Social Justice Issues in Music Education Pedagogy and Curriculum Essay Example

drive cognition (Villa & Baptiste, 2014).

Curriculum encompasses what is taught. Changes in education, and specially curriculum theories, are driven by changes in society and cultures (Gay, 1995). Transformative education should empower students to become active citizens, ready to participate in a democratic society (Sanchez, 2010). Pedagogy is how the curriculum is taught.

Piaget developed a theory of cognitive development, in which cognition is the process through which learning can take place (On Purpose Associates, n.d.). Vygotsky’s theory is the sociocultural theory of development (Sample, 200x), or social cognition learning model (Doolittle, 1997). This theory is student centered, and focuses around the student’s constant mental transformation based on experiences to drive cognition growth (Brooks, 1999).

Students are more actively engaged in their learning when they have a sense of ownership, and are driven by curiosity, interest and enjoyment (Caram & Davis, 2005). The teacher acts as a facilitator, and drives learning and cognition through questioning and investigative learning (Caram & Davis, 2005).

Culturally responsive teaching connects Piaget, Vygotsky, cognition, learning, curriculum and pedagogy. It is defined by Zaretta Hammond as, “an educator’s ability to recognize students’ cultural displays of learning…and respond positively and constructively with teaching moves that use cultural knowledge as a scaffold…to promote effective information processing,” (Hammond, 2015).

Critical teaching, social justice education and critical theory are all related to culturally responsive teaching. Critical teaching uses inquiry as a guide (Sanchez, 2010). Social justice education encourages civic values by questioning the status quo and is rooted in activism (Sanchez, 2010). Critical theory works towards human emancipation, and critical multicultural education defines why we need changes (Gay, 1995).

These theories, and ideas connected to them, provide the framework for solutions

to many of the issues presented in Research Studies on Educating for Diversity and Social Justice, and Just Mercy.

Education (both pedagogy and curriculum) should be transformative. In Research Studies on Educating for Diversity and Social Justice, Abul Pitre and Ashraf Esmail (2018) make an argument for education that is liberatory and transformative. This idea builds off of Dewey’s ideas of progressive education, and is marked by teaching that allows for expression, self-discovery, and learning through experience in order to become better equipped for a changing world (Dewey, 1938).

Transformative education has the potential to work towards breaking down these ineffective and unjust systems (Dewey, 1938). Dialogue that gives students the space to change their perspective based on the perspective of others is a vital component of learning (Fink, 2010). Dialogue naturally creates collaboration, which can be a useful step towards creating a thoughtful culture (Harris & Graham, 1996). Students should be empowered and transformed through their education in order to develop as active citizens, who will in turn transform society (Sanchez, 2010).

Just Mercy focuses on the issues surrounding individuals who had been disempowered by the American criminal justice system, often due to their race, gender, or for living in poverty (Stevenson, 2015). Stevenson’s book is part of a much-needed dialogue in America concerning the criminal justice system and continued oppression of diverse and marginalized groups.

Stevenson can offer a unique and strongly compelling analysis of a broken justice system. Stevenson found a disconnect with his theoretical classes but found affirmation in working as an intern with the Southern Prisoners Defense Committee (Stevenson, 2015). Stevenson’s background, and the work he did with the SPDC created a chance for

him to experience the way critical pedagogy can enact change. Direct experience gave him a sense of critical relevance (Stevenson, 2015). This exemplifies Dewey’s ideas of education through experience (Dewey, 1938).

Many of the issues and solutions presented in Research Studies and Just Mercy can be related to current music education. There are many issues faced by current practices in music pedagogy and curriculum in school music programs across the country. Some programs are flourishing while others face a constant struggle to stay afloat. Differing ideas on what constitutes a flourishing program is troubling too.

Is a successful program the one that sends the greatest number of students to All State ensembles and receives the highest ratings at district festivals while performing professional level music? Or is it one that is dedicated to including any interested student, even while this may mean stretching resources and time extremely thin. Ideally, programs would focus on actively enabling inclusion, while still maintaining the highest level of musical achievement possible? Unfortunately, with differing mindsets and community cultures, and with limited levels of time, funds, supplies and training, this ideal vision often seems unattainable.

In the 21st century, music programs across the country are changing, while still holding on to long-held traditions. New openness to realizing faults in contemporary music education is helping to pave the way to building stronger and more empowering programs.

Music programs are varied and nuanced. This can sometimes result in conflict while simultaneously being a part of making music programing stronger. Stevenson talks about the idea of intersectionality throughout Just Mercy, even when not specifically naming it (Stevenson, 2015).

The African American Policy Forum explains intersectionality in this way, “Intersectionality

is a concept that enables us to recognize the fact that perceived group membership can make people vulnerable to various forms of bias, yet because we are simultaneously members of many groups, our complex identities can shape the specific way we