Who Am I?
Hello, my name is Alecia and I am a high school music teacher with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. I graduated from my undergraduate at Western in 2015, my Bachelors of Education from Nipissing in 2017, and have been a long term occasional teacher with HWDSB ever since. I am currently enrolled in my Masters of Music Education at Western with a projected graduation date of 2021. I'm big, loud, and you better believe you know when I'm in the room. But hey, what else would you expect from a trumpet player?!
I am really excited that my group chose the lens of identity to explore while we work through this course. I think identity is an integral part of 'teaching the whole child'. Understanding how identity shapes, changes, and solidifies a student's understanding of who they are and who they want to be, allows me as an educator to engage with my students in a way that is outside of the curriculum. I do believe that we don't teach curriculum, we teach students. How are my students supposed to succeed if they don't feel seen, valued, respected, and supported in a class; especially in one like music that can make them feel vulnerable without the correct supports?
I had originally hoped to use my time in this course to examine identity in regards to LGBTQ+ and First Nations, Inuit, and Metis individuals in my writing. But based on where my interests took me through this course, I ended up focusing my thoughts, reflections, and writings towards individuals with exceptionalities and those who are part of marginalized communities. I'm also excited to follow along with the narrative and explorations my group members make under this lens.
I am really excited that my group chose the lens of identity to explore while we work through this course. I think identity is an integral part of 'teaching the whole child'. Understanding how identity shapes, changes, and solidifies a student's understanding of who they are and who they want to be, allows me as an educator to engage with my students in a way that is outside of the curriculum. I do believe that we don't teach curriculum, we teach students. How are my students supposed to succeed if they don't feel seen, valued, respected, and supported in a class; especially in one like music that can make them feel vulnerable without the correct supports?
I had originally hoped to use my time in this course to examine identity in regards to LGBTQ+ and First Nations, Inuit, and Metis individuals in my writing. But based on where my interests took me through this course, I ended up focusing my thoughts, reflections, and writings towards individuals with exceptionalities and those who are part of marginalized communities. I'm also excited to follow along with the narrative and explorations my group members make under this lens.
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Positionality/Inclusion VideoAn introduction through my privileges, barriers, and biases, as well as my feelings regarding inclusion in the classroom.
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tyrannical Feelings of gynaecological informationFor this task, we were asked to read two articles, select phrases, sentences, words, etc., that had an impact/stood out to us and make a poem with those pieces.
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tFgi RationaleReferences:
Holiday, R. (2015, 09, 10). The Real Reason We Need to Stop Trying to Protect Everyone’s Feelings. Observer. https://observer.com/2015/09/the-real- reason-we-need-to-stop-trying-to-protect- everyones-feelings/ Young, C. (2015, 06, 11). The Pecking Disorder: Social Justice Warriors Gone Wild. Observer. https://observer.com/2015/06/the-pecking- disorder-social-justice-warriors-gone-wild/ Young, C. (2016, 02, 02). The Totalitarian Doctrine of ‘Social Justice Warriors. Observer. https://observer.com/2016/02/the-totalitarian- doctrine-of-social-justice-warriors/ |
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500 word response to "Is Everyone Really Equal?" and "The Disability Studies Reader".References:
Davis, L. (2017). The disability studies reader / Lennard J. Davis [electronic resource] (Fifth edition.). Routledge. Sensoy, O., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education / Özlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo. (Second edition.). Teachers College Press. |
Gathering Perspectives Through Ratatouille, Memes, And Readings: A Reflection of Week #1 of Music Education In Inclusive ContextsReferences:
Ansdell, G. (2002). Community Music Therapy & The Winds of Change. Voices, 2(2), np. https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v2i2.83 Baldwin, A. (2017). Community music-making for everyone via performing ensembles: here are five groups that make an inclusive, musical difference in their communities.(Lectern). Teaching Music, 24(3). Davis, L. J. (Ed.). (2016). The disability studies reader. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca Lewis, B. (Producer), & Bird, B. (Director). (2007). Ratatouille [Motion picture. United States: Pixar Animation Studios. Mitchell, E. (2019). Community Music Therapy and Participatory Performance. Voices, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.15845/voices.v19i1.2701 Sensoy, O., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). Is everyone really equal? : An introduction to key concepts in social justice education. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest- com.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca Treweek, C., Wood, C., Martin, J., & Freeth, M. (2019). Autistic people’s perspectives on stereotypes: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Autism, 23(3), 759–769. [Two men arguing about a number, 6 or 9, to argue about perspective, which is thwarted by an explanation about orientation to help discern who is correct] (2020) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/5 be72d7db105985523f2b682/1553741251463- S7XGXR0YT33VBK7OY2RC/perspective.jpeg?content- type=image%2Fjpeg |
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1. “Struggling to understand and struggling to rebut are very different choices.” People can play devil’s advocate because the side of the devil does not/has not/will not affect them.
2. Issues of consent vs. choice. Similar to what Ben spoke of in his presentation. Why does society look down on individuals who make a ‘choice’ without looking at what other options they have? How can we present/teach against this particular mindset of oppression in a music classroom? 3. Structural vs. Institutionalized power in regards to gender and race representation. “Why are these examples so notable that we know them by name?” Even in a primarily women dominated profession like teaching, leadership positions are still more often occupied by white males. |
Individual Issues/Ideas for the Sensoy Chapter "Yeah, but..."Sensoy, O., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). Is everyone really equal? : an
introduction to ke concepts in social justice education / Özlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo. (Second edition.). Teachers College Press. Chapter 11. |
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Fear and Loathing In Education: A Reflection of Week #2 and of the Music Education In Inclusive Contexts CourseReferences:
Allsup, R. (2016). Fractured (fairy) Tales: In Search of Transformational Spaces in Music Education. Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, (207-208). Benedict, C (forthcoming Jan. 2021). Educating for Intelligent Belief and Unbelief. In C. Benedict, Music and Social Justice: A Guide for Elementary Educators. New York: Oxford University Press Bradley, D. (2012). Good for What, Good for Whom?: Decolonizing Music Education Philosophies. In The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy in Music Education. Chávez, L., & Skelchy, R. P. (2019). Decolonization for Ethnomusicology and Music Studies in Higher Education. Action, Criticism & Theory for Music Education, 8(3). http:// act.maydaygroup.org/volume-18-issue-3 /act-18-3-chavez- and-skelchy/ DeVito, D., Telles, T., & Hidalgo, B. (2020). Culturally Responsive Research Projects in a Title I Elementary Center for Fine Arts. Visions of Research in Music Education, 35. http:// www- usr.rider.edu/~vrme/v35n1/visions/DeVito%20 Telles%20and%20Smith_Culturally%20Responsive%20 Research.pdf Nichols, J. (2013). Rie’s Story, Ryan’s Journey: Music in the Life of a Transgender Student. Journal of Research in Music Education, 61(3), 262–279. Palkki, J., & Caldwell, P. (2018). “We are often invisible”: A survey on safe space for LGBTQ students in secondary school choral programs. Research Studies in Music Education, 40(1), 28–49. Sensoy, O., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). Is everyone really equal? : an introduction to key concepts in social justice education / Özlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo. (Second edition.). Teachers College Press. Stanton, B. (2018). Musicking in the Borders: Toward Decolonizing Methodologies. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 26(1), 4–23. |
End of streaming in Ontario
Cathy sent us a link to an article about how the Minister of Education has a plan to end streaming in grade 9 by 2021. He states that this is due to the unequal representation of bipoc in applied and locally developed courses. Cathy reached out by email for our thoughts, and boy do I have some about this!
Hello Everyone,
I think this idea, well being good intentioned (at least on the surface (as some argue this is just another way the province is trying to up class sizes at the secondary level under the guise of listening)) is being acted upon in a way that doesn’t actually serve these marginalized students. It is trying to fix a symptom but not the cause.
Part of the issue is the aspect of literacy and numeracy acquisition that is missed for delayed achievers and bipoc in an early system which doesn’t have the funding and support to work with them and their families/communities to build these skills. When we are talking about different ways of knowing, we still have to address that in our society today you need to be able to read, write, and complete basic math.
If the system were to work the way the government is expecting to they need to address, fund, and support it in early education in a way that is reflective of westernization’s impact in the institution of education and generational poverty/racism/etc. Studies consistently show that the best indicator of success in the institution of school as we know it is not early literacy, but rather children’s access to being read to and engage with age appropriate materials.
The structures absolutely need to be addressed, but they are using a warped version of survivorship and the logical fallacy “post hoc ergo propter hoc” to say that because once they transition to high school there are less bipoc students represented in academic streamed classes, that that means the high school system must be biased/ to blame for this. Of course there are stereotypes, preconceived notions, and other fallacies we are working with when students are submitting option sheets.
If we are to ask ourselves who is this serving in our current high school model, yes bipoc are underrepresented so that needs to change. We are missing logistics. What curriculum are we following? I can see this model basically turning into streaming but instead at a classroom level instead of a grade level. This model also doesn’t account for the current practice of giving students a credit from another stream if they have shown they are capable of materials at that level. On a personal note, I have had several students from my academic stream who I have granted applied credits and vice versa with the permission and follow through from the student, parents, guidance, and administration.
As a proposal from off of my head, if they want this system to work, treat grade 8 like grade 9 in regards to students being responsible for their own classes individually, maybe even put grade 8 into the high schools themselves. That way, grade 8 acts as the first year where they transition to the new building and get a sense of what stream is right for them with the teachers they will be working with. It’s not perfect, and we are all still unlearning.
Alecia
Hello Everyone,
I think this idea, well being good intentioned (at least on the surface (as some argue this is just another way the province is trying to up class sizes at the secondary level under the guise of listening)) is being acted upon in a way that doesn’t actually serve these marginalized students. It is trying to fix a symptom but not the cause.
Part of the issue is the aspect of literacy and numeracy acquisition that is missed for delayed achievers and bipoc in an early system which doesn’t have the funding and support to work with them and their families/communities to build these skills. When we are talking about different ways of knowing, we still have to address that in our society today you need to be able to read, write, and complete basic math.
If the system were to work the way the government is expecting to they need to address, fund, and support it in early education in a way that is reflective of westernization’s impact in the institution of education and generational poverty/racism/etc. Studies consistently show that the best indicator of success in the institution of school as we know it is not early literacy, but rather children’s access to being read to and engage with age appropriate materials.
The structures absolutely need to be addressed, but they are using a warped version of survivorship and the logical fallacy “post hoc ergo propter hoc” to say that because once they transition to high school there are less bipoc students represented in academic streamed classes, that that means the high school system must be biased/ to blame for this. Of course there are stereotypes, preconceived notions, and other fallacies we are working with when students are submitting option sheets.
If we are to ask ourselves who is this serving in our current high school model, yes bipoc are underrepresented so that needs to change. We are missing logistics. What curriculum are we following? I can see this model basically turning into streaming but instead at a classroom level instead of a grade level. This model also doesn’t account for the current practice of giving students a credit from another stream if they have shown they are capable of materials at that level. On a personal note, I have had several students from my academic stream who I have granted applied credits and vice versa with the permission and follow through from the student, parents, guidance, and administration.
As a proposal from off of my head, if they want this system to work, treat grade 8 like grade 9 in regards to students being responsible for their own classes individually, maybe even put grade 8 into the high schools themselves. That way, grade 8 acts as the first year where they transition to the new building and get a sense of what stream is right for them with the teachers they will be working with. It’s not perfect, and we are all still unlearning.
Alecia
My Final Personal ReflectionMy thoughts about the course, my previous thinking, and where I see our society moving forward with music education an inclusion.
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