Culturally Responsive Teaching in a High School Percussion Ensemble
Validating Immigrant Identities

By (author) Christiana Athena-Blackwell

ISBN13: 9781032193472

Imprint: Routledge

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Format: Hardback

Published: 25/05/2025

Availability: POD

Description
Culturally Responsive Teaching in a High School Percussion Ensemble: Validating Immigrant Identities addresses themes of immigration, identity, and culturally responsive teaching in music education using a deep case study of Brazilian samba music in the context of a high school percussion ensemble. Through an in-depth ethnographic study of the World Percussion Ensemble at Somerville High School, Massachusetts, and how it was renovated by a progressive music program director, the author demonstrates how a program can respond to the cultures and needs of immigrant students by creating a unique intercultural community within the classroom. The book recognizes key components in the process of immigrant social integration: (1) music education can help facilitate immigrant students’ adjustment to a new culture as they negotiate a hybrid identity. (2) The inclusive nature of samba percussion music encourages communication, cooperation, and empathy, helping students to build life skills. (3) By blending rhythms from their countries of origin with a pop song of choice for their final composition, the students create their own interculture. Deriving from culturally responsive music teaching practices, this study will inspire music teachers and music education researchers to transfer some of the methods to center students’ languages, identities, and cultural references in their curricula.
Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1. The Setting: Introduction to The World Percussion Ensemble Classroom Chapter 2. The Strategy: Saunders’s Visions for the Somerville Music Program Chapter 3. The Story: Marcus Santos and Cultural Responsiveness in The World Percussion Ensemble Chapter 4. The Experience: WPE Students in the Context of Immigration Chapter 5. The Results: Impacts of Culturally Responsive Teaching in the World Percussion Ensemble Chapter 6. The Implications: Transferring Methods from WPE to Other Music Education Programs
  • Theatre studies
  • Music: styles & genres
  • Percussion instruments
  • Professional & Vocational
  • Tertiary Education (US: College)
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List Price: £52.99