margins of society.
Aspects of Teaching Secondary Music provides a practical illustration of the skills, knowledge and understanding required to teach music in the secondary classroom. Musical concepts and ideas are discussed and a critical examination of key issues is given. This encourages the reader to engage with these thoughts and consider their views and beliefs in terms of how they will influence their potential to teach music in an inspired and effective manner.
Christopher Emdin is an assistant professor of science education and director of secondary school initiatives at the Urban Science Education Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. He holds a Ph.D. in urban education with a concentration in mathematics, science and technology; a master's degree in natural sciences; and a bachelor's degree in physical anthropology, biology, and chemistry. His book, Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation is rooted in his experiences as student, teacher, administrator, and researcher in urban schools and the deep relationship between hip-hop culture and science that he discovered at every stage of his academic and professional journey. The book utilizes autobiography, outcomes of research studies, theoretical explorations, and accounts of students' experiences in schools to shed light on the causes for the lack of educational achievement of urban youth from the hip-hop generation.
