Page 40 - Mag89-4_2023_forFlipbook

Classroom Practice/Program

Differentiation in the

General Music Classroom

by Valerie Vinnard

Educators tailor instruction to meet individual student needs. Whether teachers tailor content, process,
products, or the learning environment, differentiation makes a successful approach to instruction.
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through Grade 5 scholars at Dooley, Los Cerritos, McKinley, Prisk,
and Webster Elementary schools in the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) in California
have been engaged in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) lessons,
social-emotional learning, and culturally relevant/responsive and sustaining pedagogy during their
music instruction. These important foundational models and mindsets promote differentiated learning
techniques such as critical thinking, problem solving, the development of social and emotional learning
skills, and celebration of differences in order to foster a sense of belonging for all children.
This article describes a program that incorporates STEAM, social-emotional learning, and culturally
relevant/responsive and sustaining pedagogy in the general elementary TK–Grade 5 classroom. Teachers
in other subject areas may use this article as a model for how they may incorporate differentiated
learning processes in their subject areas and for different learning developmental ranges.

STEAM
The incorporation of STEAM strategies
and mindsets in instruction gives all students
hands-on learning and exposes students to the
creative process in learning. STEAM works by
leveraging the benefits associated with STEM
(the original science, technology, engineering,
and math focus) with the accessibility of visual
art, poetry, music, and drama. Students can
make connections and learn in a variety of ways,
reaping the benefits that a STEAM education
can provide.
STEAM also encourages girls in particular
to explore STEM fields and increases critical Grade 1 students use STEAM strategies to incorporate
thinking (The SHARE Team, 2022b). Because math and counting into their musical education.
girls and women are underrepresented in the
fields of science, technology, engineering, and
math, developing STEAM projects that help females become familiar with these fields at an early age is
important. By allowing children to explore their expressive side through the arts, the teacher helps them
to expand their creative thinking skills, which are necessary to solve complex engineering, science, and
math problems.
Students at Dooley, Prisk, Los Cerritos, McKinley, and Webster engage in STEAM lessons during
their music instruction. TK through Grade 1 students, for example, sing fun and engaging differentiated
counting songs such as “The Numbers Rap” and “Roll Over,” thereby infusing music instruction with
important math operations such as addition and subtraction. The children enjoy clapping, patting,

38 · Volume 89-4