Many times, when we plan the music courses we will offer to our community, we fall into the routine of recruiting the same types of learners for the same courses we’ve always taught. We are comfortable—these are the courses we were trained to teach and the learners we have always focused on. We offer our students materials and performance selections we know, understand, and find easy for community members to grasp. Though we love these performances and believe we can preserve the traditions, we may be missing opportunities to connect with other students who are interested in the arts. Some of these learners simply are not interested in some of the courses we currently offer in the PK–12 schools. Other learners may envision their artistic career path differently than our own, and that should be okay with us.
When a music learner leaves their home community to continue their education, we must ask ourselves, have we provided them with the tools to succeed? It is important for music educators to remember we have the power and responsibility to extend our reach beyond our current student population, inviting all students to discover the transformative potential of music and arts education and helping them to envision careers they may not know exist.
Many music educators repeat what they have been taught, reproducing methods, materials, courses, and performances like those they participated in as youngsters without thinking about how society, the arts, and careers in arts or related fields have changed. Have you noticed some of the students who walk past your classroom—you know, the ones who peek in the door but never come in because they believe the space isn’t for them? Maybe they think the space isn’t for students who are not performers, or what is currently being taught will not give them the tools to explore the areas of music in which they are interested. Some students might be looking for something different and we should celebrate these learners’ interests in the arts, even if the topics are different from the courses we enjoyed when we were their age or are not part of our teaching preparation.
Sometimes we need to remember our students may dream differently than us. They may see themselves working in the arts, but in adjacent fields. The quiet learner in your school who loves music may be listening critically to everything in their surroundings and have the potential to be a great sound engineer. We won’t know unless we open our doors to hear their stories and offer opportunities for them to be artistically creative. We can assist these learners in our educational spaces, help them to see there are numerous paths for lifelong engagement in music and the arts, and provide tools that could lead to their success and fulfillment.
Taking the time to listen to the requests and dreams of all learners may open our minds to additional creative projects we could explore with those currently enrolled in our classes, as well as ways we can welcome new learners into the arts space who want to contribute but in a slightly different manner. We should encourage exploration and not shut down an idea simply because we have not explored it ourselves. We should create opportunities for those who wish to participate to work collaboratively in our classrooms and in their communities, connecting their creativity to what they are learning about history, culture, and other disciplines related to careers in the arts. It is never too early to encourage students to consider careers in the arts and related industries connected to the courses we teach every day.
During their early years, we provide learners with opportunities to explore creating structures using building blocks or other tools, which allows students to feel successful in what they complete and to modify projects needing adjustment. The narrative we often associate with these exercises enables learners to see themselves in fields like architecture, city planning, and the like. Imagine if we created tools that allowed learners to see themselves as instrument repair technicians, sound engineers, and other creatives through hands-on learning. Providing these types of tools early on, in the “building block” years, may change how our communities view music and the lifelong potential of careers in the arts and related fields.
Weaving new ideas into our music classrooms allows us to experiment and explore the evolving interests of our students and communities and have an eye on the outside world as career opportunities change. Providing opportunities for all types of arts learners allows us to see ourselves as educators, facilitators, and supporters of young learners who may want to enter an arts-related field different from our own yet supported by the foundation we created for them. Today, more of the skills we teach should be transferable and allow music learners to see themselves in multiple and unexpected career paths. An entrepreneurial mindset may help others in our local communities understand that the arts change as the world changes. Opening the door for additional exploration invites conversations, discoveries, and the potential to dream.
Let’s take a moment to really listen to the students in and beyond our music classrooms and to better understand how to help them to dream.
