Cultivating a
Climate that
Embraces Diversity
{
Presented by: Rochelle R. Goldberg
Union-Endicott CSD
Music education has become a more
dynamic field in recent decades, due
in no small part to the diversified
easily accessible online music and
curricular content that is now
available enabling us to study
diversity in meaningful ways.
Teacher
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I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am
the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my
personal approach that creates the climate.
It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As
a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to
make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can
be a tool of torture or an instrument of
inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or
heal. In all situations, it is my response that
decides whether a crisis will be escalated or
deescalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.”
~ Haim Ginott
Posters of
composers from
diverse cultures.
 Posters in different
languages.
 The Artwork of
Karen Cannon

Climate through Décor
Creating a culturally responsive
learning environment.
Bridge The Gaps and Break
Down Language Barriers!
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Language often doesn’t matteremotion does. Feel the music, and
you can understand the message.
Google Translate
Translating Apps for iPhone and
Android
Lesson books in foreign languages
Key Vocabulary
EMPATHY: Students develop
empathy through music. Empathy
is something students struggle to
learn, but is an invaluable skill
once acquired. When students
can put themselves in another’s
place, respect flourishes. Where
there is respect, learning can take
place unabashed.
STEREOTYPES: To believe
unfairly that all people with a
specific characteristic are the
same. Discuss stereotypes
associated with the various music
genres.
Suggested Ground Rules for
Music Listening Discussions.
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“Zero tolerance” for anything that is
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Be Tolerant of people different from us
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disrespectful, hurtful or intolerant of diversity
Think about the impact of our words and
actions on others first.
Keep an open ‘Yogi’ mind
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No laughing
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Be kind
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Really listen to one another
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Recognize we have much to learn from one
another.
Climate and Music: Is Music
to the Soul as Food to the Body?
STUDY: ROCK, POP, WHITE POWER:
How Music Influences Support for Ethnic Groups
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Music has a lot of power to influence our thoughts
and actions, (Rochelle adds ‘Moods’) more than we
often recognize. It has the power to reinforce our
positive biases toward our own group, and
sometimes negative biases toward others.
(study continued)
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The study involved 148
undergraduate students who were
told they would be participating in
a study concerning the funding of
student groups on campus using
tuition funds.
Listened to Music in a
Waiting Room for 7
minutes.
Celebrating Culture Through
the Fine and Performing Arts
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Build artwork around the sound of music.
Study the lyrics of cultural music and their
meanings.
Incorporate drama into regular class activities.
Allow students to find or design/illustrate
appropriate costumes or wardrobe for the roles
they play
Drum Circles
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Allow sharing by students in class, giving time for
others to ask questions for understanding.
Opportunities for collaboration: Group projects,
presentations, class activities, etc.
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Celebrate whenever possible!
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Recognize commemorative days
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Cookbook, recipe and suitable music
accompaniment
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Find and make any available cultural instruments.
Ocarina’s!
Listen to it-play music quietly in the background during
work times.
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Diorama your story!
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Write a play/musical
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Bring in guest performers and role models from diverse
backgrounds.
Amazing Grace Whitley Phipps
From Pop to the Promise Land
Wintley Phipps Amazing Grace
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVcjnNry4do
Springboard to Beyonce Swing Low Sweet Chariott
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gryfRoqbu4c
Springboard to African American Spirituals and Slave
Chants
Springboard to Amazing Grace 7 year old girl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDDlxmsciqY
Springboard to Alabama Sacred Harp Singing Convention
Alabama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW9V0JD87dk
Britains Got Talent: Jonathan and Charlotte
Audition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsNlcr4frs4
Springboard to Andrea Bocelli with Celine Dion
Springboard to Pavarotti and the Three Tenors
Gangnam Style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIQToVqDMb8
Springboard to North Korean Children Playing the Guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSedE5sU3uc
Springboard to Classical Guitar Music or Traditional Korean
Music
Paul Simon’s ‘Call Me Al’ from the Graceland CD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqrKejQTynk
Springboard to Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Springboard to the Lion King Circle of Life/the Lion
Sleeps Tonight
Junichi Tazawa Red Sox Ballplayer entrance music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1vV2GmZP2M
Japanese Music
The Piano Guys: what Makes you Beautiful (One Direction)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VqTwnAuHws
The Piano guys: Pachelbel’s Cannon (4 Cellos)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV5_xj_yuhs
Pachelbel’s Rant: Comedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM
Hasidic Regge/Rap Matisyahu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxxuSiC4wNw
Teaching Music Globally
(Oxford University Press,
2004) K-12 Resource
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http://books.google.com/books/abo
ut/Teaching_Music_Globally.html?i
d=pRTAQgAACAAJ
Web Links
www.racebridgesforschools.com
Bethsmusicnotes.blogspot.com
http://www.bethsmusicnotes.blog
spot.com/
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