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Expose students to diverse music - music from different backgrounds, not just traditional classical music. Include music from Latin America, Africa, China, Japan, Russia, and various subcultures of USA (Jazz, Funk, Hawaiian & Rock). Have students listen to music from different cultures as well as play music from various cultures

Guest Presenters - Have guest speakers that represent different musical backgrounds come in to share with the students. Students will learn more when they hear things from different perspectives.

Awareness of my own tendencies - Being aware of my own tendencies and bias, and being careful not to let those trump best practices in instruction. Showing an interest in all students regardless of background & race.

Draw in those who are on the fringe - Keep a special eye out for the individuals that have a hard time connecting with other students. Be intentional about helping them feel included with activities.

Be a lifelong learner - Demonstrate to the students that I am still learning as well. Perform for the students on instruments that I am proficient on as well as instruments I am learning.

Draw on the strengths of one another. Learn about each another. Find out what each is good at and find ways for all to contribute to the class.

Commonalities: Leading to an effective learning environment.

Eager to do well. They want to succeed and experience success. The best way for this to happen in a band class is if everyone works together. Collaboration is key in Band.

To feel included with the group and a part of something bigger than themselves. Band is the perfect place for this! When everyone works together in band, the final result is something that can not be achieved by oneself. E pluribus unum – Out of many, one!

Students are in my band because they choose to be. Students tend to be more engaged with a subject they are interested in. Lean into this and help students enjoy it. They want to have fun and enjoy the class. If it is a fun atmosphere, the students will enjoy it and invite their friends to join. Students will be eager to take on new challenges.

Students want to feel special. Band is a unique opportunity for students to be a part of something unique where they are all working together for the greater good. But at the same time they each can feel special doing their best and playing their part to the best of their ability.

They are still growing in maturity. They will make mistakes (and hopefully never stop making them). We oftentimes learn best from our mistakes. Mistakes in music are great because that means they are taking chances. Not that we strive to make the same mistakes over and over again, but rather new mistakes. Those are also great opportunities to grow and learn how to overcome challenges. Mistakes can be our best teacher if we are willing to learn from them.

All students are capable of contributing to the band. Everyone is important and has a part to play. There are no unimportant people in my band. Everyone is a contributing member.

Differences: Leading to an effective learning environment.

Different cultures. There is no real majority. There are so many unique backgrounds and strengths that each student brings. There are many talents and skills to pull from. Diversity is a huge asset in the band class because those areas that some are strong in, others won’t be. We’ll be able to rely on each other’s strengths when needed.

Different home lives. Students have different home expectations & cultures. Some students will live in musically rich home, while others may not. But those that have strong music backgrounds can be a support for those that don’t. Eventually, all students will have a strong musical understanding as they grow over their time in band. Students will also be exposed to various cultures as they develop friendships with other students.

Different support systems. Some students have supportive home-lives where parents encourage them to practice. Others have parents that prefer that they not practice at their home. While this can be a challenge to overcome, my classroom is a supportive environment where students help one anther find away. Frequently students find time to practice either before school or after school – or even during their lunch break.

Quality of instruments. Some students will have nice instruments, some will have bad ones. We each learn to deal with the situation at hand. That’s not a bad thing. In my band we find ways to help students get the equipment they need. We explore alternatives and work hard to get resources into the hands of students. We also explore strategic partnerships & grants to help fund students who may not be able to take band without it.

Various levels of experience. Some students will have a lot of experience with success, some will not. The starting point is not as important as the finishing point. If a student sticks with band, they will be successful. If they are willing to put in a little hard work, time and effort, they will do well in band!

Diverse musical backgrounds. We are exposed to lots of different styles of music and cultures in my class. This is one of the things I love about serving in a diverse population is that there is always the opportunity to learn something new.

Different types of instruments. That is the beautiful thing about band. There are so many different sounds and timbres that together make a beautiful sound. The best bands have very rich & sonorous sounds. We don’t want everything to sound the same. It’s the uniqueness of each instrument that gives the beautiful sound.