David's Bibliography

Glass, D., Meyer, A., and Rose, D. (2013). Universal design for learning and the arts. Harvard Educational Review, 83(1), 98–119. http://ezproxy.uky.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/universal-design-learning-arts/docview/1326778711/se-2?accountid=11836

In their article, Universal Design for Learning and the Arts, the authors are attempting to argue for the usage of universal design for learning (UDL) being used in arts education. They begin by introducing the readers to the concepts of universal design for learning and why it is used. The description of UDL discusses the connection the neuroscience of affective, recognition, and strategic networks in the brain and how they connect to engagement, representation, and expression respectively (Glass et al., 2013, p. 100). Shifting their focus specifically to the arts, the authors discuss a Deaf Grammy award winning percussionist. This example allows us to expand our thinking: “When music, or any kid of art, is constrained by the limits of what is normal, or average, it becomes a narrow kind of art” (p. 106). Imagine this artist having been told music is not for them. Imagine the contributions to the art form that would not have been made. This example is used to develop the ideas of UDL in the world of arts education through providing multiple means of representation, engagement, and expression.

Multiple means for representation should provide options for perception, language and symbols, and comprehension (p. 107). Multiple means of Action and Expression should provide students with options for action, communication, and strategic and executive function (p. 110). Multiple means of engagement should provide options to recruit interest, sustain engagement, and develop self-regulation (p. 113). When arts teachers develop lessons through the lens of UDL, they will open up the doors to give students the opportunity to participate in music from the start as opposed to having to create differentiated instruction to respond to disabled learners.

Varner, E. (2020). General music learning is also social and emotional learning. General Music Today, 33(2), 74–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1048371319891421

In their article, Varner highlights each of the components of social emotional learning (SEL) which are, “self-awareness, social awareness, responsible decisionmaking, self-management, and relationship skills” (p. 75). The first, self-awareness is experiences as students participate in music making as soloists, accompaniment, etc. The author compares this SEL goal to the national core standards of developing and refining their work through “self-assessment, peer feedback, and teacher review” (p. 75). This allows students to examine themselves and realize their peers perception of their actions which leads to the second component of SEL, social awareness. This component is related to the National Core Arts Standard 11 about relating to society, culture, and history (p. 76). This allows students to examine the music’s role in the world, but also their role in their micro society, culture, and personal history. The author sees this accomplished through percussion activities, circle games and folk songs. The next category, responsible decision making is not related to a national core standard but is shown to be accomplished through “maintaining materials, equipment, and tools in work and performance spaces” (p. 76). Self-management is experiences through stress management, delayed gratification and identifying emotions and emotional self-perception (p. 77). This can be seen through more traditional rehearsals where students are working towards a product and work towards developing a product as a group. Finally, relationship skills are discussed to include activities such as using the “ability to work with others, to communicate, to engage together, and to work as a team” (p. 77). All of the components of SEL can be seen and demonstrated through activities in the general music classroom. This article left me thinking how can we make them more of a purposeful connection.

Criss, E. (2010). Teamwork in the music room. Music Educators Journal, 97(1) 30–36. https://doi-org.ezproxy.uky.edu/10.1177/0027432110380550

Ellen Criss highlights the similarities of teamwork in musical groups to that of sports teams in their article, Teamwork in the Music Room. Criss discusses how there are lower rates of absentism and higher average grades when students feel they know their place in a system. For students to know how they work in a system they “need to be taught how to work together to achieve synergy” (p. 31). Students are not going to naturally know how they work with others or what their role is going to be. A common theme in TikTok right now is that we are the main character of our own story. How does this main character work with the others who are also the main characters of their own stories? The author highlights how peer pressure has been used to develop anti-drug programs, but there is a way to use positive peer pressure to motivate and inspire students to become a part of the team in your classroom. This teamwork and culture building is not something that is built THROUGH the shared experiences that music and sports offer the students. This can be emboldened through empowering students and including them in goal setting, as well as encouraging commitment. There also needs to be taught the importance of communication, leadership skills, and role identification. Also creating a team identity will help build the teamwork that can help cultivate a positive culture in the classroom.