Navigating Music Teaching in Uncertain Times

Abstract

As schools reopen and students return back to the classrooms, music teachers are faced with the challenge of how and what we could do (and continue to do) to support the well-being and music learning of our students in crises. I suggest that teachers take into consideration the various elements involved in creating engaging learning experiences. Recognize the changing classroom climate and student-teacher/student-peer relationships in the virtual classroom, it is necessary that we consider how to spark students’ motivation and generate meaningful dialogue, what strategies we apply to help our students develop critical thinking skills; how we connect with our students and address their emotional well-being while being physically separated from each other. As trivial as these ideas may appear on the surface, I believe that only when we truly listen and attend to the needs of our students will we provide the space for our students to flourish.