Conceptualizing success in a school music program where racism and classism intersect
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
This autoethnographic dissertation explores how I conceptualize success in a public-school music program shaped by the intersecting influences of racism, classism, and deficit-based ideologies. Drawing from my experiences as a white, middle-class music educator in a predominantly Black, low socioeconomic status (SES) school, I examine how conventional music education standards, which are grounded in elite Eurocentric traditions, fail to reflect the cultural wealth and artistic expression of students from marginalized communities. Rooted in critical theory, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and antiracist education, I interrogate the ideological and structural forces that constrain student success and critique the dominance of standardized assessments rooted in Western classical paradigms. Through narrative inquiry and critical self-reflection, I explore alternative, asset-based approaches that affirm student voice, resilience, creativity, and community engagement as valid and powerful indicators of musical and educational success. Based on these findings, I contribute perspectives that may assist other educators in challenging structural limitations and affirming the cultural strengths of their students through more inclusive approaches to music teaching and learning.
Description
2025