Contact: Morgan C. Soja The University of North Carolina at Greensboro morgansoja@gmail.com mcsoja@uncg.

edu Factors Influencing Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Middle School Choral/General Music Classroom Morgan C. Soja and D. Brett Nolker Many state departments of education require educators to teach in a culturally responsive manner. Music is a pervasive element in culture, and music educators have tremendous opportunity to use culturally responsive teaching. Initial areas of interest were teachers experience with diverse genres of music, and their comfort level using those genres in their curricula. Secondary areas of interest were teachers familiarity, comfort, training and use of culturally responsive teaching strategies. Results indicated that teachers felt less experienced with rap/hip hop, country and jazz, and felt less comfortable including rap/hip hop and country in their curricula. Results also indicated that the majority of teachers are not familiar with, do not use, and have received no training with culturally responsive teaching.

Teachers were also asked about how often they included each of the eight genres in their curricula. Teachers also indicated the reasons that they choose not to include the genres. The frequency data for each genre are represented below. Results revealed that teachers perceived a lack of materials for genres like jazz, world music, rap/hip hop, musical theater and country. Teachers also indicated that genres like jazz, rap/hip hop and country present vocal concerns that keep teachers from including these genres in their classrooms. Additionally, teachers felt that their own comfort and training with jazz, world music, rap/hip hop and country prevent them from using these genres with their students. A small number of teachers indicated that they did not use certain genres because of student musical interest. Although culturally responsive teaching in a music classroom is not accomplished simply by using music that students enjoy, that music teachers are considering student musical experiences and interests is encouraging.

Contact: Morgan C. Soja The University of North Carolina at Greensboro morgansoja@gmail.com mcsoja@uncg.edu
Classical General (n = 67) 02 15 28
Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

Classical Choral (n = 90) 03 14

Never Rarely Sometimes

54

19

Often Frequently

22 Jazz General (n = 67) 15 0 7

Never Rarely Sometimes

Jazz Choral (n = 90) 11 16 4 23

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

16

29

Often Frequently

36 Pop General (n = 67) 03 18 25

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

Pop Choral (n = 90) 12 22 23

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

21 World General (n = 67) 0 19 11

Never Rarely Sometimes

42 World Choral (n = 90) 21 2 6

Never Rarely

28

Sometimes Often Frequently

17 20

Often Frequently

33

Contact: Morgan C. Soja The University of North Carolina at Greensboro morgansoja@gmail.com mcsoja@uncg.edu
Folk General (n = 67) 1 17 6
Never Rarely

Folk Choral 9 n = 90) 18 1 6

Never Rarely

21

Sometimes Often Frequently

34 31

Sometimes Often Frequently

22 Rap General (n = 67) 6 10 27 19 5

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

Rap Choral (n =90) 9 2 23

Never Rarely

22

Sometimes Often Frequently

34 Musicals General (n = 67) 14 1 9 Musicals Choral (n = 90) 14 2 13

Never Rarely Sometimes

21 22

30

Often

31

Frequently

Country General (n = 67) 6 9 21 4

Never Rarely Sometimes Often Frequently

Country Choral (n = 90) 8 1 15

Never Rarely Sometimes

37

29

Often Frequently

27

Contact: Morgan C. Soja The University of North Carolina at Greensboro morgansoja@gmail.com mcsoja@uncg.edu
Reasons for NOT Including Classical 5 4 3 2 1 0 18 16 14 Reasons for NOT Including Jazz

16 14

4 3 2 1 1 2

15

14

12 10 8 6 4

5
2 2

2 0

Reasons for NOT Including Pop 5 4 3 2 1 0 10 9 8 7 6

Reasons for NOT Including World Music

4 3 2 2 2 1 2

9 7 6

5 4 3 2 1 0

3 2 1 1

Contact: Morgan C. Soja The University of North Carolina at Greensboro morgansoja@gmail.com mcsoja@uncg.edu
Reasons for NOT Including Folk 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Reasons for NOT Including Rap/Hip Hop 40 35 30

34

37

4 3 2 2

25 20 15

21 12 5 5 7

10 5 0

Reasons for NOT Including Musical Theater 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Reasons for NOT Including Country 25

8
20

21 6 5 5 6
15

16

4
10 5 0

11
8 3

12