University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Equitable access to culturally relevant public-school music programs

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Equitable access to culturally relevant public-school music programs

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Content Running head: CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 1

Equitable Access to Culturally Relevant Public-School Music Programs
by
Meredith Huntley

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

December, 2019

Copyright 2019 Meredith Huntley

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 2

Acknowledgements
I am grateful to my many USC classmates who made this a fascinating and memorable
journey. I am equally grateful to the support I received from my committee, Dr. Adderley, Dr.
Malloy and Dr. Hasan, and professors. Thank you to Dr. Asa Sevelius who said, “If you don’t
do it now, you never will!” Thank to Kenny Kozol for helping me do this work in Brookline.
Thank you to my readers, Joshua Helston, David Selden, and Rebecca Tellyer. And of course,
thank you so much to Matt and Jill, who cleaned the house while I did homework, went right to
bed so I could be in class, and helped me through this program in a million ways.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 3

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

2
LIST OF TABLES

7
ABSTRACT

8
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction to the Problem of Practice 9
Organizational Performance Goal 13
Related Literature 16
Importance of a Promising Practice Project 18
Description of Stakeholder Groups 19
Stakeholder Performance Goals 20
Stakeholder Group for the Study 20
Purpose of the Project and Questions 21
Methodological Approach and Rationale 22
Definitions 23
Organization of the Project

23
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 25
Framing the Issue 25
History of Finding Positive Models of Culturally Relevant Public-School Music
Education
25
Why the Public Schools of Brookline and What is Working 28
What Other Districts Can Do 30
Importance of Promising Practice Project 31
Role of Stakeholder Group of Focus 32
Clark and Estes’ Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences
Framework
33
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences 34
Knowledge and Skills 34
Knowledge Influences 34
Curriculum Creation and Implementation 35
Bias in Curriculum 36
Training Access 37
Motivation 41
Motivation Theory-Interest 41
PSB music educators’ personal interest 41
Motivation Theory-Self-Efficacy 43
PSB music teachers’ self-efficacy 44
Organizational Influences 46
General Theory 46
Cultural Setting 1: Outstanding hiring practices 46
Cultural Setting 2: Teaching the whole child 47
Cultural Model 1: K-5 general music teacher autonomy 48
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 4

Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and
Motivation and the Organizational Context
50
Conceptual Framework in PSB 50
Figure Y 52
Conclusion 54

CHAPTER THREE: METHODS

55
Participating Stakeholders 56
Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale 57
Interview Recruitment Strategy and Rationale 58
Observation Sampling Criteria and Rationale 58
Observations Recruitment Strategy and Rationale 58
Interviews 58
Interview Protocol 58
Interview Procedures 59
Observations 59
Observation Protocol 59
Observation Procedures 60
Qualitative Data Collection and Instrumentation 60
Credibility and Trustworthiness 61
Data Collection and Instrumentation 61
Methodological Approach and Rationale 62
Sampling Strategy and Timeline 62
Ethics 63
Limitations and Delimitations

64
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS 66
Participating Stakeholders 66
Determination of Assets and Needs 67
Findings 68
Knowledge Analyses 69
Knowledge Findings 89
Finding #1 89
Finding #2 92
Finding #3 94
Knowledge Synthesis 96
Motivation Analyses 96
Motivation Findings 106
Finding #4 106
Finding #5 109
Motivation Synthesis 111
Organizational Analyses 111
Organizational Findings 130
Finding #6 131
Finding #7 132
Finding #8 134
Organization Synthesis 136
Synthesis 137
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 5

Conclusion

138
CHAPTER FIVE: RECOMMENDATIONS 139
Organizational Context and Mission 139
Organizational Performance Goal 143
Description of Stakeholder Groups 143
Goal of the Stakeholder Group for the Study 143
Purpose of the Project and Questions 145
Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences 146
Knowledge Recommendations 148
Introduction 148
Music teachers know how to develop culturally relevant curriculum 149
Music teachers create non-biased curriculum 150
Music teachers access cultural relevancy training 151
Motivation Recommendations 152
Introduction 152
Music teachers find teaching in a culturally relevant way accessible and
enjoyable
153
Music teachers feel successful when teaching in a culturally relevant way 154
Organizational Recommendations 155
Introduction 155
Organizational hiring practices 157
The goal of the whole child 157
Teacher autonomy 158
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan 159
Implementation and Evaluation Framework 159
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations 160
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators 161
Level 3: Critical Behaviors 162
Required Drivers 162
Organizational Support 164
Level 2: Learning 164
Learning Goals 164
Program 164
Components of Learning 166
Level 1: Reaction 167
Evaluation Tools 167
Immediately following the program implementation 167
Delayed for a period after the program implementation 168
Data Analysis and Reporting 168
Model Measure of Improvements After 1-Year Training in Cultural Relevancy 169
Summary 169
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach 171
Limitations and Delimitations 171
Future Research 171
Conclusion

171
REFERENCES 173
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 6

APPENDICES 189

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 7

List of Tables and Interview Analyses

Table A- Stakeholder Performance Goals 20, 144
Table B- Assumed Knowledge Influences 40
Table C- Assumed Motivational Influences 45
Table D- Assumed Organizational Influences 56
Table E- Research questions, protocol, and relative literature 62
Table F- Sampling Strategies and Timeline 68
Table G- Organizational Influences 112
Table H- Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations 148
Table I- Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations 153
Table J- Summary of Organizational Influences and Recommendations 156
Table K- Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes 161
Table L- Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods and Timing for Evaluation 162
Table M- Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors 163
Table N- Evaluation of the Components of the Learning for the Program 166
Table O- Components to Measure Reactions to the Program 167
Analysis A 70
Analysis B 72
Analysis C 75
Analysis D 77
Analysis E 80
Analysis F 82
Analysis G 84
Analysis H 87
Analysis I 97
Analysis J 100
Analysis K 103
Analysis L 113
Analysis M 116
Analysis N 119
Analysis O 120
Analysis P 122
Analysis Q 125
Analysis R 127
Analysis S 129

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 8

Abstract
Few Kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) American public-school students of color have
access to culturally relevant in-school music programs, yet many of their peers in mostly white
public schools, regardless of socioeconomic status, benefit from access to these programs. This
study examines the K-5 general music teachers in the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) as a
promising practice. The teachers as stakeholders were interviewed and observed in order to
gather data which painted a picture of the training, curriculum and group planning necessary to
provide equitable, culturally relevant music education for the highly diverse 7600 students in
PSB. The data collected from this research was examined through the lens of Clarke and Estes
(2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organization (KMO) framework as a means to create a
training program for other districts with similar demographics to create culturally relevant music
programs based on the one provided by the teachers in PSB.
Keywords: culturally relevant, music education, students of color, teacher training

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 9

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Introduction of the Problem of Practice
Few Kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) American public-school students of color
have access to culturally relevant in-school music programs. Students of color were defined in
this study as those who identify as African-American, black or LatinX. However, many of their
peers in mostly white public schools, regardless of socioeconomic status, benefit from access to
these programs. This dissertation focused on a solution to the lack of access to music education
where K-5 students of color experience far fewer culturally relevant musical opportunities due to
lack of entire programs and lack of appropriateness of existing programs. This problem exists in
all socioeconomic strata of American society and is focused on racial differences, not
socioeconomic differences. It should be noted that while Asian-Americans classify themselves
into both the “of color” and “white” categories, the school systems identified in this paper have
access gaps between African-American, black and LatinX students and all other students
(including Asian and white) (Public Schools of Brookline Superintendent's Budget Message,
2014; Newton Schools Foundation, 2018; Framingham Public Schools Committee, 2018;
Cambridge Public Schools, 2018). Catterall and Peppler (2010) explain that the inequity
between white and non-white students in arts education negatively impacts students of color in
all areas of learning. While as few as 2.1% of students of color nationwide have access to music
programs within some public-school systems, as many as 80% of their white peers participate in
these programs (Doyle, 2014; Elpus and Abril, 2011). However, simply offering music
programs is not a solution. Lack of participation by students of color may also be the result of
poor-quality programs that lack culturally relevant curriculum (Pelcher & Rajan, 2016).
Programs that are not culturally relevant negatively impact white students as well. Jaqueline
Jordan Ervine (n.d.) corroborates this assertion explaining, “Culturally relevant pedagogy has
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 10

theoretical roots in the notion that learning is a socially mediated process and related to students’
cultural experiences” (p. 58). If students of all colors are to be world citizens, they will do better
having these experiences. Concerns about the disconnect, specifically for students of color, are
notable because research from the National Endowment for the Arts (2012) reveals that students
who access music programs are higher achievers both academically and within their
communities. This dissertation explored how K-5 American public schools can provide quality
general music programs that benefit all students, particularly students of color, regardless of
family income.
The focus of this study is on the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) in Brookline,
Massachusetts and how other school districts can implement Brookline’s systems and curriculum
in order to provide high quality music education for students of color in K-5 public schools. As
recently as 2015, the United States passed the Every Child Achieves Act which included music
as a core subject (NAfME, 2015). While a study by the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) shows that music is offered in more than 90% of American public schools, the quality of
those programs comes into question when looked at through the lens of other results from the
same study (National Center for Education Statistics, 2014). For example, American public-
school music teachers predominately report having massive teaching loads, low planning time,
low teaching time, and low quality culturally relevant curriculum (National Center for Education
Statistics, 2014). In contrast, PSB’s music program has an ever-evolving culturally relevant
curriculum and more than the state requirement for teaching time (Contract Between the
Brookline School Committee and the Brookline Teachers’ Union, 2016; PSB K-5 General Music
Curriculum; Office of Teaching and Learning, 2017). Thus, this study hopes to study the
elements that make the PSB K-5 general music program a promising model for others.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 11

The PSB system was chosen for two reasons: its demographics and success. While many
American schools are less-diverse, PSB is comprised of students from almost every racial, ethnic
and religious background present in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The town of
Brookline is less diverse at approximately 72% white, but the school population includes
students from Boston- specifically through the METCO program- and other surrounding areas
making the schools themselves comprised of 54.2% white students (Massachusetts DOE, 2018c).
In comparison, towns surrounding Brookline have either similar racial and ethnic demographics,
like Cambridge and Framingham, or similar income demographics, like Newton and Lexington
(Data USA, 2018). Yet none of the schools in the area reflect the diversity of the students and
provide a culturally relevant music program the way that Brookline does.
When comparing Public School of Brookline’s demographics and music programs to area
public school demographics and music programs, PSB’s program exceeds its neighbors. For the
purposes of this paper, the demographics are measured as white/non-white, and the quality of the
music programs is measured in teaching time. “Time/frequency provided for arts instruction
within school schedules” is the number one necessity dubbed important for successful arts
programs in Ruppert and Nelson’s (2006) “Commonly Used Indicators to Assess the Status and
Condition of Arts Education.
1
” This list, created for the Arts Education Partnership, frames
successful music programs using accessible benchmarks. The Department of Education does not
record assessments, required teaching time, or other data common in other educational areas, but
it does keep track of student racial demographics, and school music teaching time is accessible
on school websites. Brookline has an average number of white students, at roughly 55%, as

1
From Ruppert, S.S. & Nelson, A.L. (2006). From Anecdote to Evidence: Assessing the Status
and condition of Arts Education at the State Level. Washington, DC: Arts Education
Partnership. Adapted with permission
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 12

compared to wealthier Newton (~64%) and Lexington (~70%) and poorer Framingham (~58%)
and Cambridge (~40%) nearby.
Also important to note are the socioeconomics of the five selected towns whose
demographics are described above. While Brookline appears quite wealthy in comparison to
many other areas, PSB is comprised of students from Brookline and Boston, where the average
yearly family income is $63,621 with a large percentage of families making barely $20,000-
$30,000 per year. While Brookline families’ average income is roughly $100,000 per year,
Newton and Lexington range between $130,000 and $150,000 per year making them far
wealthier than Brookline even before the Boston families are accounted for.
Finally, teaching time shows that no correlation exists between race or income when it
comes to high quality music programs. Students in Brookline have music for 85-90 minutes per
week, more than Cambridge, Framingham, Newton or Lexington. Teaching time is used to
illustrate that while PSB has fewer white students and less money than Newton or Lexington, its
music program allows for more student learning time and thus a stronger music program.
Likewise, PSB has more money than Cambridge or Framingham, but it is also less diverse and
still manages to provide more culturally relevant music education for its students.
Thus, this study focused on the knowledge required for teachers to create inclusive
curriculum, the motivation necessary to provide accessibility to the program for all students, and
the district’s organizational model in their missions and initiatives. Many families in
communities that lack quality music education programs feel the lack of music education is “part
of an ‘official’ institutional structure that has oppressed them for centuries” (Khalifa et al., 2014,
p.153). The existing need for equitable music programs in all public schools involves expanding
and improving existing musical opportunities and curriculum. Additionally, when students have
no access to music in school, they miss out on the academic and social benefits of music
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 13

education resulting in a long-term, negative effect on society. Children not exposed to music
often do not develop into adults who fully contribute to society (Dosman, 2013). PSB teachers
stay true to their organization’s mission that it “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, color, religion, national origin” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018) and is a paradigm
for conquering the larger problem of the lack of culturally relevant music education in many K-5
American public schools.
Organizational Performance Goal
The Public Schools of Brookline in Brookline, MA (PSB) is an organization showing
promising practice having a culturally relevant public-school music program for students of all
colors. PSB was founded in 1843 and continues to evolve into one of the best school systems in
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (DOE 2018a; Public Schools of Brookline, 2018a). The
music program in PSB has existed for as long as the district, and music education became
compulsory in Massachusetts beginning in 1830 (Humphreys, 2016).
The first line of the PSB Performing Arts organization’s mission explains that “[u]pon
graduation from the elementary level, students are developing the ability to live in and contribute
to a diverse global community in which the performing arts play a vital role in creating cultures
and building civilizations” (PSB Performing Arts Department, 2013). The PSB K-5 music
department provides equitable curriculum and musical opportunities for a district with almost
8600 students at eight K-8 schools and one high school. The curriculum expectations are applied
town-wide and benchmarks are used to keep schools and students in line with each other (PSB
Performing Arts Department, 2013). 100% of PSB students have access to the K-5 general
music program (PSB Performing Arts Department, 2013). Earlier, this paper compared the
successes of PSB to area towns in terms of race, socioeconomics and teaching time.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 14

This promising practice has great national implications. Statistics were gathered from the
National Center for Education Statistics (2014), the Massachusetts Department of Education
(DOE) (2018a), and an averaging of the teaching time from the four featured local schools. The
reader is asked to remember that many PSB students actually live in Boston, thus the “Average
Yearly Family Income” discussed below is not entirely representative of the population in the
schools. Massachusetts required teaching time in the arts is not specifically described or listed in
any current source.
Currently, PSB’s student racial demographics nearly match the United States average,
and while the income of Brookline families is higher than the national norm, it is important to
note that according to the published budgets of Brookline, Newton and Lexington, PSB spending
per students is less than nearby wealthy towns. American students have music on average 45
minutes per week. Massachusetts students average music class time around 55 minutes per
week. PSB students have music 85-90 minutes per week; up to a half hour more per week and
up to 20 hours more per year. This is in a district that has only about 3% more white students
than the national average (51%). And while PSB has higher family income than the national
average, according to the published budgets of Newton and PSB (Newton Public Schools, 2018;
Public Schools of Brookline, 2018a), PSB spends less per student than other Massachusetts
towns.
Compared to the national norms, PSB’s K-5 students have music classes taught by highly
qualified music teachers 15% more often than students in the rest of the country (National Center
for Education Statistics, 2014). Massachusetts teachers are considered highly qualified when
they are “(1) possessing a bachelor’s degree; (2) possessing a valid and active Massachusetts
teaching license; and (3) demonstrating subject matter competency in each of the core subject
areas they are teaching” (Massachusetts DOE, 2018b). Almost all Brookline PSB K-5 music
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 15

teachers have master’s degrees or doctorates and five or more years of music teaching
experience. Because PSB hires highly qualified teachers and provides ample time for successful
music education, Brookline PSB K-5 students have consistent access to music teachers capable
of culturally relevant teaching.
The income status, race and ethnicity of PSB students varies from family to family.
Another demographic of note is that Brookline’s poverty rate is higher than the state average
(Data USA, 2018). The mean and median income measurements in Brookline are driven higher
by outliers living in the highest socioeconomic bracket, thus statistics do not always paint a clear
picture of the demographics of all citizens. Driven by the PSB Performing Arts Department’s
simple goal that the arts are for all students, PSB’s eight K-5 schools continue to formally assess
every K-5 music student and share the data with parents via K-5 progress reports (Public Schools
of Brookline Office of Teaching and Learning, 2015). Music teachers in the K-5 program meet
at least once per month to discuss curriculum improvements and to review overall improvements
as a culturally relevant music program. The existing curriculum includes authentic music and
pedagogy from every continent, multiple world languages, and is reflective of children with
various backgrounds. Perhaps most importantly, PSB music teachers embark on real
conversations about what Gorski and Swalwell (2015) describe at “Equity Literacy.” Gorski and
Swalwell defined this literacy saying, “Its central tenet is that any meaningful approach to
diversity or multiculturalism relies more on teachers’ understandings of equity and inequity and
of justice and injustice than on their understanding of this or that culture” (2015, p. 36). Tatum
(2017) describes such conversations about race saying, “It means meaningful, productive
dialogue to raise consciousness and lead to effective action and social change” (p. 149).
This is important in Brookline because the demographics of the district vary greatly.
Almost 50% of the students are non-white, 42% are English language learners or speak multiple
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 16

languages, and in some Brookline schools up to 70 different nationalities are represented (At
School in Brookline, 2014; Massachusetts DOE, 2018a). Returning to Ruppert and Nelson’s
report, PSB is meeting several requirements including more minutes in teaching time, number of
highly qualified music teachers and consistent assessment tools (Ruppert and Nelson, 2006).
And while culturally relevant curriculum has been proven to better serve students of color, its
impact on Asian and white students can be just as powerful in helping them be aware of societal
and personal bias (Byrd, 2016).
Through the goals of the school district, the PSB Performing Arts Department aims to
“Ensure that every student meets or exceeds Brookline’s…standards and eliminate persistent
gaps in student achievement by establishing educational equity across all classrooms, schools,
and programs” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018). This goal was set by the central
administration of the town and was approved by the school committee. By 2018, 100% of the K-
5 students in Brookline were accessing music education with highly qualified music teachers for
eighty or more minutes per week. As a part of this program, the performing arts department
began assessing 100% of the K-5 students in music. Data from these assessments are used to
communicate with families and inform future program improvements. Both actions help the
Performing Arts department work towards its goal of “establishing educational equity across all
classrooms, schools and programs.” At the time this paper was written, the collected data had
not yet been aggregated and interpreted outside of class-to-class comparisons within schools.
Related Literature
Current research shows that nationwide access issues exist for students of color in public
school education possibly causing students to experience lower self-efficacy, poorer academics
and fewer positive community contributions (Catterall & Peppler, 2010). PSB teachers are
beginning to combat these access gaps as they are more able to access training in musical
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 17

cultural relevancy from area colleges like Boston University and Berklee College of Music
(Borek et. al, 2012). Additionally, PSB teachers are motivated to access these area college
programs and teach in a culturally relevant way because of cultural influence from the
surrounding communities and the needs of the highly diverse body of PSB students (Davidson,
2008, DOE 2018a). PSB K-5 general music teachers are also given time to work collaboratively
on culturally relevant curriculum and have access to peer coaching and long-term cultural
relevancy professional development in monthly department meetings.
Culturally relevant music education appeared in the greater Boston area as early as the
1800’s (Brophy, 1992). However, this early music education treated white Christian culture as
normative and did not address the needs of any other cultures. As the Boston area has quickly
diversified, music education has not been as quick to evolve. Unfortunately, music education in
many areas of the United States has been so slow to evolve, that many marginalized groups have
simply come to expect that they will not see themselves in school music, thus making music
education a thing for others and not themselves (Kang, 2014).
When students feel themselves different from or “other” than curriculum in their
classrooms, they tend to disconnect from the learning or show a negative attitude. Ladson-
Billings (2005) and Gorski (2013) explore the need for students of color to have a positive,
connected experience in every aspect of their schooling. Culturally relevant music education
could be a cure for many common at-school issues faced by students of color.
I If Teachers y must have access to training to learn how to properly conceive of
curriculum and pedagogy. In a study of music education in Boston area universities, Borek and
colleagues (2012) discuss the importance of college music teacher training to the success of
music teachers in the classroom, specifically showing music education students how to select and
present specific musics to children. Many PSB K-5 educators not only attended Boston area
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 18

music education programs, but they continue to access trainings sponsored by schools like
Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory.
PSB music teachers experience organizational structures that provide for music
department meetings, planning time and support for every child regardless of race or ethnicity.
The access PSB music teachers have to area colleges and the motivation of the teachers makes
the team one that sets a positive example for other school districts looking to close the access gap
in music education for students of color. In providing this example, PSB K-5 general music
teachers forge a path for what truly unbiased, student-focused school success could look like.
Importance of a Promising Practice Project
The PSB K-5 general music teachers work towards the PSB organizational goal of “every
student achieving, every student invested in learning, every student prepared for change and
challenge, and every educator growing professionally” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018).
This idea can help close the access gap for students of color in many other school districts across
the nation. Not studying the successes of these teachers could result in the continued
marginalization of students of color in public school music programs and it will prevent white
students from being prepared to be accepting and collaborative in an ever-diversifying country.
Schools nationwide have tried to close the access gap between students of color and white
students for decades. Programs that focus on student health, literacy, community involvement,
extended school days and early intervention have all positively contributed, but none have been
completely successful (Beatty, 2013; Portes and Salas, 2007). Meanwhile, research shows that a
group of Canadian medical experts created criteria for promising practice that applies to this
study and defines the importance of studying promising practice in any field. While their field
differs from education, their framing is easily transferable. They explain: “[A] promising
practice is an intervention that may potentially develop into a best practice” and continue by
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 19

defining measurements for promising practice that include the impact of the work, how adaptable
the work is to others, and the quality and strength of evidence (Nadia et. al, 2017, p. 388).
Proof that this promising practice is the one to study comes from research through Kent
State University completed by PSB instrumental teacher, Chris Thoft-Brown. His survey of
nearly 100% of PSB middle school students showed that 66% of LatinX students and 53% of
African American students pursued the optional instrumental program in middle school because
their K-5 general music teacher made a culturally relevant connection with them (Thoft-Brown,
2017).
Description of Stakeholder Groups
Four stakeholder groups make the Music Department in Public Schools of Brookline
successful: teachers in the K-5 program, parents of the students in the eight K-5 schools, K-5
music students, and administrators both town-wide and in individual K-5 school buildings.
While the parents have great influence over teachers and administrative decisions through
community means, such as voting for overrides which put more money into the schools, parents
have very little influence over what exactly gets taught in classrooms. However, the
demographics of the parent population can inspire the development of culturally relevant
curriculum (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Similarly, administrators can allocate funding for PSB
teacher training and can receive suggestions from parents, but they too have very little input on
what is taught in the music classrooms. In special subjects like music, the PSB administration
has traditionally been very hands-off in their management. Students provide helpful individual
input but hold narrow world views and biases due to their age. Thus, the stakeholder group for
the study was be the PSB K-5 general music teachers themselves. These teachers set the
standard for this promising practice as they can create and implement culturally relevant
curriculum resulting in K-5 Table A below summarizes the stakeholder goals in this study.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 20

Stakeholder Performance Goals
Table A

Organizational Mission, Global Goal, Stakeholder Performance Goals

Organizational Mission
Public Schools of Brookline’ mission statement is that the district “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, color, religion, national origin.” This includes curriculum and instruction that promotes covert racism
and white normative structures.
Organizational Performance Goal
Every year since 2014 Public Schools of Brookline K-5 music program provided 100% of its students with 90 or
more minutes per week of equitable, culturally relevant music education.
Stakeholder Goals
Parents:
By June 2020 PSB family
surveys will show more
than 70% of survey
participants are happy
with the schools’
“addressing matters
related to students’
race/ethnicity” (PSB
Family and Staff Survey
Results, 2018).
Music Teachers:
By June 2020 100% of
the PSB K-5 music
teachers will have
undergone cultural
relevancy teacher training
specifically regarding
curriculum and pedagogy.
Administrators:
By June 2020 PSB
administration will have
provided planning and
training time in cultural
relevancy for K-5 music
educators.
Students:
By June 2020 100% of
PSB K-5 students will
have access to
culturally relevant
music curriculum and
pedagogy.

Stakeholder Group for the Study
Teachers, parents and administrators work as a team to provide exceptional music
education for students. However, the work of the teachers in PSB’s K-5 general music program
has the greatest impact on the overall solution to the problem of practice. Thus, the focus of this
paper was on the teachers in the K-5 music program in Brookline. This team of 12 teachers
works continuously to meet the National Core Music Standards, the goals and missions set forth
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 21

by the Town of Brookline, and to measure and communicate data through common assessments.
A curriculum coordinator and multiple principals work together to ensure the 12 teachers are
functioning as highly qualified teachers should. At the time of this study, the music teachers
self-identified as more than 95% white. These demographics, collected by the researcher during
interviews, add to the importance of this study as teachers with different demographics from
their students are still managing to deliver high quality, culturally relevant curriculum to all
students. The years of experience of the stakeholders varies. Some are new to PSB but have
more than a decade of music education experience. Some are newer teachers in their third or
fourth year, and some have been teaching K-5 general music in the district for more than twenty
years. All teachers in the PSB K-5 general music program hold a Massachusetts music teaching
license and have at least one degree in music education.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project is to focus on the K-5 music department in Public Schools of
Brookline as it relates to the larger problem of practice of equitable access to culturally relevant
public-school music programs for K-5 students of color. While many stakeholders are involved
in making Public Schools of Brookline successful, this study focused on data collected from the
teachers in the Public Schools of Brookline K-5 music program. The teachers were be
interviewed and observed in areas of the knowledge necessary to create and deliver culturally
relevant curriculum and instruction, the motivation necessary to implement the program, and the
organizational constructs which allow their success.
The questions applied in this promising practice study were:
1. What knowledge do the K-5 general music teachers in PSB have that allows them
to create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the organizational vision and mission?
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 22

2. What motivates the K-5 general music teachers in PSB to effectively work
together to improve their instruction and student access within the organization?
3. How could the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB
K-5 general music teachers be applied in other districts so that other districts may provide a
similar K-5 music program?
Methodological Approach and Rationale
This study employed a qualitative approach to answer the above questions. The
stakeholders were interviewed. From the interviews, data was aggregated and trends about the
PSB K-5 general music program’s successes were noted. Additionally, a small sample of the
teachers was selected for classroom observations providing data that either corroborated or
contradicted the qualitative data collected by the interviews.
A qualitative interview/observation study was selected for this research because much
educational research is either done for data collection purposes or is used for accountability
(Malloy, 2011). This study, instead, delved more deeply into what is working in the PSB music
program providing information for program directors and teachers rather than districts or the
state. The interview portion of the study was be used to collect data that reflects cultural
relevancy successes from the stakeholders. However, interviews alone run the risk of being
invalid when the stakeholders may be influenced by outside sources at the time they are
interviewed (Creswell, 2014). In a school setting, teachers can be influenced greatly by their
day-to-day experiences, thus randomizing the timing of the interviews contributed to the validity
of the results (McEwan & McEwan, 2003). Observations occurred after all interviews were
complete.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 23

Definitions
Cultural Literacy- Based on Paul Gorski’s (1993) definition any meaningful approach to
diversity or multiculturalism relies more on teachers’ understandings of equity and inequity and
of justice and injustice than on their understanding of this or that culture
Cultural Relevancy- Based on Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) definition of culturally
relevant pedagogy which reads that it “addresses student achievement but also helps students to
accept and affirm their cultural identity while developing critical perspectives that challenge
inequities that schools (and other institutions) perpetuate” (p. 469). Relevancy is defined as the
same as “relevance,” but is an older term. This paper uses only “cultural relevancy” since the
research is based on the original works of Gloria Ladson-Billings.
PSB- Public Schools of Brookline
Students of Color- Non-white students who identify as African American, black or
LatinX.
White Privilege- Assumption that white cultures and behaviors are normative, and that
‘racism’ only applies overt racist activities and does not exist in inherently white structures
Organization of the Project
Now that this dissertation has been introduced and framed, this section will preview the
remainder of the paper. There are five chapters, the first being the introduction above. Next, this
dissertation will outline the relevant literature and frame the existing issue more deeply. Third,
this dissertation explains the research methods used to inquire about the PSB K-5 general music
teachers’ promising practice. In the fourth chapter of this paper, data results from the interviews
and observations of the K-5 general music teachers are presented. Lastly, in Chapter 5, this
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 24

paper discusses the interview and observation results and their implications for other school
systems to model their culturally relevant teaching on the PSB promising practice.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 25

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The following literature review will begin by re-examining the role of the K-5 general
music teachers in Public Schools of Brookline (PSB,) Massachusetts, and will continue by
exploring curriculum design, cultural awareness, and appropriate training utilized by these key
stakeholders. This chapter will also further investigate the knowledge, motivational and
organizational issues that enable music teachers to provide quality culturally relevant music
education that reaches students of color. On a national level, students of color have less access
to music education than white students, and this issue is prevalent in American schools and has
been proven to negatively affect the self-efficacy, academic progress and social success of
marginalized students (Catterall & Peppler, 2010). This issue is important to study because not
only does it affects thousands of American children, but it is also not regularly explored. The
stakeholders discussed in this dissertation provide culturally relevant music education for
students of color and can be a model for other school districts. Regardless of student
socioeconomic status, the PSB system has a higher population of students of color than
surrounding schools that have expensive programs. Yet PSB has a stronger music program than
schools in the area with higher populations of students of color (Data USA. 2018; Massachusetts
Department of Education (DOE), 2018a). Additionally, the K-5 music teachers in PSB are
mostly white yet are able to connect to students of color who may come from different home
cultures from their teachers. (Thoft-Brown, 2017). Later, this chapter will delineate the
conceptual framework necessary for the stakeholders’ success.
Framing the Issue
History of Finding Positive Models of Culturally Relevant Public-School Music Education.
As early as 1838, culturally relevant music education was required in Boston area public
schools to celebrate children’s cultures, help them be creative in groups, and to appreciate all
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 26

world music (Brophy, 1992). However, keeping the promise to children of maintaining access to
these programs has grown more challenging as the diversity in public schools grows and teacher
training struggles to remain relevant in order to maintain the status quo. In 1838, the greater
Boston area was a primarily white, Christian region with heavy Irish influences. Sangmi Kang
(2014) explained that all Americans, including those in the Boston area, used to believe that
teachable music should include only white European art and folk music. As the nation
diversified throughout the 20th century, the definition of quality music education developed into
a respect and understanding for non-white European cultures. Kang concluded that musicians
“came to accept the existence of a variety of music cultures through the efforts to explore
universal musical principles” (Kang, 2014, p. 27). Not addressing this problem is an issue
nationwide because more than 50% of American students are non-white (National Center for
Education Statistics, 2017). Schools owe it to their students of color to make music education
accessible, and to their white students to help bridge cultural gaps and to grow understanding
fighting bias. These gaps and demographics exist regardless of socioeconomic status.
Comparisons between school districts in Chapter One of this dissertation showed how income
does not necessarily affect access to culturally relevant music education. Towns with more
money are not necessarily providing better music education opportunities in terms of cultural
relevancy.
PSB is now home to hundreds of different races, ethnicities and religions. Unlike many
school districts nationwide, PSB has been able to keep up with rapidly changing demographics
due to its teachers knowing how to access training through relationships with area universities.
Keeping up with evolving demographics is something few school systems nationwide have
accomplished. In 2005, Gloria Ladson-Billings wrote about cultural relevancy reminding
readers that many students attend schools where teachers are undertrained. A scan of websites
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 27

for schools surrounding Brookline paints a picture of students having fewer minutes of music
education than PSB students or participating in public school music education that does not
address multiple cultures and ethnicities through the lens of equality. Also notable is the depth
of challenging racial conversations going on in PSB as is evidenced by another scan on the PSB
websites. While sometimes contentious, difficult conversations can lead to learning and growth.
Gorski (2013) explains that students of color or from any marginalized group have better
learning experiences when their teachers are culturally literate thus willing to have these
conversations and to examine their own biases. PSB is at the forefront of districts that model
cultural relevancy success for others.
Historically, most teacher training programs in music education have focused on the
conservatory style of western art music: band, orchestra and chorus, while a few Boston area
institutions, who have strong ties with PSB, encourage the authentic performance of all world
music (Borek et. al, 2012). Because teacher training emphasized European art music, music
teachers often promoted the message that music is for the few who have access to lessons,
instruments and European musical home culture. PSB teachers currently have monthly
department meetings where they often discuss cultural relevancy, defining it based on the needs
of Brookline students, sharing ideas, and coaching each other. This type of professional
development is lauded by Kennett (2013) who explained, “team-based models of training and
development appeared to encourage organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and co-worker
satisfaction” (p. 130). Additionally, many PSB music teachers have attended, are attending, or
work with area universities- like Berklee College of Music and Boston University- and thus
constantly infuse their teaching with progressive knowledge and thinking. With area universities
providing culturally relevant teacher training that addresses many home cultures and student life
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 28

experiences, more PSB teachers can access this type of education and professional development
(Borek et. al, 2012).
In recent years, the drive for PSB teachers to be culturally relevant has also come from
the greater community where adult education offerings, like Malaysian cooking or learning to
dance the Tango, reflect the community’s interest in music and multiculturalism (Davidson,
2008). Culturally relevant offerings in the schools have always reflected the needs of the diverse
community. As local universities have improved cultural relevancy training in response to
teacher demands, the social constructs in the town motivated the teachers to demand culturally
relevant training in the first place.
Lastly, many music teachers traditionally adopted a sort of colorblind racism where the
needs of students of color are ignored in schools. This developed from an attempt to avoid
uncomfortable conversations about curriculum and pedagogy (Chapman, 2013). Many white
teacher perceptions of other races, religions and ethnicities come from the warped view created
in the media (Gay, 2010). Unfortunately, when the cultural needs of students of color are
ignored, the divide between those students and white students widens, and many students and
their teachers begin their relationships living in different worlds resulting in negativity for both
parties (Chapman, 2013; Gay, 2010). Fortunately, the PSB music teachers operate with the goal
of countering this divide for the good of all students. Culturally relevant programs matter to
students of color because it helps them feel included. They matter to white students because it
informs them on how to avoid the negative behaviors associated with white privilege (Gay,
2002). These above elements come together to be highly motivating for teachers.
Why the Public Schools of Brookline and What is Working. The following section
used literature to explain exactly why the PSB K-5 general music teachers were chosen for their
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 29

teaching, class size and their ability to achieve musical access for students of all color regardless
of socioeconomics.
First, part of the PSB mission is to reach every student in the schools, even those
categorized as hard-to-reach. Research supports the importance of this explaining that public
school music can be a powerful vehicle for bringing school meaning to students of color
(Kindall-Smith 2010; Liou, et al 2016). Fred Taylor, former PSB Performing Arts Curriculum
Coordinator, was a part of the Arts Propel project- showing the importance of culturally relevant
music education for students of color- from Project Zero at Harvard University on which some
cultural relevancy work is based. This gives further evidence that PSB is a place where cultural
relevancy is not only valued but being developed further as the student demographics grow more
complex (Davidson, et. al, 1992). Teachers have to know how to avoid the pitfalls of racist
teaching (Elpus & Abril, 2011). PSB teachers have frequent access to culturally relevant training
that deepens their understanding of serving all students equally. Well-executed music education
positively builds school culture for all students regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious or
economic background (Heyworth, 2013).
Relevant literature also delineates that not only do curriculum and pedagogy need to be
culturally relevant but scheduling and logistics can also reflect student needs (Rueda, 2011).
PSB music teachers manage their teaching time to provide scheduling and structures in their K-5
program that works for families from all backgrounds. For example, PSB teachers offer several
performance options- concerts, assemblies, open music class informances, all offered at different
times of day- to give families multiple opportunities to share in their children’s learning. Nokali
et. al, (2010) list several sources explaining that parent involvement in school programs is one of
the most important ways to close access gaps for students of color. Rueda (2011) continues
supporting this, saying students succeed when curriculum and pedagogy are aligned with their
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 30

needs. Bandura (2005) confirmed further explaining that teachers have to help students team-
build through curricular activities and provide logistical structures that allow students equal
access to all facets of learning.
The most salient proof that PSB is achieving cultural relevance better than other districts
comes from work by PSB’s 2016-2019 Superintendent, Andrew Bott. While still a principal at
Boston’s Orchard Gardens School, Mr. Bott “believed that turning the school into a place where
the arts flourish was key to gaining student interest and cooperation” (Block, 2013, p.1). It
should be noted that the students at Orchard Gardens are more than 92% students of color
(Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) (2018c). Mr. Bott exchanged working in one
school with a promising practice music program for an entire district in PSB. The organization
in PSB has, in some cases, set the tone for the successes of the PSB K-5 general music teachers.
This is most evident in PSB’s hiring practices which are rigorous, robust and include new teacher
mentoring for up to three years (Public Schools of Brookline, 2015).
What can other districts learn from PSB’s K-5 general music teachers? The Public
Schools of Brookline K-5 general music program does well adhering to the vision and mission
goals of the district created, in part, by Superintendent Andrew Bott, and continued by
subsequent superintendents. The district’s vision includes “Staff gets to know students
intellectually, developmentally and culturally” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018). The above
literature section explains why PSB has been chosen. The following section explains why other
districts can learn from PSB.
What other districts can do. The Public School of Brookline’s Professional
Development Statement of Philosophy explains that PSB K-5 general music teachers have access
to and do access teacher training focused on cultural relevancy. The district offers mentoring for
its newest teachers catered to gaps in their post-secondary training that may negatively affect
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 31

minoritized students, and various internal and external trainings are made available for teachers
in all subject areas (McCormick, 2018). Through mentoring, each new music teacher is assigned
a veteran music teacher who meets with them weekly to guide them towards meeting the needs
of the whole student. That is, student needs academically, pedagogically, socially and
emotionally. These claims are corroborated when examining the PSB Learning Expectations and
the PSB K-5 General Music Curriculum as cultural settings (PSB Learning Expectations, 2018;
PSB K-5 General Music Curriculum, 2018). Also, Gallimore & Goldenberg (2010) define
cultural settings as observable actions or products, such as published documents.
In summary, this review of the literature shows the history of K-5 general music
programs and demonstrates how PSB is a promising practice in this realm. Earlier this
dissertation explained that the PSB district vision and mission are centered around preparing
students to be inclusive world citizens. That is, PSB students will each become what Israel
(2012) describes as “global citizen... someone who identifies with being part of an emerging world
community and whose actions contribute to building this community’s values and practices.”
Because the curriculum created by the PSB K-5 music teachers is constantly evolving around
responsible cultural accessibility, the successes of the PSB K-5 general music teachers directly
aligns with the organization’s goals.
Importance of Promising Practice Project
The National Endowment for the Arts explains that students of color excel in all aspects
of life when they have consistent exposure to arts education (2012). Yet thousands of K-5 public
school students of color remain without access to the arts, specifically music programs. Many
national conversations about youth achievement seem to revolve around improving test scores,
better-preparing kids for jobs and preventing crime. Meanwhile, much-needed opportunities for
expression, group work and exploration remain elusive to the population that needs it most
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 32

(Catterall and Peppler, 2010). Culturally relevant music programs have the potential to support
improving test scores, providing job skills and making students feel more positive towards their
own communities (National Endowment for the Arts, 2012). One way to close the access gap
could be by starting to re-examine the cultural relevancy, through scheduling logistics and
program structure of many existing public-school music programs (Choi and Keith, 2016;
Thomas et al. 2013). Research shows that not improving educational structures like music
programs contributes to issues like lower wages for urban persons in the workforce and higher
crime rates in urban neighborhoods where many students of color reside (Reardon and Robinson,
2008).
Furthermore, the influence of culturally irrelevant curriculum has a negative impact on
white students. Byrd (2016) talks about all areas of culturally relevant curriculum and teaching
explaining they “not only lead to better learning, they are key for reduced prejudice and
improved intergroup relations” for students of all colors (p. 6). While an earlier demographic
reminded the reader that public school students in the United States are more than 50% non-
white, more than 40% of students in the United States are white and can also benefit from this
study.
Role of Stakeholder Group of Focus
The PSB K-5 general music teachers follow a long line of American music educators.
While music has traditionally been a compulsory subject in American public schools, schools
with higher populations of students of color had fewer opportunities in music because fewer
students in these demographics attended public schools throughout American history
(Humphreys, 2016). Since there were fewer children of color in schools, music education
developed unevenly favoring only students with white, European backgrounds. The PSB music
teachers have excelled at combating this bias because they have had to. With students from
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 33

hundreds of different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds, PSB music teachers had no choice
but to address the needs of their district. No literature yet exists directly describing the successes
of the PSB K-5 general music teachers. This establishes the importance of this research which
will shine a light on the promising practices of the subjects. The researcher can only frame the
importance of what is going on in PSB music classes as it relates to Ruppert and Nelson’s “12
Commonly Used Indicators to Assess the Status and Condition of Arts Education.” These
indicators, regularly observed in the PSB K-5 general music classrooms, include:
- Time/frequency provided for arts instruction within school schedules
- Percent of students participating in arts courses
- Percent of certified or licensed teachers to teach arts education
- Availability of professional development workshops and teacher planning time
- Evidence of alignment of arts instruction with state standards (Ruppert and
Nelson, 2006).
Clark and Estes’ (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organizational Influences Framework
This section of the study applied Clark and Estes’ framework of knowledge, motivation
and organizational skills that “are the keys to success in the new world economy” (p. 2, 2008).
This analytic framework allows deep examination into what stakeholders need to know to
succeed in an organization, what motivates stakeholders to apply these skills, and what the
organization needs to provide in order for stakeholders to reach their knowledge and motivation
goals. The knowledge types stakeholders must possess for an organization to be successful
include factual knowledge, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge and metacognitive
knowledge (Krathwohl, 2010). Each of these can be loosely described as knowing what to do,
understanding the big picture, knowing how to do something, and understanding one’s own
approach to knowing. Also important is employee motivation delineated by Mayer (2011) into
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 34

five major concepts: interest, beliefs, attributions, goals and partnership (p. 41). These can be
further explained as stakeholders’ interest in something, self-efficacy, connections between effort
and success, desire for mastery, and desire to support the team in reaching its vision. Lastly,
Clark and Estes framework explains the importance of organizational support. The organization
must provide positive cultural models and cultural settings in order for stakeholders to be
successful (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). That is, the organization’s unspoken cultural norms
and written artifacts (such as contracts or curricula) should not inhibit stakeholders’ successes
but support them.
Knowledge, motivation and organizational (KMO) elements were addressed below as a
way of closely examining the successes of the PSB K-5 general music teachers. The KMO
framework highlighted the specific knowledge needed by the PSB music teachers in order for
them to achieve their performance goal. Second, the motivation behind these teachers’
attainment of their goal was examined. Lastly, the organizational elements that allow the PSB
music teachers to achieve their goals was explored. The KMO influences on the stakeholders in
this promising practice was examined using specific research methods described in Chapter
Three of this paper.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge Influences. The K-5 general music teachers in the Public Schools of
Brookline (PSB) are successful at reaching their culturally relevant curricular goals because they
excel at applying three areas of knowledge. This section reviews literature relevant to these three
areas of knowledge. The three areas- curriculum design, cultural awareness, and appropriate
training- are important to discuss because they paint a clear picture of why and how PSB music
educators are successful. Galvan (2014) explained that literature reviews are important in any
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 35

research because they are “analytical narratives that bring readers up-to-date on what is known
about a given topic” (p. 4). Additionally, Galvan said, “[t]hey must also provide fresh insights
that advance knowledge (p. 4). Each area of knowledge- curriculum design, cultural awareness
and appropriate training- is discussed and supported with current literature.
Curriculum creation and implementation. In order to reach their goal of providing
culturally relevant music education, PSB music teachers can explain how to design curriculum
that supports self-efficacy, creativity, and group work. Schraw and McCrudden (2006) and
Mayer (2011) discuss modeling, guidance and long-term training can result in knowledge that
allows PSB K-5 general music teachers to create and implement curricula that aligns with PSB
students’ cultural needs. This conceptual knowledge is based on the research of Bandura (2005)
who concluded that positively structured group work allows for the greatest forms of individual
and interpersonal self-efficacy. In one study, Catterall and Peppler (2007) discovered in their
study of 103 nine-year-olds in two major United States urban areas that kids exposed to this type
of curriculum design went on to work better in groups, demonstrate increased interest in school,
and make greater contributions to their communities.
Group-work situations are access through well-thought curriculum and are vital to the
success of students of color. Catterall and Peppler (2010) emphasized the importance of this in
their study of arts and children’s view on the world. They explained that teaching children to
work well in groups of all sizes is a goal of culturally relevant education programs. When music
teachers educate in ways that allow students to grow as human beings, such as working well with
others, students excel in all areas of life.
This phenomenon can be traced from Catterall and Peppler’s nine-year-olds all the way
up through high school students in Elpus and Abril’s 2011 longitudinal study of high schoolers’
participation in public school music. Elpus and Abril’s study revealed when teachers structure
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 36

music education in a way that allows for positive self-efficacy, creativity and group work,
student retention in music programs and in school in general is increased. The PSB teachers use
individual planning time, department meeting time and personal time to design culturally
relevant curriculum.
Perhaps the most important support for the importance of PSB music teacher curriculum
structure comes from a study of the PSB music program through Harvard University. Kindall-
Smith (2010) examined music education assessment in PSB. She concluded that the culturally
relevant curriculum in PSB included “assessments [that] are based on student performances
along with questionnaires, peer interviews, portfolios, and self-assessments that provide
relevance and respect for student ideas” (p. 37). The importance of Kindall-Smith’s points is
corroborated by Menard (2013) and Tobias et. al, (2015) who painted a picture of the successes
of culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy through student interviews, quantitative analyses
of group work success before and after music education programs and stressed the importance of
group-work based projects and assessments.
Bias in curriculum. Music teachers should begin to discuss and explore white privilege
and cannot teach in a “color-blind” way. They also create curriculum that supports awareness of
non-white musicians and celebrates their contributions to music history. PSB music teachers
would not be able to create and teach culturally relevant curriculum without being aware of the
pitfalls of white privilege: teaching in a “color blind” way using curriculum that overlooks non-
white musicians. The validity of this conceptual knowledge is emphasized by Rueda (2011) who
described the positive educational effects of aligning curriculum and pedagogy with students’
cultural needs.
Choi and Keith (2016) and Seriki (2010) provided models for Rueda’s (2011) views by
writing lesson plans and pedagogy that teach about non-white music. Choi and Keith explained
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 37

“Improving knowledge of classical music composed by African-Americans will provide more
opportunities for cultural integration among music educators, scholars, and the community” (p.
39). Seriki went a step further explaining that culturally relevant curriculum cannot stand on its
own. The delivery of such pedagogy needs to “intentionally enhance student learning by
embracing and utilizing various aspects of each student's culture” (p.2). PSB music teachers
consistently teach about non-white musics provided by the K-5 general music curriculum as an
artifact from the department. See Appendix A for a copy of the curriculum.
Continuing, Chapman (2013) proved the importance of Choi and Keith’s (2016) and
Seriki’s (2010) findings by applying critical race theory to majority white public schools.
Chapman discovered that “colorblind discourses in white suburban schools prevent students of
color from having meaningful exchanges with adults and maintain the curriculum’s role of
intellectual property for white students” (pp. 624-625). Chapman’s study of students of color in
public schools emphasized the importance of the PSB music teachers’ work towards teaching in
a culturally relevant way. While the department identifies as more than 90% white, the teachers
are still successfully teaching students from many backgrounds by embracing this information.
PSB music teachers continue to work towards culturally relevant curriculum design,
curriculum, and pedagogy. According to Ladson-Billings’ (1995) interviews with teachers of
students of color, cultural relevancy work is vital to the academic and social successes of
students of color in public schools. However, the PSB music teachers would not be able to
provide successful teaching without appropriate training.
Training Access. Teachers of students of color must know where and how to access
training and support in order to apply culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy. In a district
that has classes up to 75% non-white students, the discrepancy between student and teacher race
could be a recipe for non-culturally relevant education. The PSB music teachers combat this risk
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 38

utilizing training access through area programs usually supported by colleges like Berklee
College of Music and Boston University. For example, the annual Massachusetts Music
Educators (MMEA) Conference in Boston, MA, attended by most PSB K-5 general music
teachers, offers courses like “Social Justice Issues in Music Education” and “Multicultural
Musical Role Models: Inspiring Diverse Students through Engaged Listening” (All-State
Conference Sessions, 2018). The MMEA Conference is supported by all local colleges offering
music education programs.
Also, Marsh and Farrell (2015) created a research-based framework delineating the
importance of educating teachers in how to interpret data. PSB music teachers often assess the
strengths and weaknesses of their teaching. Assessment and retention data informs PSB teachers
on the gaps in their teaching and where teacher training is most necessary. For example, PSB
teachers complete 1-5 general music progress reports each year. PSB teachers uses this data to
influence programmatic improvements and make changes to curriculum. It is in this sense that
PSB general music teachers need to know how and where to access training, and how to use data
to inform their use of that training. Trainings frequently attended by PSB music teachers include
the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Conference whose mission statement
includes “Music allows us to celebrate and preserve our cultural heritages...Therefore, every
individual should be guaranteed the opportunity to learn music and to share in musical
experiences” (NAfME, 2018). PSB K-5 general music teachers often choose to use their allotted
personal days- one to four per year- towards conferences like these in order to enhance their
ability to teach every student.
Additionally, the PSB organization expects “continuous growth” in terms of accessing
professional training (McCormick, 2017). The PSB professional development website lists
“relevancy to the learner’s context” and “focus on student learning outcomes” as necessary for
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 39

teacher training access when working in the district (McCormick, 2017). The K-5 general music
teachers are among a larger community of teachers who strive to reach this goal every day. This
can be measured by PSB’s academic standings where 85% of PSB students are meeting
improvement targets. These targets, deemed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, include
achievement, growth, and attendance, among others, and in PSB they are at least ten points
higher than in any surrounding town or city regardless of income or racial demographics
(Massachusetts DOE, 2018a). This data contributes to teachers’ self-efficacy discussed below.
Realistic data interpretation by teachers was also explored in Thomas et. al,’s (2013)
research on measuring music department success from multiple facets. Their conclusions
showed that even in schools with music and arts offerings that exceeded 35 different arts classes,
on average only 48% of students of color participated in these classes. Thus, measuring the
success of a public school’s music program must come from data other than raw non-
demographic numbers and course offerings. When looking beyond data, teacher training is most
important.
In 2014, Doyle challenged 584 teachers in 20 cities fill out a “Culturally Relevant
Teaching Questionnaire.” This research identified support and preparation as the two most vital
aspects for teachers applying culturally relevant music education and pedagogy. Doyle’s most
salient conclusion found that “Because attitudes and expectations have a profound effect on
teacher interactions with their students, an understanding of how attitudes and expectations are
formed can help the profession better prepare prospective urban educators for their future
teaching environments” (pp. 449-450). As PSB music teachers continue their training, they
follow Thomas et. al,’s (2013) and Doyle’s (2014) suggestions and work towards improving
relationships with students and not just increasing course offerings.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 40

PSB music teachers engage in promising practice as they improve curriculum design,
increase cultural awareness and continue growth through training that allows them to work
towards their culturally relevant teaching goals. Below, Table B illustrates the role of the PSB
music teachers as stakeholders in the greater organization that is the entire school district. Table
B also illustrates the necessary knowledge reviewed above.
Table B

Knowledge Influence, Type and Assessment
Organizational Mission
Public Schools of Brookline’ mission statement is that the district “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, color, religion, national origin.” This includes curriculum and instruction that promotes covert racism
and white normative structures.
Organizational Performance Goal
Knowledge Influence

Music teachers design curriculum that supports
self-efficacy, creativity, group work.

Music teachers begin to discuss awareness of
white privilege and cannot teach in a “color
blind” way creating curriculum that supports
awareness of non-white musicians and
celebrates their contributions to music history

Teachers of students of color know where and
how to access training and support and how to
apply it in order to produce culturally relevant
curriculum and pedagogy.
Knowledge Type

Procedural

Declarative-
Conceptual

Declarative-
Factual
Knowledge Assessment

Interview with Assessment Based on
Indicators for Culturally Relevant Arts
Education

Interview with Assessment Based on
Indicators for Culturally Relevant Arts
Education and Observations

Interview with Assessment Based on
Indicators for Culturally Relevant Arts
Education and Observations

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 41

Motivation
The exploration of knowledge influences above would not be complete without also
examining the motivational influences necessary for the PSB K-5 general music educators to
achieve their goals in culturally relevant music education. This section explored the professional
interest and self-efficacy motivations that make the PSB general music program successful.
Positive feedback through school community reactions and K-5 general music teachers’ interest
in cultural relevancy allow for motivation to align with the knowledge and organizational assets
necessary for success (Schraw & Lehman, 2009; Borgogni et. al, 2011; Pajares, 2006). The
motivational aspects explored in this chapter illustrate why the PSB music teachers are
successful. Rueda (2011) expounded on this saying, “Most often, the causes of performance
issues are assumed to be gaps in what people know…Rarely is consideration given to the
possibility that individuals actually do know what they are supposed to be doing but choose not
to do it (pp. 47-48). PSB music educators set an example for other organizational stakeholders
because they are both knowledgeable and motivated.
Motivational theory- Interest. The first motivational theory explored is personal
interest, best described by Schraw and Lehman (2009). They began by explaining “interest
increases motivation, engagement, and persistence” (p. 2). This clearly aligns with the successes
of the PSB general music teachers whose actions show they have great personal interest in seeing
all students succeed. Schraw and Lehman continued this thought process by painting a picture of
the motivation created by personal interest which allows PSB music educators to be effective
instructors and curriculum writers.
PSB music educators’ personal interest. Curriculum and pedagogy designed to
appropriately reach the cultures of all students increases student success and retention and allows
for the successes of students who are harder to reach (Elpus & Abril, 2011; Harrison et. al, 2012;
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 42

Pintrich, 2003; Sears, 2016). The author of this paper has observed that reaching the most
challenging students gives PSB music educators a feeling of ethical and professional success.
The importance of this professional success in general music programs is described in
Sears’ (2016) article about successful music education programs. This collection of music
educators’ narratives showed what motivates music teachers and why their personal interest in
professional success is important. When students are retained in music programs, making
academic progress in music, and giving positive feedback to teachers, teachers’ sense of self-
efficacy increases thus their personal interest in culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy
increases (Schraw & Lehman, 2009). There is perhaps no better measure of students’ happiness
in music than the 2008 and 2014 tax override votes by the school community. These overrides
both included extra monetary support for music. While other communities may not be able to
funnel extra money into schools, these overrides should be looked as measures of successes
rather than something other districts need to achieve in order to have culturally relevant music
programs. Families were willing to give their money to support successful programs (Fisher,
2015; Simpson, 2008). Important to note is that these overrides took place in a state that
approved the Proposition 2 ½ property tax vote in the 1980’s which had highly negative effects
on public schools. One report explained, “The assertion that the schools are bearing the brunt of
Proposition 2 is supported by a report prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Education
earlier this year that showed a $136-million reduction in local school spending” (Foster, 1983, p.
2).
Additionally, Heyworth (2016), Liou et. al, (2016), and Borek et. al, (2012) described
why music teachers like the PSB general music staff are successful when their programs build
community amongst the students. Music teachers are capable contributors to the school
community and through their own programs, they can make schools a better place to work. Liou
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 43

et. al, supported community building saying mentorship through music education “is needed to
identify and build upon students’ strengths and needs and promote educational equity so that
students can collectively experience a high level of expectations for academic excellence” (p.
105).
Personal interest as motivation in successful general music teaching can also come from
teacher training. Pintrich (2003) created a list of student motivators, which are applied to
teachers. Two of the items on the list- What do students want? and What is the role of context
and culture? - show the need for teachers to create curriculum that enables student access and
success. The ability to do this comes from teachers’ training which enables personal interest to
grow. PSB music educators have been involved in these types of teacher trainings which Tobias
et. al, (2015) and Borek et. al, (2012) describe as being fundamental to teacher motivation in
terms of personal interest. In their qualitative review of music education project-based
curriculum, Tobias et. al, added, “It can be thrilling to observe how aspects of one’s curriculum
emerges organically from students’ musical engagement and conversations in projects (p. 45).
Motivational theory- Self Efficacy. Self-efficacy can be defined as “one's belief in
one's ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task” (Bandura, 2005). Denler et.
al, (2006) explained that persons with greater self-efficacy are more confident and motivated
than those with lower self-efficacy. The last motivational theory explored in this paper is that of
PSB music educator self-efficacy. Denler et. al, continued saying that those with greater self-
efficacy also excel at goal setting, and self-regulation. The teamwork amongst the PSB music
educators could also be what Bandura (2000) described as a setting for high collective self-
efficacy, where the group confidently works towards one organizational goal. Positive feedback
about successes in the workplace has also been proven to increase self-efficacy (Borgogni et. al,
2011). In the case of the PSB music teachers, that goal is culturally relevant curriculum and
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 44

pedagogy. PSB K-5 music teachers also build a high sense of self-efficacy through high concert
attendance and positive support from the community. This support translates into positive
feedback which Pajares (2006) explains increases self-efficacy. The public feedback about the
program, while providing extrinsic motivation for PSB music teachers, results in intrinsic self-
efficacy leaving music teachers wanting to do more.
PSB music teachers’ self-efficacy. Teachers experience increased self-efficacy when
students who experience culturally relevant music education develop greater group-work and
leadership skills and thus give more back to their school and home communities (Gay, 2002;
Jacobson et. al, 2013). The self-efficacy of PSB music teachers, whether as individuals or as a
group, is a motivating factor in their continued promising work.
PSB music teacher self-efficacy starts with curriculum construction. Morris and Furrin
(2016) conducted a Phenomelogical study on a Philadelphia public school. This study identified
that cultural arts, like music, empower students who often feel their home cultures are ignored or
separate from their school culture. Morris and Furrin concluded that when teachers like those in
the PSB music program connect with students through music, both teachers and student
experience increased self-efficacy in all areas. Connecting back to Pintrich’s (2003)
motivational theories above, students want to connect their home and school cultures. As the
PSB music teachers continue to do this effectively, the PSB K-5 general music program
continues to be successful.
Supporting Morris and Furin’s (2016) findings, Jacobson et. al, (2013), in interviews
with successful businesspeople, identified that students who learned from teachers with positive
self-efficacy grew into adults who were more capable of being leaders. Jacobson et. al,
explained, “As part of their overall early musical training and performance experiences, students
will often be exposed to creative problem-solving and decision-making, as well as improvement
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 45

of quality and performance” (p. 8). Teacher motivation through self-efficacy is thus improved as
they see their students going on from the K-5 general music program and becoming productive
contributors to society. Motivated by personal interest and high self-efficacy, PSB K-5 general
music educators engage in promising practice every day. Table C below summarizes the
motivational influences necessary for PSB music educators to successfully reach students
through culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy.
Table C

Motivational Influences and Assessment
Organizational Mission

Public Schools of Brookline’ mission statement is that the district “prohibits discrimination on the basis of
race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin.” This includes curriculum and instruction that promotes covert
racism and white normative structures.
Organizational Performance Goal
Every year since 2014 Public Schools of Brookline K-5 music program provided 100% of its students with 90
or more minutes per week of equitable, culturally relevant music education.
Stakeholder Goal

By June 2020 100% of Public Schools of Brookline K-5 music educators will have undergone teacher training
in the field of cultural relevancy, will be planning and teaching culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy,
and will be highly qualified to teach in their field.
Assumed Motivational Influences

Interest: Teachers place great personal interest in the
retention and success of students when curriculum
and pedagogy are designed to appropriately reach the
cultures of all.

Self-Efficacy: Teachers believe they are successful
when students who experience culturally relevant
music education develop greater group-work and
leadership skills.
Motivational Influence Assessment

Interview with Assessment Based on Indicators for
Culturally Relevant Arts Education and Observations

Interview with Assessment Based on Indicators for
Culturally Relevant Arts Education and Observations

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 46

Organizational Influences
General theory. This dissertation examined the organizational influences that allow the
Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) K-5 music teachers to be a successful model for other music
programs. The organizational influences are arguably the most important when examining a
promising practice because “[e]ven for people with top motivation and exceptional knowledge
and skills, missing or inadequate processes and materials can prevent the achievement of
performance goals” (Clark &Estes, 2008, p. 103). Diversity achieved through hiring practices,
the organizational vision to focus on the whole child, and autonomy granted the PSB K-5 general
music teachers allows for the positive development of the K and M influences discussed above
(Di Tomaso, Post & Parks-Yancy, 2007; Waters, Marzano & McNutly, 2003; Chavez et. al,
2008). The literature review below examined three cultural models. Described by Gallimore
and Goldberg (2001), cultural models are unspoken norms that have historically driven the day-
to-day social constructs in an organization. The organizational influences as cultural models
described here are PSB’s deep investment in success for all children and PSB’s outstanding
hiring standards. Lastly, the literature review described the cultural model of PSB’s trust in its
teachers allowing them time during department meetings and access to technology which support
cultural relevancy learning.
Cultural Setting 1: Outstanding hiring practices. A major reason why PSB K-5
general music teachers are successful is because the school district consistently hires employees
who support the learning needs of a diverse student body. Harrison (2012) supported this saying:
[A]dministrators should be encouraged to re-think hiring practices, bringing new
teachers to their staff that espouse the skills of creativity and imagination as
fundamental to a child’s development and enable these teachers to assist in
developing an atmosphere of creativity and exploration (p. 134).

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 47

While these specific hiring practices are not written, PSB consistently hires staff that align with
the district’s vision and mission of serving every student in the best way possible. However, the
PSB organization is also aware that hiring people with a strong skillset is not enough.
The PSB organization consistently hires and retains teachers with a strong sense of
intrinsic motivation. Teachers only excel when they are motivated to reach their goals regardless
of their prior knowledge, experience or organizational incentives (McGee & Johnson, 2015). It
could be argued that because PSB hires teachers with strong intrinsic motivation that this
organizational influence is the reason for the promising practice.
Knowing that teacher motivation may be a greater factor in culturally relevant teaching
for K-5 general music teachers, the PSB organization allows hiring at the school level instead of
the district level. This kind of decentralized hiring has been shown to “increase educational
efficiency through a better match between schools and teachers” because the school is hiring
people whose intrinsic motivation matches the needs of the specific schools (Naper 2010, p.
666). Not only are all PSB K-5 general music teachers invested in teaching to all students and
closing access gaps for marginalized students, but each school is able to hire music teachers who
best match the specific community within each school. PSB teachers who are itinerant work
closely with building-based teachers to close the gaps created by the logistics of travel. After the
district hires excellent teachers, it then gives its them autonomy when it comes to music
education in each school.
Cultural Setting 2: Teaching the whole child. A school system that has a deep
investment in children not only talks about student success in all areas (i.e. academics, sports,
arts) but makes changes promoting student success, such as making music education part of the
school community in a way that can be benchmarked. Heyworth (2013) explains in her study of
low-socioeconomic schools in Australia that when music is used as a part of the school
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 48

community, powerful social learning takes place for the students, and kids feel that their teachers
are invested in them. As the PSB organization puts K-5 music at the forefront of community
learning through budgeting choices and celebrations of learning- like concerts- PSB students
know this deep investment exists.
Students experience a deep investment in their musical learning in biweekly classes
taught with culturally relevant curriculum. They also experience positive relationships with their
K-5 general music teachers. The PSB website explains PSB teachers excel at teaching gifted
students, another marginalized group of learners, because PSB hires “teachers who are skilled in
differentiating lessons for a wide variety of learners” (2015). This adds further support to the
assumption that students are being reached by their K-5 general music education experience.
Liou et. al, (2016) explained that students who experience positive relationships with teachers
are more successful in every academic and social area at school. Not only do PSB teachers make
students feel their musical successes are a positive part of their school culture and provide
positive mentorship for students, but the actual what and how of the PSB curriculum is evidence
of the organization’s commitment to children.
Cultural Model 1: K-5 general music teacher autonomy. Autonomy given to PSB K-
5 general music teachers results in advanced team curriculum creation, culturally relevant
pedagogy and high self-efficacy. Bandura (2000) reminds readers that highly successful groups
are not great because they are strong individually, but because they have mastered working
together. Bandura continues, explaining, “[p]eople’s shared beliefs in their collective efficacy
influence the types of futures they seek to achieve through collective action” (p. 76). Because
the PSB organization is not overly structured or ruled, and to some degree could arguably give
its teachers too much space and not enough support, the K-5 music teachers work together to
provide promising practice in music education. Teachers have honest, open discussion about
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 49

cultural relevancy both during structured department meeting times and online through Google
emails and documents (Docs.) Consequently, the paper trail left by email and Google Docs
allow for accountability. The hiring process delineated above ensures that teachers entering PSB
are independent and experienced and are thus capable of reaching out to each other when support
is needed. In essence, because the organizational model of empowerment exists, teachers’
motivation both individually and as a group increases.
Furthermore, the PSB organization allows its teachers great autonomy because the
organization and the teachers have the same goals. The vision and mission of the PSB
organization, and the stakeholder goal of the teachers, align in their desire to provide the best
culturally relevant education possible for all students. Schein (2017) describes this type of
relationship between an organization and its stakeholders as “normative” because “the individual
contributes his or her commitment and accepts legitimate authority because the goals of the
organization are basically the same as the individual’s goals” (p. 279). A major difference,
however, lies in the motivation of the stakeholders to reach these goals.
The organizational influences of PSB affect the K-5 music teachers as stakeholders but
are perhaps most important in allowing space for the knowledge and motivational influences to
make this a promising practice. While the organization models a deep investment in all students
and partakes in exemplary hiring practices, it is the trust and space given to teachers that is most
motivating to the stakeholders.

Conceptual Framework: The Interaction of Stakeholders’ Knowledge and Motivation and
the Organizational Context
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 50

Earlier, this paper delineated the knowledge, motivation and organization influences on
the stakeholders. According to literature previously cited, these include factual, conceptual,
procedural or metacognitive skills necessary to the stakeholder, and various forms of intrinsic
and extrinsic motivation including personal interest and self-efficacy. Organizational influences,
as described by Clark and Estes, can be best separated into two groups: cultural models-
intangible, but practiced organizational norms- and cultural settings- written organizational
norms such as curricula or handbooks (Gallimore & Goldenberg, 2001). Next, this dissertation
explained how these influences interact with each other in order to show how the PSB music
teachers are a positive model for others seeking to provide culturally relevant music education.
Conceptual frameworks exist to ensure the overlaps in the above categories are deeply examined
both verbally through the explanation, and visually through the figure, so that the reader may
understand the importance of the interactions in the research (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Further, it is important to understand how the knowledge, motivation and organization influences
on the stakeholders co-exist in order for the promising practice to happen. While the author of
this paper assumes these influences, a conceptual framework helps eliminate biases of the author
and show that the assumptions are rooted in research (Maxwell, 2013).
Conceptual Framework in PSB
While general research in the music education field highlights several positive influences
on the stakeholders, the conceptual framework in this paper highlights the influences most
pertinent to the successes of the PSB K-5 music teachers. The interaction of organizational
structures, knowledge and motivation must exist in order for students to be motivated to learn
(Rueda, 2011). Because the PSB organization provides cultural models where teachers can do
their best work, the teachers have high self-efficacy in their practice. “Collective self-efficacy”
was noted by Bandura (2000) and was explained as people sharing beliefs in their collective
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 51

power in order to produce desired results. However, this study suggests that the high self-
efficacy held by the PSB teachers is a result of motivation more than organizational constructs.
While the organizational structure of the PSB system is motivating to teachers, these
same teachers must also have the procedural knowledge necessary to access skills allowing them
to act on their motivations. Eccles (2006) explained that people can only remain motivated when
they feel they are able to do the task at hand. Wigfield et. al, (2006) as cited by Eccles endorsed
this idea claiming, “[r]esearch supports the hypothesis that a yes answer to the question, “Can I
do the task?” predicts better performance and more motivation to select more challenging tasks”
(Wigfield et al., 2006). Because the PSB organization hires extremely motivated, capable
teachers, it then operates with a cultural model of being hands-off giving the teachers space to do
their best work.
When looking at the above research questions regarding the successes of the PSB K-5
music teachers as stakeholders in the PSB organization, the answers to the questions begin to
become apparent through the lens of the KMO framework. The stakeholders’ knowledge of
curriculum creation and motivation with regards to culturally relevant curriculum and teaching
are a model for other districts. This has been put into practice because the organization allows its
teachers to do their work and reach for the organizational goal of equitably teaching all children.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 52

Explanation of Figure Y
The bottom left circle in the figure above shows the organizational influences- including
the mission and global goal- on the PSB music teachers. This circle briefly reminds the reader of
the cultural models in the organization. The bottom right circle shows the stakeholder goal,
while a result of the teachers as a promising practice, is also secondary to the teachers’
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 53

motivation. The arrows indicate that the knowledge and motivation of the teachers, specifically
the self-efficacy motivational factor, are the most important influences on this promising
practice. Note that teachers’ personal interest and self-efficacy are italicized to show emphasis
on the importance of this principle.
Additionally, the above figure shows that because the PSB organization engages in
outstanding hiring practices and operates with a cultural model of success for all students,
teachers are allowed to work almost solely with each other, rather than under the tutelage of
administration, to provide culturally relevant music curriculum and pedagogy for students.
Schein (2004) suggested that one way to transmit positive organizational culture is through
hiring and recruiting promising employees. The PSB hiring website advertises for new teachers
reminding applicants that the district “has earned the reputation for educational excellence from
a superb staff, and an innovative, challenging curriculum” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018).
Thus, teachers join the district knowing they will have to live up to the district’s stellar
reputation.
Once promising employees are hired in PSB, the district trusts its teachers’ motivation to
do their job- self-efficacy, both individual and group- well. Self-efficacy comes from mastery,
positive group work, and positive feedback from other stakeholders such as supervisors or
students (Pajares, 2006). Because PSB teachers work in a district already known for mastery and
positive feedback, teachers are motivated to work with each other to best serve students in terms
of curriculum and motivation. Because the organization trusts its teachers to be motivated
masters, it gives them the space to “[offer] an environment that encourages each child to grow
and excel” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018).

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 54

Conclusion
In conclusion, PSB K-5 music teachers have the knowledge and motivation necessary to
provide culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy for all students. Curriculum design,
cultural awareness and training access are the three knowledge types supporting PSB music
teachers’ successes. The PSB organization puts its trust in teachers through hiring practices, a
deep investment in all students, and giving teachers the space to do their jobs well. While the
KMO framework usually suggests equality amongst the three principles, this paper is suggesting
that teacher motivation moves beyond knowledge and organizational influences in this promising
practice. Teacher motivation, in the forms of personal interest and self-efficacy, is the key to
student successes in PSB. More importantly, a form of collective efficacy emerges when
examining the successes of the PSB teachers. Bandura (2000) described this saying,
“[p]erceived collective efficacy fosters groups’ motivational commitment to their missions” (p.
75). Once teachers are hired in PSB, they know they are amongst the best of the best and they
are motivated to become a part of the promising narrative.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 55

CHAPTER THREE: METHODS
The study sought to highlight evidence that the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) K-5
general music teachers engage in promising practice in terms of being culturally relevant for
students of color. The necessary knowledge for the teachers as stakeholders in this study
included curriculum design, culturally relevant pedagogy, and their ability to access proper
training. These teachers are motivated by self-efficacy and personal interests, constructs defined
by Pintrich, (2003). That is, they derive their success from a great intrinsic drive to provide
quality, culturally relevant education for all students and they are increasingly successful at
doing so. Lastly, this study highlighted the organizational assets that provide success for the
stakeholders. The knowledge, motivation and organizational needs of the PSB music educators
present in this promising practice study directly align with the district’s vision and mission
statements (At School in Brookline, 2014).
Thus, this study explored:
1. What knowledge do the K-5 general music teachers in PSB have that allow them to
create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the organizational vision and
mission?
2. What motivates the K-5 general music teachers in PSB to effectively work together to
improve their instruction and student access within the organization?
3. How could the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB K-5
general music teachers be applied in other districts so that other districts may provide a
similar K-5 music program?
Table D below illustrates the alignment of the research questions, research protocol and relevant
literature.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 56

Table D

Research questions, protocol, and relative literature
Research Question

What knowledge do the PSB K-
5 general music teachers have
that allows them to create
culturally relevant curriculum
which aligns with the
organization’s vision and
mission?

What motivates the PSB K-5
general music teachers to work
together effectively to improve
their instruction and student
access within the organization?

How could the knowledge,
motivation and organizational
influences on the PSB K-5
general music teachers be
applied to other districts so that
other districts may provide a
similar K-5 general music
program?
Research Protocol

Interviews and Observations

Interviews and Observations

Interviews and Observations
Relevant Literature

Creswell, (2014); Malloy,
(2011); McEwan & McEwan,
(2003); Merriam and Tisdell,
(2016)

Creswell, (2014); Malloy,
(2011); McEwan & McEwan,
(2003); Merriam and Tisdell,
(2016)

Creswell, (2014); Malloy,
(2011); McEwan & McEwan,
(2003); Merriam and Tisdell,
(2016)

Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholder group of focus in this study was the 12 K-5 general music teachers in the
Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) organization. The PSB teachers have experience variability
in their teaching. That is, the hours per day, per week, school location, teaching experience in
and outside of the district and classroom access are different for each teacher. Thus, each of
these stakeholders may approach cultural relevancy in their teaching differently. Some have
been teaching in the district for more than 20 years while others have been there for only one or
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 57

two years. Johnson (2014) explained variability and noted that if the stakeholder sample was not
randomized, it would be highly biased.
The author of this dissertation had access to the stakeholder group as she works in the
same department in PSB. She recused herself from data collection in order to avoid bias in the
collection of information. Creswell (2011) suggested a researcher “[i]dentify purposefully
selected individuals...that will best help the researcher understand the problem” (p. 189). The
author of this dissertation could not accurately provide a non-biased response to the research
questions. The entire population was asked to participate in interviews. Because the population
is small, the author of this dissertation had the rare opportunity to collect data from an entire
population. After the interviews were completed, three teachers were purposefully selected for
classroom observations used for verifying interview data. Creswell (2014) explains a researcher
can use multiple sources of data, i.e. interviews and observations, to “build a coherent
justification for themes” (p. 200). Thus, observations were completed to verify themes presented
by the interview data.
Interview Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. K-5 General Music Teacher in PSB excluding the author of this paper
Interview Recruitment Strategy and Rationale
Stakeholder person-to-person interviews took place with 9 of the 12-teacher population
as they agreed to it. Interviews occurred over several weeks, one teacher at a time, in order to be
in-depth and because interviews over a period of time “can help rule out spurious associations
and premature theories (Maxwell, 2013, p. 126). The sample for the observations overlapped
with the sample for the interviews. This is permissible because each portion of the experiment,
when standing on its own, had its own results.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 58

Observation Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. K-5 General Music Teacher in PSB excluding the author of this paper
Criterion 2. Willing to be observed in their teaching space for up to 45 minutes
Criterion 3. Researcher believed observing their teaching gave more insight into
interview data
Observation Recruitment Strategy and Rationale
Stakeholder classroom observations commenced after the interviews finished. Three
teachers were selected and asked for observations. Observations occurred on the same day as
each other in different buildings within the PSB district. The sample for the observations
overlapped with the sample for the interviews. Only the author looked at the two groups and
their intersections. Observations of three selected teachers commenced after the interviews.
This process was selected in order for the results to be “richly descriptive” (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). Gathering data through two samples, two techniques, and at two different times provided
reliable, supported theories as to the successes in the PSB K-5 general music department.
During the observations, documents were not obtained by the researcher.
Interviews
Interview Protocol. The author of this paper did the interviews using a semi-structured
protocol. According to Merriam and Tisdell (2016) a semi-structured interview allows for varied
participant responses to more open-ended questions, but still provides the interviewer with
structured guidance and question flow. The interview questions aimed to get the stakeholders to
describe skills allowing them to teach in a culturally relevant way, what motivates them to apply
their knowledge in the classroom, and how the organization supports them in succeeding at this
work. Open-ended questions in a semi-structured interview were also chosen in order to allow
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 59

the participants to discuss how cultural relevancy is achieved in the K-5 general music
department, why it is achieved, and the organizational influences that allow it (Clark & Estes,
2008). The interview data was corroborated by observations.
Interview Procedures. Interviews were conducted in the spring of 2019. This time was
selected because it was the only time when the requirements of the University of Southern
California degree program and the availability of the PSB K-5 general music teachers
overlapped. Each participant was interviewed once, one-at-a-time, between April and May of
2019. Each interview lasted between 25 and 60 minutes and culminated in approximately nine
hours of formal work. The interview structure prevented maturation or attrition of data within
one person’s experience. McEwan and McEwan (2003) discussed interview structures allowing
for the researcher to collect reliable data over time. The interviews took place in the teaching
spaces of the individual teachers. The data was collected via researcher observation and
recording which was then securely transferred to a confidential transcription service. All
interviews took place in English as all members of the K-5 general music team are proficient in
English.
Observations
Observation Protocol. The author of this dissertation conducted the observations. The
observations were used to corroborate and more deeply explain how the stakeholders are
achieving culturally relevant teaching as it relates to their knowledge, motivation and
organizational influences. Observations were chosen for this study as they allowed the researcher
to gather data on the behaviors and reactions of children to culturally relevant education
(Creswell, 2014). The interview data was corroborated by observations supporting validity and
reliability.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 60

Observation Procedures. Observations were conducted in the spring of 2019 after the
interviews. This time was selected because it was the only time when the requirements of the
University of Southern California degree program and the availability of the PSB K-5 general
music teachers overlapped, and it fell after the interviews. Each observation occurred once for
40-45 minutes (depending on the length of the music class.) Two observations involved back-to-
back classes lasting up to 90 minutes. This resulted in approximately five hours of formal work.
The observations took place in the teaching spaces of the individual teachers. The data was
collected via researcher note-taking. Only teaching in English occurred.
Qualitative Data Collection and Instrumentation
The interviews and observations were used as the primary source of data in this research.
Notes were taken during the interviews, observations and on the transcribed interview data.
Common themes found in the interviews were used to begin forming findings. More
specifically, the interview responses were analyzed in terms of the Clark and Estes (2008)
Knowledge, Motivation and Organization (KMO) framework as it applies to the research
questions and common themes in the interview responses. Support for K, M and O elements
were investigated in both the interviews and observations.
Interviews were recorded using the RevRecorder application. This allowed recordings to
be anonymously transcribed. Each recording was given a random number 1-9 to protect the
anonymity of the participant. Procedural notes about modified questions and skipped questions
were taken during interviews on papers that were also coded with the same random numbers.
Typed notes were taken during observations. Observations were also randomly number coded.
Following data collection, interviews and observations were open-coded, axial coded, and then
searched for themes.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 61

Credibility and Trustworthiness
The author of this dissertation, the primary investigator, is a member of the PSB K-5
general music staff. Additionally, the primary investigator has led cultural relevancy training that
included members of the K-5 general music staff. The primary investigator was aware of the
necessity of reflexivity, yet because the author was not in a position of power over the subjects
of the study, and because she was looking for positive actions on behalf of the teachers, she did
her own interviews and observations because there was no harm to the subjects. Merriam and
Tisdell (2016) explain that in order to avoid bias “it is incumbent upon the critical researcher to
be reflexive: to consider issues such as positionality and insider/outsider stances in research and
to try to own their effects in the process in so far as this is possible” (pp. 64-65.) Additionally,
the interviews are trustworthy as they were performed by the same person in similar settings
using the same questions each time. The process involved with the interviews did not alter the
responses of the participants.
Data Collection and Instrumentation
This study employed a qualitative approach to answer the research questions. The
stakeholders answered interview questions based on Ruppert and Nelson’s “Commonly Used
Indicators to Assess the Status and Condition of Arts Education” (2006). From the interviews,
data was aggregated and trends about the PSB K-5 general music program’s successes were
analyzed. This initial analysis resulted in the selection of a small sample of teachers who agreed
to classroom observations providing data that corroborated the data collected by the interviews.
Methods for this study were selected because much educational research is either done
for data collection purposes or is used for accountability (Malloy, 2011). This study, instead,
delved more deeply into what is working in the PSB music program providing information for
program directors and teachers rather than other individual schools. The interview portion of the
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 62

study collected data reflecting cultural relevancy successes from the stakeholders. The
interviews and observations were conducted at different times in an attempt to avoid maturation
or attrition of the data described in Singh et. al, (2010). In a school setting, teachers can be
influenced greatly by their day-to-day experiences, thus randomizing the timing of the samples
contributed to the validity of the results (McEwan & McEwan, 2003). Once the interviews were
completed and the observations commenced, the primary investigator- the author of this
dissertation- triangulated information in order to publish accurate findings. Creswell (2014)
explains that using two methods, here the interviews and observations, strengthens the trends
found in the data corroborating the conclusions made by the investigator.
Methodological Approach and Rationale
Sampling Strategy and Timeline
Table E below shows the sampling strategies, stakeholder participation and start and end
dates for data collection.
Table E

Sampling strategies and timeline
Data Collection Type

Interviews

Observations

Documents

Surveys
Sampling Strategy

Whole Population as
Willing

Selected Based on
Interview Data

N/A

N/A
Number in
Stakeholder
Population

12

12

N/A

N/A
Number of
Proposed
Participants

12

3-4

N/A

N/A
Start and End
Dates for Data
Collection

4/27/19-5/14/19

5/7/19-5/21/19

N/A

N/A

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 63

Ethics
Because this study involved human participants, the researcher had an ethical duty to
protect the subjects involved in both the interview and observation portions of the study. Glesne
(2011) explained that the benefits to the subjects of the study must outweigh the risks of
involvement. In this particular study of K-5 general music teachers in PSB, the researcher had to
create protocols that help to ensure the safety of the participants. The researcher provided a clear
explanation of the study process, procedures and goals to the participants before they volunteered
to be part of the study. An informed consent form signed by each participant included
descriptions of how the participants’ responses were anonymous, a reminder that subjects can
leave the study at any time for any reason, and an explanation of how the data from the
interviews and observations was stored on a password-protected computer and transferred to the
researcher via a password protected internet program. Lastly, the informed consent signed by
participants included permission for recordings. These protocols were based on the “five basic
principles” that guide modern research as described by Glesne (p. 163). The five principles are:
1. Research subjects must have sufficient information to make informed decisions
about participating in a study.
2. Research subjects must be able to withdraw, without penalty, from a study at
any point.
3. All unnecessary risks to a research subject must be eliminated.
4. Benefits to the subject or society, preferably both, must outweigh all potential
risks.
5. Experiments should be conducted only by qualified investigators.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 64

Also of importance is the relationship between the research subjects and the author of this
paper. The author of this dissertation, the researcher, is a member of the K-5 general music
department in PSB. The primary investigator completed the face-to-face interviews with the
subjects using pre-written questions. When asking for participation in this study, the researcher
reminded peers that the study was optional, but also how participating in the study can be a
positive experience. The above procedures are corroborated by Rubin and Rubin (2012) who
remind researchers “When doing your research or publishing your results, you must not harm
your conversational partners; you must not deceive them; you must honor promises; and you
may not pressure people to participate or to answer questions they prefer not to address (p. 93).
Consequently, the author of this paper was not only aware of her relationship with the
subjects of the study, but also other biases she may have held when interpreting data. As a white
female, the author of this paper was aware of her position in society and how others who belong
to other racial or gender groups may have different life experiences. The researcher was also
aware of her biases towards her co-workers as she interpreted data from peers with whom the
researcher has worked closely for many years. Patton (1987) reminds researchers of the
importance of this by explaining the need for rigorous, disciplined field notes and data
interpretation. The researcher must be aware of biases in order to work with those biases in the
results of the study. For example, the researcher may have been able to figure out who a
participant was based on a specific response. Thus, the researcher was prepared to avoid any
bias by omitting identifiable responses once the research was transcribed.
Limitations and Delimitations
The combined interview and observation methods explained above were chosen to
provide more data than one method alone would provide. Other research choices, such as
experiments, surveys, or exploratory mixed methods, would not have been appropriate to this
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 65

study as the research here is on a promising practice. Each of the precluded methods above
would have uncovered less data, fewer opportunities for intersecting data, or Phenomelogical
information not rooted in data. Data or theories alone would not have sufficiently addressed the
research questions and doing the observation portion of the research first would not have allowed
for noticing patterns in the interviews first and building interpretations of those patterns through
observations second.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 66

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS
This study was designed to reveal the elements of promising practice extant in the Public
Schools of Brookline (PSB) K-5 general music department in terms of cultural relevancy. The
findings are based on the circumstances of PSB and may not be applicable to all other school
systems. In Chapter Five, this dissertation makes recommendations for districts similar to PSB.
Assumed causes were organized through the Knowledge, Motivation and Organization (KMO)
framework described by Clark and Estes (2008). Thus, the results below are also organized
through the KMO framework. Data was collected through interviews and observations of the K-
5 general music teachers in PSB. Nine out of twelve K-5 general music teachers in the PSB
department participated in interviews and afterwards three out of twelve were selected for
classroom observations. The data collected depicted the knowledge, motivation and
organizational influences necessary for public school music educators to be culturally relevant.
The research conducted aimed to answer three research questions:
1.) What knowledge do the PSB K-5 general music teachers have that allows them to
create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the organization’s vision and mission?
2.) What motivates the PSB K-5 general music teachers to work together effectively to
improve their instruction and student access within the organization?
3.) How could the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB K-5
general music teachers be applied to other districts so that other districts may provide a similar
K-5 general music program?
Participating Stakeholders
Demographic interview questions collected the following data: Of the 9 out of 12
stakeholders able to participate in interviews, all identified as white or Asian and middle class.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 67

The ages of the interviewees varied greatly across a range of almost forty years. The length of
the stakeholders’ individual employment was also highly diverse. Some of the interviewed
stakeholders were full-time teachers, some were part-time. Of the 9 out of 12 who agreed to
participate in the study, 3 were selected for observations based on their responses in the
interviews. Further demographics of the teachers involved in the interviews and observations
were not shared as it would make them identifiable in the study. One hundred percent of the
participating stakeholders hold a music education degree. It should also be noted that the three
members of the population who did not choose to participate may have shared data that aligned
less with the assumed influences in this dissertation. One non-participant stated that they chose
not to participate because they felt they would not positively contribute to the promising practice
research.
Determination of Assets and Needs
Data was collected from the nine interviews and the three observations. Two of the
observations involved watching two classes each of the same grade. One observation was only
one class. The observations took place in grades K-5 general music classes. Data sources were
triangulated through multiple levels of coding and theme-finding which were then verified using
literature cited in Chapter Two.
Influences were determined as high priority when they were mentioned most frequently
by interviewees. Prevalence of specific influences suggested they are necessary for reaching the
stakeholder goal. Observation data was used to support high priority influences that appeared in
interviews but could not stand on their own as they only took place with three stakeholders.
Table F below shows the knowledge and motivation influences addressed by the first two
research questions in the study. Following the table, this chapter describes the knowledge and
motivation findings as they connect to the research questions and assumed influences.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 68

Table F

Knowledge and Motivation Influences
Knowledge Influences Motivation Influences
1.Music teachers know how to design
curriculum that supports self-efficacy, creativity,
group work.
1.Teachers place great personal interest in the
retention and success of students when curriculum
and pedagogy are designed to appropriately reach
the cultures of all.
2. Music teachers begin to have conversations
about white privilege and cannot teach in a “color
blind” way creating curriculum that supports
awareness of non-white musicians and celebrates
their contributions to music history.
2. Teachers believe they are successful when
students who experience culturally relevant music
education develop greater group-work and
leadership skills.
3. Teachers of students of color know where and
how to access training and support and how to
apply it in order to produce culturally relevant
curriculum and pedagogy.

Findings
The following tables labeled as “Analyses” show the nine participants’ responses to the
interview questions focused on knowledge. Each table has columns illustrating the number
assigned to each teacher, an “A” labeling the influence as an asset, and A Priori codes
representing quoted text directly addressing the assumed knowledge influences. Each piece of
text is labeled with K for knowledge, M for motivation and/or O for organization. Each table
also shows open codes that emerged and axial codes derived by combining open codes. The “act
of organizing data by keywords” used for this study’s coding process is described by Creswell,
(2014, p. 197). The first two interview questions are not included in the “Analyses” tables since
they were specific to personal demographics and optional for participants to answer. Some
responses warranted a reference to principles outside the ones intended by the interview
question. This is noted in the column labeled Open Code. Also, the recording device defaulted
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 69

during a portion of Teacher #8’s interview. The missed questions are noted in tables as “NOT
RECORDED.”
Knowledge Analyses
Several interview questions were aimed at verifying the knowledge necessary for the PSB
music teachers to be culturally relevant. The interview questions were formulated to address the
first research question in this dissertation:
What knowledge do the K-5 general music teachers in PSB have that allow them
to create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the organizational vision
and mission?
This section used data collected from the interviews and observations to answer the first
research question regarding the knowledge necessary for the stakeholders to achieve their goal to
have undergone teacher training in the field of cultural relevancy, be planning and teaching
culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy, and be highly qualified to teach in their field. The
connection was made earlier in the dissertation that the stakeholder goal connects direction to
PSB’s goal stated on their website that the district “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, color, religion, national origin” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018). The knowledge
findings below are connected to supporting literature from the Chapter Two literature review.
The third interview question was the first directed at knowledge influences necessary for
K-5 general music teachers to teach in a culturally relevant way. Analysis A illustrates data
collected from this question.
Analysis A

Interview Question #3- What are the qualities of a culturally relevant music teacher? (K)
Participant Asset/Need A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 70

(P) (A/N)
1 A K- Make decisions based upon
diversity, instead of recognizing
it, but not doing anything even
speaking about that culturally
diversity.
Open, Confronting,
“What are we going
to do about it?”
Open,
Diverse/Different,
Willing, Student-
Focused
2 A K- We had this nice big
conversation of watching people
who are so different just be so
happy and how music can bring
people together
Open-Minded, Kid
expressed interest,
Group
Open,
Diverse/Different,
Willing, Student-
Focused
3 A K- Deeply know the students
they're teaching and understand
the population that they're
working with. Not just the
children in front of them, but the
families they come from, places
they come from, the culture they
bring with them into the
classroom,
Understand, culture,
M- Investing in
whole child
Know the Students,
Culture, Willing,
Student- Focused
4 A K- Trying to understand where
they're coming from and their
background and who they are as a
person and not just,”
Relate, Understand,
Know
Know the Students,
Understand,
Student- Focused
5 A K- Not taking a different cultural
group's version of a song and
appropriating it and treating it
how we see it, that you would go
to original sources and the people
of that country or that culture to
find out more about it.
Culture, Equity,
Appropriate
Understand,
Culture, Open,
Willing, Student-
Focused
6 A K- being open and being curious,
being able to take risks, to make
mistakes if you do something
wrong, but to learn from your
mistakes and make sure you keep
learning about new cultures and
getting to know your students.
Open learn, culture Open, Culture,
Student- Focused
7 A K- just understanding where your
student is coming from, not just
their country of origin, but what
kind of background, what kind of
experiences that they had.
Understanding,
Student-focused
Understanding,
Culture, Willing,
Student- Focused
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 71

8 A K- There shouldn't be something
that is important because I say so.
Culture, Open,
Student-focused,
Open, Diverse,
Willing, Student-
Focused
9 A K- they have to be open-minded.
They have to have empathy. They
have to be creative and thinking
of different ways to approach,
maybe teaching the same things
in different ways. They have to
be caring, they have to
imaginative, because it takes a lot
to sort of step out of yourself and
see what you're doing from a
different perspective.
Open-Minded,
Perspective
Open, Willing,
Student- Focused

Themes emerging from the third interview question included openness, student-focused
curriculum, and a willingness to obtain knowledge regarding culturally relevant music teaching.
Rueda (2011) noted aligning curriculum with students’ cultural needs produces more positive
educational results saying, “Many school performance problems focus on the learning problems
of individual students or groups of students. Considering social and cultural processes is equally
important in this area” (p. 98). This would suggest PSB music teachers succeed at working
towards cultural relevancy by being open to creating student-focused curriculum. Stakeholder
responses above also align with Schraw and Lehman (2009) and McCrudden (2006) who noted
individuals must know how to apply knowledge in order for it to be effective. This would
suggest PSB music teachers are successful in cultural relevancy when they demonstrate an
awareness of how to understand the cultural needs of their students and know how to use that
awareness to create culturally relevant curriculum.
The sixth interview question also addressed the first research question regarding the
knowledge necessary for K-5 general music teachers to be culturally relevant. The table labeled
Analysis B below illustrates the responses to the question and coding. This question also
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 72

addressed the third research question regarding organizational influences. Organizational
influences are discussed later in this chapter.
Analysis B

Interview Question #6- What training or experiences have contributed to your ability to create culturally relevant
curriculum? (K/O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K/O- Experience has been
pretty awesome because I've
had the ability to be at
multiple schools in the
district. For instance, at
School 3* there is a huge
Japanese population, so I got
a lot of exposure there to
like, they do a Japanese trip
that's sponsored every year
for one teacher to go to
Japan and bring back what
they learned and apply that
knowledge to the school as a
whole.
Experience,
ability,
population,
exposure,
learned
Apply knowledge, experience,
ability, exposure
2 A K/O- I like what we're doing
in class or in the meetings.
So usually, it's just research.
Just look it up and absorb as
much information as I can.
Absorb, class Research, meetings,
information
3 A K/O- I have taken some
professional development
that, like I've taken some
African drumming, and I've
taken some classes that have
challenged me to think about
things like authenticity and
sources for material.
Challenged,
sources
Professional development,
classes, challenged,
authenticity, sources
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 73

4 A K/O- I've taken a lot of
professional development
classes ... well, this isn't
really culturally relevant.
Well, honestly, our
workshop over the summer
that we did was helpful
Culturally
relevant,
workshop,
helpful
Professional development,
workshop
5 A K/O- generally looking at
my population and how
diverse my population is,
culturally. Certainly from the
administration,
superintendent, assistant
superintendent, for many
years, we've been
encouraged to address the
achievement gap and things
like that.
M- I'm not sure
that that has
motivated me as
much as the kids
I see in front of
me.
Population,
diverse,
administration
Administration, encouraged,
diverse
6 A K/O- I think it's been a lot of
experiences, workshops,
going to different countries
and actually being there
rather than just sitting in a
classroom and learning about
music.
Workshops,
travel, learning
Workshops, experiences
7 A K/O- a reality check of how
education is like in other
states and other districts is
something that gave me a
wake up call. So I don't
know if that's training, but
it's kind of a wake up call to
being like, this is important
and this has to be important.
And then, I mean, like I said
previously before, I'm still
learning so much from the
teachers. I'm still learning
from the faculty meetings,
from our discussions,
Education, other
places, training,
learning, other
teachers
Faculty meetings, training,
growth mindset
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 74

8 A K/O- I had that curiosity and
I sought out those
experiences during and after
college. As I played a lot
with Caribbean musicians,
East African musicians and
some of my favorite
musicians as well. And I just
was constantly learning and
learning and learning and
filling up my toolkit with
things that I found were
endlessly fascinating.
Played,
musicians,
toolkit, M-
fascinating
Curiosity, experiences,
learning,
9 A K/O- Well, just in courses
that I've taken, in terms of
curriculum. Taking courses
in the history of African
American Music, and music
of Latin American, and
music of SouthEast Asia.
Just having a basic
understanding of these
different traditions.
Courses, history,
traditions
Courses, curriculum,
understanding, traditions

Themes emerging from the sixth interview question included understanding traditions,
curiosity and authenticity. And, like question three, question six illustrated a willingness to
obtain authentic knowledge through training or experience regarding culturally relevant music
teaching. When examined through the lens of Rueda’s (2011) theories of learning, curiosity
regarding authentic student traditions can result in a higher rate of student educational success.
Rueda (2011) specifically discusses authenticity as being most effective for culturally relevant
teaching. Grossman and Salas (2011) emphasized “Trainees rated opportunity to use trained
skills as the highest form of support,” (p. 112). PSB K-5 music teachers use their acquired skills
every day. The seventh interview question also addressed knowledge influences. The table
below, Analysis C, shows the data collected through this question.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 75

Analysis C

Interview Question #7- If you had to explain how a teacher from one cultural group could successfully teach
students of a different cultural group, what would you say? (K)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K- It would depend on how you
define success because I think that
we as teachers have our own ideas
of what a successful lesson is or
what a successful experience is in
the classroom, but at the end of the
day it's also about the student and
what they find was successful.
Define success,
ideas, experiences
Ideas, students
2 A K- So I think once you build that
relationship and everything over
time, you don't see the cultural
differences. It's just another person.
And then once the kids know that
you care about them, they'll learn
whatever you want to teach them.
M- Relationship,
time, cultural
differences,
person, care
Care, person, cultural
differences,
relationship
3 A K- I think one way to be successful
is to really just know those
students, and the culture they're
coming from, and to empower
them to whether language is an
issue or not, but to share their
previous knowledge. What do we
already know about this topic, what
do we want to know, what are we
going to find out together,
Know, culture,
empower,
language, previous
knowledge
Culture, empower,
previous knowledge,
together
4 A K- just being yourself and you
don't want to just be pandering,
"Oh, I think I know where you
come from”
Yourself,
pandering
Authenticity
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 76

5 A K- I would say that you need to
show them where the song came
from or who wrote a particular
piece of music, and that they
should have a visual of that person
or that area that the song or artist
comes from, and that you should
research and talk to people of that
culture to find out what ... how
they would interpret what you're
doing.
Show, wrote,
visual
Research, talk,
authenticity
6 A K- be aware of the groups that you
have, and just that not everybody's
going to connect with what you
connect with.
Groups, connect Aware, connect
7 A K- but just try to be open and to
understanding
Open,
understanding
O- Open
Try, open,
understanding
8 A K- build a personal rapport with
the learners would be step one.
That the music would actually
come second.
Rapport Rapport
9 A K- They have to be open, they have
to be honest about who they are,
and where they're coming from.
And they have to be willing to
learn from the people that they're
teaching. What they're teaching,
and how they're teaching is, I
mean, check-in. And see if you're
being effective, and if you're
making connections.
Open, honest,
people, teaching,
effective,
connections; M-
effective
Open, honest, growth
mindset, effective,
connections

Themes emerging from the seventh interview question included growth mindset,
openness and authenticity. Question seven illustrated an ability to remain open and connected
when working with students. When examined through the lens of Rueda’s (2011) learning
theories, these emergent themes suggest PSB music teachers are open to knowing how to be
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 77

culturally relevant because their behaviors are reinforced by motivational factors such as positive
feedback. While the seventh interview question regarded knowledge, it is closely connected to
motivational influences which will be discussed in the next section. Additionally, Salas and
Stagl (2009,) as cited in Grossman and Salas (2011,) note “research shows that organizations
should not consider the completion of formal training the end of the learning process (p. 116).
Learning continues indefinitely contributing to the idea that PSB music teachers hold a growth
mindset regarding cultural relevancy.
The tenth interview question addressed both knowledge and organizational influences.
Organizational influences will be discussed later in this chapter. The next table, Analysis D,
shows the data collected and coded for this question.
Analysis D

Interview Question #10- What are some challenges involved with implementing culturally relevant music
teaching and how might someone overcome them? (K/O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- A big challenge I think is time
and energy because there is a lot
of time that is taken up with
behavioral issues and following
up with those and also issues of...
just logistics of the school day
Time, energy,
challenge, behavioral
issues, following up,
logistics
Time, logistics
2 A K- I think some of the challenges
would be teaching a culture that
you don't fully understand yet
Challenge, teaching,
culture, understand
Don’t fully
understand
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 78

3 A K- But I think that is the
challenge actually, is finding the
comfort level. For example, say
it's a song that has historical, an
important history with a difficult
historical context. Maybe like,
I'm thinking of a song with racial
undertones that really don't
connect to the song today but are
a legitimate part of the history. I
think most people would just
steer clear of it.
M- Fear, comfort level,
historical context,
racial undertones
Connect, legitimate,
comfort, knowing
how
4 A O- I'd say the biggest challenge is
just having so many students and
you only see them once or twice a
week. It can be hard to know all
of them on a more personal level,
I'd say.
Personal level So many students,
once or twice per
week, know them
5 A O- I think time for scheduling is
important
Time, scheduling Time, scheduling
6 A K- I think it's scary doing new
things. Especially when I do
something new and if I have, like
I'm doing a song in Spanish, and
there's a Spanish speaker in the
classroom, you might be
corrected by a seven-year-old,
and that's fine. You're still
learning, everybody's learning so
I just try to apologize and say,
"Thank you for helping me."
M- Fear, new things Growth mindset,
respect
7 A K- I guess for me there are so
many different ways that you can
be culturally relevant. It's such a
vague concept, I guess I don't
know how to pinpoint one down
and stick to it.
Different, culturally
relevant, vague,
pinpoint
Growth mindset,
culturally relevant
8 A NOT RECORDED
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 79

9 A K/O- Definitely resources, and
training are a challenge, because
there's not a lot out there for
teachers who want to do this.
And, making it, obviously like
any professional job, making it
accessible to teachers, in terms of
time and cost. Things like that.
There's also the hurdle of having
the time during your scheduled
day to implement it, and to plan
out these brand new lesson plans
with these brand new materials,
and new ideas
Resources, training,
professional,
accessible, time, cost,
schedule, implement
Curriculum,
resources, training,
time

The summary only addresses the knowledge themes emerging from the tenth interview
question. They include growth mindset and connecting to students. Question ten also illustrated
an ability to remain open and connected when working with students. Similar to data collected
from the seventh interview question above, question ten noted PSB music teachers’ desire to
apply a growth mindset when creating culturally relevant curriculum and making authentic
connections with students. Question ten also reveals organizational elements which will be
discussed later in this dissertation.
The eleventh interview question addressed procedural knowledge. The next table,
Analysis E, shows the data collected and coded for this question.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 80

Analysis E

Interview Question #11- Describe how PSB K-5 general music teachers work together to improve cultural
relevancy. (K)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K-Having conversations is a big
one. It seems simple, but just
having the conversation is
helpful. Sharing resources, so if
you're looking for a specific
song or a specific instrument or
a specific thing, we share and
can borrow things from others.
Making a point to come together
every once in a while, and share
actual teaching and music
together.
Conversations,
helpful, sharing
resources, looking,
specific, borrow,
together, teaching
Conversations,
collaboration
2 A K- But just hearing the
conversations that are brought
up and everything, I think that's
beneficial. Collaborating with
other people on the email thread
and whatnot
Conversations,
beneficial,
collaborating, other
people, e-mail
Conversations,
collaboration
3 A K- I think it's important when
we come together and have
conversations about curriculum
or we do teacher shares, because
they raise important topics.
Together,
conversations,
curriculum, shares,
topics
Conversations,
curriculum,
collaboration
4 A K- Discussions in meetings. The
workshop over the summer. I'd
say in general any of our
curriculum work, even when it's
not explicitly framed around
being culturally relevant.
Discussions,
curriculum, explicitly
framed
O-
Meetings/workshops
Conversations,
curriculum,
collaboration
5 A K- We’ve had discussions at
some meetings
Discussions Conversations
6 A K- At our department meetings
we've been discussing cultural
relevancy
Discussions
O- Department
meetings
Conversations
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 81

7 A K- I think most obvious answer
is the faculty meetings. I think,
like I said before, I love the
consistency of it. I love how this
whole year we had a theme. I
think that's really helpful. And
just as when we're almost
maybe forgetting about it
because the year is so busy. I
love that when we have a
faculty meeting, we are
reminded once again. We don't
have to leave the faculty
meeting learning anything. But
just thought of, "We are
learning and I tried to be more
culturally relevant."
Love, consistency,
theme, reminded,
learning, culturally
relevant
O- Department
meetings
Collaboration
8 A NOT RECORDED
9 A K- I think one huge way is just
the way that we share with each
other… And, I think that's huge,
because again, with those
resources and time and funds
and everything being so limited,
having each other to lean on as a
source of information is key.
Share, source of
information
O- Limited resources
and time
Collaboration,
curriculum

Knowledge themes emerging from the eleventh interview question included collaboration
and conversations. When examined through the lens of Rueda’s (2011) social cognitive learning
theory, these emergent themes suggest PSB music teachers’ conversations and ability to work
together provide the relatable and useful models resulting in improved learning through
collaboration and conversation. When one music teacher struggles, another provides a
knowledgeable model. Salas et. al (2006) as quoted in Grossman and Salas (2011) make
comments about knowledge transfer when people work together noting “Effective training can
yield higher productivity, improved work quality, increased motivation and commitment, higher
morale and teamwork, and fewer errors, culminating in a strong competitive advantage” (p. 104).
This further supports the successes of the PSB music teachers through collaboration.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 82

Interview questions sixteen and eighteen also addressed procedural knowledge
influences. Question eighteen also referenced motivation influences which will be discussed
later in the chapter. The tables below, Analyses F and G, show the data collected through these
questions.
Analysis F

Interview Question #16- If you were to teach other districts what PSB K-5 general music teachers are doing well,
what knowledge would you share? (K)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K- I would share the piece
about spending our time
together, having these
conversations about
culturally relevant and
diverse teaching and how we
are trying to make it a
priority and make it
something that is in our
minds as we go throughout
the school year and we don't
just let it kind of drift back
and become complacent with
what is easy for us or what is
comfortable and what we
know alone. Continuing to
kind of push ourselves to
think about this and connect.
Spending time,
conversations,
culturally relevant,
diverse, teaching,
priority, throughout,
complacent, easy,
comfortable, know,
push ourselves, think,
connect
Conversations,
curriculum, think about
2 A K- Community would be one.
So like I said, just reaching
out to other K to five general
music teachers, asking for
help, asking for advice
Community, reaching
out, other teachers,
help, advice
Conversations, think
about
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 83

3 A K- I think that we as a whole
work with educating the
whole child philosophy. I
think that we do the work to
teach skills and to teach
relevant content, but
ultimately, I think we all
understand we're teaching
humans, we're creating
human beings. I think that
we, as a department, I think
we value teaching things like
empathy and expression, and
we work to create an
appreciation of culture, and
of individuality
Think, work, teach
skills, relevant content,
humans, creating,
department, value,
empathy, expression,
appreciation,
individuality
O- Whole child

Think about
4 A K- We’re having these
ongoing conversations and
we're talking about our
curriculum and what we can
do.
Ongoing conversations,
talking, curriculum
Conversations,
curriculum
5 A K- Just that we are trying.
We make mistakes. We're in
there, trying to do it and
trying to make our classes
more culturally aware
Trying, mistakes,
classes more culturally
aware
Growth mindset
6 A - O- We have a cool
program where
students have music
class twice a week

7 A K- I think having a common
Google drive that is just
geared towards songs from
different cultures but videos
of concerts that they did or
arrangements different songs
that they might not know of.
If you make your own
arrangements, how you can
share that to other teachers.
Even having a page where
like our reflection page
Common Google drive,
geared, songs, different
cultures, videos,
concerts, arrangements,
share, other teachers,
reflection
Conversations,
curriculum, think about
8 A K- I think a culturally
relevant music teacher knows
who they're talking to, and ...
thinks about who is on the
other end of the telephone.
Culturally relevant,
music teacher, know,
thinks
Think about
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 84

9 A K- I think we've done a good
amount of work on
curriculum and resources for
different grade levels. And I
think having that as a starting
point for a district that's
maybe just beginning to,
“how do we look at this and
figure out whether we are
being culturally relevant, and
how to be better at it.” Just as
a base line, what are we
currently doing, and what are
we currently teaching. And I
think we've done some good
work in that area, and that
process of how we've done
that is something that would
be useful, I think.
Curriculum, resources,
different, starting point,
district, how, look at,
figure out, better, bse
line, good work,
process, useful
Curriculum, think about,

Analysis G

Research Question #18- If you were to teach other districts what PSB K-5 general music teachers are doing well,
what advice would you give about getting started or obtaining resources? (K)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K- I would say to get started and obtain
resources if you don't have very many
options is to reach out to other people
within your school building, within your
parent community, within your music
teacher community, and really just try to
get their support. Secondly, I would say,
really connect yourself online.
Started, obtain,
resources,
options, reach
out, people,
school
building,
parent
community,
music teacher
community,
support,
connect
yourself online
Curriculum, training
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 85

2 A K- So making sure you answer honestly,
to be as authentic as you can and really
being open to talking about being
culturally relevant and really being open
to hearing new ideas and being open to
change lessons or things that you have
done in the past. I think that would be it.
It's just being open-minded.
Honestly,
authentic,
open, talking,
culturally
relevant,
hearing new
ideas, change,
lessons, past,
open-minded
Conversations,
curriculum,
authenticity, sources
3 A K- we started with the Google drive
folders where people could upload content
that really works for them, and kids
respond well to.
Google drive
folders, upload,
content
M- kids
respond well
Curriculum, kid
centered
4 A K- having conversations about it and then
obtaining resources
Conversations,
resources
Curriculum,
conversations
5 A K- I guess that they should search out
more resources… And then form a
songbook, maybe try to get a few songs
from each culture, and speak to people of
that culture to try to get it so it's relevant,
Search,
resources,
songbook,
culture, speak,
relevant
Curriculum,
conversations,
authenticity
6 A K/M- I guess you need to get to know
your student population. Figure out what
you can do to engage them, or some sort
of hook, and then notice if your students
actually look engaged or if they are just
bored and just following the directions.
Know your
student
population,
engage, hook,
notice,
students,
bored, follow
directions
Curriculum, kid-
centered
7 A K/M- I think I would tell them number
one, have more conversations about it.
Talk about it. Don't beat around the bush.
I think having open and healthy
conversations is what got PSB here
Conversations,
talk, open,
healthy
Conversations,
thinking
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 86

8 A K/M- There's a sort of openness, and I
feel comfortable here in Brookline
because it's like the community I was
raised in. I think there's a selection bias,
perhaps, and that people who have that
lean would want to work here, and then if
they apply and then that is sort of a
forward trait, the people hiring might be
more likely to select them
O- Openness,
community,
selection bias,
lean, want to
work here,
hiring
Hiring
9 A K/M- I would say if they have a
curriculum coordinator, or a department
head start there with reaching out to them
about supporting them in the district about
having the time, first of all, to meet and
collaborate and work on things.
O- Curriculum
coordinator,
reaching out,
supporting,
time, meet,
collaborate
Time, support

Knowledge themes emerging from the sixteenth and eighteenth interview questions
included metacognitive work, curriculum and growth mindset. Similar to previous questions,
data collected for interview question sixteen and eighteen noted the importance of growth
mindset and professional conversations to cultural relevancy. A newer theme emerging from
question sixteen regarded the awareness of bias held by PSB K-5 general music teachers.
Thinking about teaching in a culturally relevant way reflects Rueda’s (2011) description of
metacognitive knowledge: “It is the type of knowledge that allows one to know when and why to
do something” (p. 28). Data collected from questions sixteen and eighteen suggests PSB music
teachers “know when and why” to teach in a culturally relevant way. It could be assumed they
are successful in this area because they know how to access each other and authentic curriculum.
Interview question seventeen and its follow-up question also addressed knowledge and
motivational influences. Only knowledge influences will be discussed below. The table below,
Analysis H, shows the data collected through this question.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 87

Analysis H

Interview Question #17- In what ways do you incorporate cultural relevance in your lesson design or instructional
practices? (K/M) 17a. (Follow-up) How do you get cultural relevance from theory into practice? (K)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K/M- I practice listening
to kids, practice leaving
space in a lesson for these
connections to be made
and not just barreling
through and trying to get
everything that's in my list
of things to get done
Listening, kids,
practice, leaving
space, lesson,
connections, barreling
through, get to
everything
Kid-centered curriculum,
listening, interest
2 A K/M- And if something
changes within the class, I
kind of embrace it. If a kid
brings up something new, I
would say lesson design,
yes, it's there. But when
it's more of implementing
it and going about the
lesson, that's where it
really starts to blossom
and get exciting
Something changes,
embrace, kid,
something new, lesson
design, implementing,
exciting
Kid-centered curriculum,
interest
3 A K/M- I think you have to
jump in. I think you have
to plan the lesson and then
do it. See how it goes. If it
doesn't go well, tweak it. If
it goes well, build on it,
and really read the room.
See what response you're
getting from kids. If
they're not responding,
something's not right and
you need to step back and
maybe come from a
different angle, consider a
different piece.
Jump in, plan, do it,
tweak it, build on it,
read the room,
response, kids, not
right, step back,
different angle,
consider
Kid-centered curriculum,
interest, thinking
4 A K- a variety of music from
different cultures, different
styles
Variety, different
culture, styles
Curriculum
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 88

5 A K- The contributions of
the African American
composers and artists in
the jazz era, let's say, and
popular.
Contributions, African
American, jazz,
popular
Curriculum
6 A K- I try to make sure that
I'm not doing just one type
of music all the time, and
even if I have students
who, like none of them
know the type of song that
I'm doing, I will still
present it.
Make sure, one type of
music, song, present
Curriculum, thinking
7 A K/M- But I think the most
important question was for
me, where are you from
and what kind of music do
you like? What do you
like? And what do you
want from music class?
Important question,
where, what kind, you,
want
Kid-centered curriculum,
interest
8 A M- That's not easy to do,
but I feel like people need
some cultural music that
isn't their own, that they'd
fall in love with it an
experiential way. And
when they have that
experience, they will want
similar experience for their
learners.
Easy, people need,
cultural music, isn’t
their own, love,
experience
Interest
9 A K/M- I gonna use, whether
it's gonna be teaching
something in the whole
group with teacher
centered, or are they gonna
be working in pairs and
small groups. Whether,
these particular activities
that I am doing with them
are going to connect with
different students in
different ways, depending
upon their background.
Whether, it be language or
culture or learning
differences. And then.
How am I going to be, sort
of what's my role in the
lesson as a teacher?
Whole group, teacher
centered, pairs, small
groups, activities,
connect, different
students, ways,
depending,
background, language,
culture, differences
Curriculum, interest,
group-work, thinking
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 89

Knowledge themes emerging from the seventeenth interview question included
curriculum, reflective or metacognitive thinking and group-work. Similar to previous knowledge
data collected, this data aligns with Rueda’s (2011) theories of knowledge transfer, modeling and
metacognition. And Grossman and Salas’s (2006) theories of training application. PSB K-5
music teachers are transferring knowledge in their classrooms every day, modeling promising
practice for each other, and applying metacognition when thinking about bias. Knowing how to
do this comes from applications of culturally relevant training.
Knowledge Findings
Three major findings were concluded explaining the knowledge necessary for K-5
general music teachers to become culturally relevant. The findings were collected from the
above emergent themes regarding curriculum creation, metacognition and training and
consolidated through the lenses of Rueda’s (2011) and Grossman and Salas’s (2006) learning
theories. Aligned with other assumed influences posited in Chapter Two, they were verified
regarding curriculum, bias and training. It should be noted that while 100% of the participants
identified as male or female, references to participants below will use the pronoun “they” to
avoid gender bias and to protect identities. Thus, Teacher #1-Teacher #9, as they will be referred
to, will all be quoted using the pronoun “they.”
Finding #1: PSB Music teachers can explain how to design curriculum. Curriculum
creation should address the needs of a culturally relevant classroom, being student-focused rather
than teacher-focused (Ladson-Billings, 1995). This procedural knowledge, knowing how to
create something necessary to a job, is based in principles defined by Schraw and McCrudden
(2006) and Mayer (2011) and addresses the first research question in this study and the
stakeholder goal listed above. Below, teacher #9 explained the starting point of culturally
relevant curriculum:
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 90

A lot of times it starts with what I want to teach them, and then what
activities, and songs, and games and all of that, am I going to use to get at
that concept. And then once I have those ideas in place, then how am I going
to present it, what sort of modality am I going to use, whether it's going to be
teaching something in the whole group with the teacher center, or are they
going to be working in pairs and small groups. Whether, these particular
activities that I am doing with them are going to connect with different
students in different ways, depending upon their background. Whether it be
language or culture or learning differences. And then. How am I going to be,
sort of what's my role in the lesson as a teacher? Am I presenting
information? Am I facilitating the students leading themselves? Making sure
that all those different kinds of things are happening at some point so that a
variety of experiences is happening.

Teacher #9, quoted above, described steps they take when first creating culturally relevant
curriculum. They note home-culture, self-efficacy and differentiated group work among the
considerations necessary. This not only aligns with Bandura (2005) who discussed the
importance of positively structured group work, but also with Catterall and Peppler (2010) who
examined nine-year-olds successfully learning in arts education when they had access to student-
centered, creative, group-work lessons. Teacher #9’s explanation answers the first research
question from this study referencing the knowledge necessary to create culturally relevant
curriculum.
While Teacher #9 explained the creation of culturally relevant curriculum beginning with
what the teacher wants to teach, Teacher #8 took a different approach. They explained:
There shouldn't be something that is important because I say so. It's like the
music and the musical principles that I impart to them, it should be evident why
they're of value to those students, and if I can't make it evident in the moment
with them, then maybe it's not the right thing to teach. And I think taking that
approach opens up all different kinds of music and opens up all kinds of different
performance practices. So, kind of putting everything on the equal playing field.
Like, I say this is important today because of this insight it can bring you, but
that doesn't mean other musics don't have insights of value, and your home
music is probably full of insights and values.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 91

Teacher #8 backward plans their culturally relevant curriculum beginning with the
interests of the kids in their classes. Teacher #8 emphasizes openness and equality between
teacher and students putting extra importance on how students view the importance of what is
being taught. Teacher #8 also suggests that once students experience self-efficacy, creativity and
group work in a lesson about their home music, they may be more open to learning music from
outside their home cultures. Elpus and Abril (2011) commented that children exposed to self-
efficacy and group work in a creative setting are more likely to remain in music programs
resulting in more school involvement. Teacher #8’s response also aligns with the first research
question as it not only shows they have the knowledge necessary to create culturally relevant
curriculum, but they are also aligning their work with the vision and mission of PSB where
“Staff gets to know students intellectually, developmentally and culturally” (Public Schools of
Brookline, 2018).
A classroom observation of Teacher #3 showed direct positive effects of knowing how to
design curriculum with elements that support cultural relevancy. In Teacher #3’s second grade
lesson, they had a student who was reluctant to participate upon entering the classroom. Teacher
#3 allowed that student space and time to process the directions. Students were exploring
instruments of the orchestra through group-work that involved creating and problem-solving.
The struggling student observed classmates work together with no interference from the teacher
and watched them find joy in creating. After twenty minutes of choosing to be apart from others,
the student moved to join the rest of the class. Teacher #3 encouraged students to use references
posted on the walls. They made students responsible for their own classroom materials, and the
materials of others. When the struggling student began working with classmates, Teacher #3
immediately pointed out a success of the student to the entire class helping the student build self-
efficacy and feel included in the group. Teacher #3’s lesson structure aligned with what Menard
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 92

(2013) and Tobias et. al, (2015) explored when looking at successful culturally relevant
curriculum and pedagogy.
While Teacher #8, Teacher #9, and Teacher #3 show that culturally relevant
curriculum planning includes self-efficacy, creativity and group work, they also have knowledge
allowing them to achieve this in different ways. Culturally relevant K-5 general music teachers
have knowledge that allows them to create specialized curriculum, regardless of how that
curriculum is created.
Finding #2: Music teachers can create curriculum that avoids bias and supports
awareness of non-white musicians celebrating their contributions to music history.
Not only should curriculum be structured appropriately, but it should purposefully focus
on non-white musicians helping teachers explore awareness their personal biases (Choi & Keith,
2016; Kang 2014). This metacognitive knowledge is influenced by work by Gonzalez, Moll and
Amanti (2005) and Lee (2005, 2007) as cited in Rueda (2011) explaining curriculum should be
aligned with the cultural needs of students. Finding #2 directly aligns with the first research
question in this paper and the stakeholder goal as stated above. When asked how a teacher could
educate students from a racial demographic different from their own, Teacher #7 responded:
Each of these kids has a special given talent and all these talents can be
brought into my music classroom and if that one kid can feel like that light in
them was shown in music classroom even once, I think that's when I'm like,
all right. They might not know their rhythm, note names might be hard, but if
they have that feeling of like, "I contributed because I'm different." I think
that idea is what makes me like I really need to be more aware, I have to be
even careful, I have to be more intentional with the work that I'm doing.

Teacher #7 is very focused on the need to have each student celebrate differences through
music curriculum and classroom experiences. Teacher #7 also notes the importance of cultural
relevancy over rote learning of western musical notation. Chapman (2013) explained that
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 93

meaningful exchanges between students and teachers begin to allow students of color access to
music education that has traditionally been aimed at white normative structures. This
metacognitive knowledge explained by Teacher #7 lays the foundation for the thinking necessary
to create culturally relevant curriculum.
Teacher #5 supported Teacher #7’s assertions when discussing culturally relevant curricular
specifics. They said:
I think that they're at least being exposed to some great artists, that they
learn something about the Harlem Renaissance, and that they feel like their
culture has been at least talked about in class, rather than it just being, you
know, Brahms and Beethoven and all the white guys from the last
centuries.

Teacher #5 listed elements to be included in culturally relevant curriculum. While they explain a
specific piece of African American music history imperative for teaching about American music
history, they also explain not to exclusively talk about white European musicians. Deliberately
choosing to teach about African American music history in addition to, or even in place of,
European white musicians from several centuries earlier can provide students with a sense of
ownership and connection in music classes Seriki (2010). Seriki continued supported this
assertion reminding teachers that culturally relevant teacher cannot only be about `curriculum but
must be about the cultures of the students in the classroom. A classroom observation of Teacher
#2 gave specific examples of the metacognitive knowledge necessary to truly teach non-white
music no just as a multicultural topic, but as a part of American music learning. Teacher #2’s
fifth graders spent their entire music class learning a song from Ghana. Teacher #2 began by
teaching the song by rote in its traditional form. They showed Ghana on the world map and
asked if students had ancestors from that part of the world or if they had traveled there. African
American students in the classroom showed extra excitement at focusing on a place from where
their American ancestors were taken. Teacher #2 added traditional instruments for the song that
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 94

they borrowed specifically for the lesson. Teacher #2 chose the game because it is a group
passing game that involves teamwork and is inclusive of every member of the class. Seriki
(2010) emphasized the importance of teaching through teamwork and inclusion explaining that
not only is the culturally relevant subject important, but also its authentic delivery.
Teacher #5, Teacher #7 and Teacher #3 all give evidence of the thinking involved in
culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy.
Finding #3: Teachers of students of color know where to access training and support
specific to cultural relevancy. Not only do culturally relevant music teachers have the
procedural knowledge necessary to access training, they consistently desire to learn more.
Culturally relevant music teachers seek out experiences beyond their home cultures and exhibit a
drive to garner more support. Grossman and Salas (2011) corroborate the need for training and
support explaining long-term training access allows people to better apply knowledge, especially
when it occurs in a supportive setting. Training is perhaps the foremost way teachers can
achieve the stakeholder goal and answer the first research question in this study. Teacher #8
discussed the drive to seek out training and also the mentorship gained:
I think, I had that curiosity and I sought out those experiences during and
after college. As I played a lot with Caribbean musicians, East African
musicians and some of my favorite musicians as well. And I just was
constantly learning and learning and learning and filling up my toolkit with
things that I found were endlessly fascinating. And so I had my own sort of
bag of tricks. Secondarily, like you know, mentorship from some of those
teachers was really essential.

Teacher #8 lists specific cultures to which they were exposed. It should be noted that
Teacher #8 identifies as white. Also, Teacher #8 suggests the importance of mentorship. The
“bag of tricks” aids Teacher #8 in bringing culturally relevant experiences to their students in
PSB. Knowing how to access training and the importance of mentorship directly connects to the
first research question. Nationally, work like that of Teacher #8 is included in the vision and
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 95

mission of the National Association for Music Education which says music education should
“celebrate and preserve our cultural heritage” (NAfME, 2018). While Teacher #8 mentions
support from mentors, Teacher #7 emphasizes the importance of peer-to-peer support.
Even after formal university training and carrying motivation to seek out further
training, teachers must have access to each other in order to become better culturally relevant
teachers. Teacher #7 explained,
I get so many ideas from the teaching demonstrations that we do at a music
faculty meetings and I feel like when I talk to you or even from peers on
how you guys do it, I feel like more motivated and more like wanting to do
it.

The above quotation from Teacher #7 emphasizes the power of teacher demonstrations
occurring at department meetings by qualifying the ideas with the words “so many.” They also
connect the knowledge garnered from peers to motivation towards becoming more culturally
relevant. Corroborating their points, Teacher #3 briefly spoke about the thinking inspired by
professional development. They noted, “I've taken some African drumming, and I've taken some
classes that have challenged me to think about things like authenticity and sources for material.”
Teacher #3 points out learning specific music from a minoritized group (African Americans,)
and uses the word “authenticity” when discussing teaching materials.
Quotations from Teacher #8, Teacher #7, and Teacher #3 recognize the importance of
training access and the power of support. While the previous section highlights what K-5
general music teachers know how to teach in a culturally relevant way, the next section builds on
the knowledge noting the motivation behind teachers who choose to carry out culturally relevant
music teaching.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 96

Knowledge Synthesis
Three knowledge principles emerged from the collected data. They were aimed at
answering the first research question: What knowledge do the K-5 general music teachers in PSB
have that allows them to create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the
organizational vision and mission? The principles verified the assumed principles. As many
PSB K-5 music teachers commented on authenticity, student-centered curriculum and teaching in
a culturally relevant way, this section concluded that the first knowledge finding was: “PSB
Music teachers can explain how to design curriculum.” It went on to conclude two more
knowledge findings: “Music teachers can create curriculum that avoids bias and supporting
awareness of non-white musicians celebrating their contributions to music history” and
“Teachers of students of color know where to access training and support specific to cultural
relevancy.” These conclusions are grounded in extant research painting a picture of knowledge,
which can come from collaboration, thinking about the work (metacognition,) and accessing
training appropriate to the stakeholder goal (Grossman & Salas, 2006; Rueda, 2011). The
following section will explore motivational influences.
Motivation Analyses
Several interview questions were aimed at verifying the motivation necessary for the PSB
music teachers to be culturally relevant. The interview questions were formulated to address the
second research question in this dissertation:
What motivates the K-5 general music teachers in PSB to effectively work
together to improve their instruction and student access within the organization?
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 97

The fourth interview question was the first directed at motivation influences necessary for
K-5 general music teachers to teach in a culturally relevant way. Analysis I illustrates data
collected from this question.
Analysis I

Interview Question #4- What do you think has motivated you to be a culturally relevant music teacher? (M)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A M- Growing up seeing
cultural diversity that wasn't
necessarily respected by
surrounding school districts
in many ways and also not
seeing a reflection of that
diversity in curriculum in my
own school growing up, it
stood out to me. So, that has
motivated me.
Diversity, not
respected, reflection
Curriculum, diversity
reflected
2 A M- I decided, these kids
really like hip hop. I said,
"Why don't we find out
where hip hop came from?"
So I went way back. I came
up with this whole blues,
R&B, hip hop lesson, and
they ate it up. They loved it.
And I got so many kids on
my side because of it.
Kids really like, on my
side
Love, find out, kids on my
side
3 A M- think it's more important
to really help the kids in
front of me feel recognized
and seen, and included in the
curriculum. I feel like as I
get older and as I learn more
about the way the world
works, and as I do see my
privilege at play, it gives me
a stronger urgency to learn
and grow, and change, and
Recognized/seen,
learn, privilege
Aware, community,
privilege
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 98

take that responsibility on as
a teacher of culture. Not just
music, but as a community
creator, a teacher of culture,
somebody that can hopefully
give kids the skills to
understand
4 A M- I think being culturally
relevant is more engaging for
the kids. They need to be
able to relate to what you're
doing or identify with it to be
more engaged
Engage, relate,
identify
Engage, “for the kids”
5 A M- I think that it comes out
of a sense of fairness, to me.
And I also think that I've had
excellent culturally diverse
role models in music.
Fairness, role models Role Models, Diversity
6 A M- And I just wanted to ...
when I came to
Massachusetts and I started
teaching I just wanted to be
able to, not target, but be
able to teach all of my
students and there was a lot
more diversity
Teach whole student,
Massachusetts
Diversity, Want
7 A M- when I went to the music
faculty meetings, it was so
geared towards how to be
culturally relevant that I kind
of am seeing and sensing the
gravity of it and the
importance of it and seeing
how other teachers do it in
their classroom is also
motivating to me.
Faculty Meetings
geared towards – O
Had knowledge,
importance, access to other
teachers
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 99

8 A M- Let's build one, let's
enjoy it, let's say, "That was
cool." But whatever we're
building could be a Ghanaian
rhythm or Rondo form or
whatever. But I definitely see
the act of building it together
out of its component parts to
understand it, is very
inspiring to me and I want
my students to have that
curiosity.
Curiosity, build Together, understand,
curiosity, interest
9 A M- perspective makes me
realize how important it is to
make sure that that variety is
represented in the classroom.
So that all sorts of different
people can connect with
what's happening, and don't
feel shut out from it.
Perspective, bias,
backgrounds,
viewpoints
Perspective, population,
bias

Motivation themes emerging from the fourth interview question included interest in
responding to student diversity. Schraw and Lehman (2006) noted the importance of personal
interest as a motivator. They explained “Sustained interest increases engagement and motivation
to learn, as well as facilitates strategy use and deeper processing” (p.1). When PSB K-5 music
teachers find teaching in a culturally relevant way interesting, they are motivated to continue
doing it and to respond more deeply to student diversity. The data above also noted teacher
reactions to positive student feedback. Pajares (2006) explained people often perform better
when they are receiving positive feedback. When teachers see students enjoying their classes,
this positive social feedback increases teacher self-efficacy.
Interview question nine also dealt with motivational principles. Analysis J below
illustrates data collected through this question.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 100

Analysis J
Interview Question #9- Describe a time when you received positive feedback regarding cultural relevancy or the
successes of students of color in your program. (M)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A M- So, a big success
recently was a piece we
did for second grade
connected to their Ghana
unit…I spent a lot of time
researching a percussion
part … and teaching it to
the second graders so that
they were performing it
along. It was really
difficult and really
polyrhythmic and
syncopated, but who
cares? We took the time
and we learned that. We
did not simplify it because
it would not have been as
culturally relevant
Success, connected,
researching, time,
teaching, performing,
difficult, learned, simplify,
culturally relevant
Success, connect
2 A M- this gentleman saw my
posters. He said…"Can I
go in that room? Can I talk
to who's in that room?" So
they come in, and he was
talking to me about it. And
he said, "Those posters are
amazing." He said, "I love
that you're talking about
the people who influenced
jazz music and the people
who made it possible for
black musicians to really
get on the map and some
of the struggles they went
through." He said, "I don't
feel like that's appreciated
enough. Obviously, their
music is appreciated, but
how they got there really
isn't talked about or
M- love, influence,
appreciate, talking,
people, struggles,
complements
Love, appreciate,
complement
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 101

appreciated too much." So
he thanked me for it. And I
was like, "Oh, well, you're
welcome." Now, that was
probably one of the best
complements I got.
3 A M- Kids respond. Kids
really enjoy singing in
other languages and
learning about other
cultures
Kids, respond, enjoy,
singing, languages, other
cultures
Kids, enjoy, other
cultures
4 A M- as a second grader, he
would really challenging
behavior-wise to manage,
and then in third grade,
something about the
recorder just clicked and
he became a star student.
He still plays in the band
and ... I don't know if he
ever specifically told me
like, "Thank you for this,"
but it was really cool to
see that big turnaround and
him fall in love with the
recorder.
Challenging, behavior,
manage, clicked, cool,
turnaround, love
Love, manage, behavior
5 A M- that they feel like their
culture has been at least
talked about in class,
rather than it just being,
you know, Brahms and
Beethoven and all the
white guys from the last
centuries.
Culture, talk, white, last
centuries
Culture, talk
6 A M- It's been really
interesting to see how
excited the students get
about it
Interesting, excited,
students
Interest, student-
centered
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 102

7 A M- And I got a lot of
positive parent feedback.
One parent said that she
almost expects my kid to
never sing a song in
another language. But it
was really refreshing for
her to have her kid singing
in another language, play
instruments and showcase
that to the parents. So that
was something that was
really sweet, I thought.
Positive, parent, feedback,
expects, refreshing,
language, showcase,
instrument
Positive feedback,
language
8 A NOT RECORDED
9 A M- I got the impression
that they never really had
the experience of learning
anything connected to their
cultural background in
music classes that they'd
had at the school. So, the
first time we did a
Dominican folk song in a
chorus concert, for
instance, or learned a little
merengue in the seventh
grade music class. Kids
and their parents were just
like, "Thank you so much
for representing my culture
in school. It's such a
different experience to be
able to have that part of
my world come into
school, where it's usually
not there."
Impression, experience,
background, concert,
learned, kids, parents,
thank-you, representing,
culture, my world, school
Thank-you, culture,
experience, learned

Motivational themes emerging from interview question six included positive feedback
from school community members and enjoyment when students experience culturally relevant
curriculum. Schraw and Lehman (2006) explained when people’s interest in something is
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 103

encouraged through positive feedback, their interest in learning more about that thing grows.
This principle supports PSB K-5 general music teachers’ perseverance in becoming more
culturally relevant and connects back to knowledge influences from earlier in this dissertation
regarding curriculum writing, metacognition and training. And while teachers enjoy being
culturally relevant, positive feedback from members of the school community (i.e. parents,
teachers, administrators, students) is an effective motivator because “self-efficacy beliefs are also
influenced by the verbal messages and social persuasions individuals receive from others,
whether these are intentional or accidental” (p. 4).
Analysis K in the table below addresses both motivational and knowledge influences
necessary for PSB K-5 general music teachers to be culturally relevant. While the knowledge
data addressed previously discussed themes like student-centered curriculum and metacognitive
work around bias, the motivational data is explored below.
Analysis K

Interview Question #17- In what ways do you incorporate cultural relevance in your lesson design or instructional
practices? (K/M) 17a. (Follow-up) How do you get cultural relevance from theory into practice? (K)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A K/M- I practice
listening to kids,
practice leaving space in
a lesson for these
connections to be made
and not just barreling
through and trying to
get everything that's in
my list of things to get
done
Listening, kids,
practice, leaving
space, lesson,
connections, barreling
through, get to
everything
Kid-centered curriculum,
listening, interest,
confidence
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 104

2 A K/M- And if something
changes within the
class, I kind of embrace
it. If a kid brings up
something new, I would
say lesson design, yes,
it's there. But when it's
more of implementing it
and going about the
lesson, that's where it
really starts to blossom
and get exciting
Something changes,
embrace, kid,
something new, lesson
design, implementing,
exciting
Kid-centered curriculum,
interest, confidence
3 A K/M- I think you have
to jump in. I think you
have to plan the lesson
and then do it. See how
it goes. If it doesn't go
well, tweak it. If it goes
well, build on it, and
really read the room.
See what response
you're getting from kids.
If they're not
responding, something's
not right and you need
to step back and maybe
come from a different
angle, consider a
different piece.
Jump in, plan, do it,
tweak it, build on it,
read the room,
response, kids, not
right, step back,
different angle,
consider
Kid-centered curriculum,
interest, thinking,
confidence
4 A K- a variety of music
from different cultures,
different styles
Variety, different
culture, styles
Curriculum
5 A K- The contributions of
the African American
composers and artists in
the jazz era, let's say,
and popular.
Contributions, African
American, jazz,
popular
Curriculum
6 A K- I try to make sure
that I'm not doing just
one type of music all the
time, and even if I have
students who, like none
of them know the type
of song that I'm doing, I
will still present it.
Make sure, one type of
music, song, present
Curriculum, thinking
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 105

7 A K/M- But I think the
most important question
was for me, where are
you from and what kind
of music do you like?
What do you like? And
what do you want from
music class?
Important question,
where, what kind, you,
want
Kid-centered curriculum,
interest
8 A M- That's not easy to
do, but I feel like people
need some cultural
music that isn't their
own, that they'd fall in
love with it an
experiential way. And
when they have that
experience, they will
want similar experience
for their learners.
Easy, people need,
cultural music, isn’t
their own, love,
experience
Interest, confidence
9 A K/M- I gonna use,
whether it's gonna be
teaching something in
the whole group with
teacher centered, or are
they gonna be working
in pairs and small
groups. Whether, these
particular activities that
I am doing with them
are going to connect
with different students
in different ways,
depending upon their
background. Whether, it
be language or culture
or learning differences.
And then. How am I
going to be, sort of
what's my role in the
lesson as a teacher?
Whole group, teacher
centered, pairs, small
groups, activities,
connect, different
students, ways,
depending,
background, language,
culture, differences
Curriculum, interest,
group-work, thinking,
confidence

Major themes emerging from interview questions 17 and 17a included confidence, and
interest in creating student-centered curriculum. When viewed through the lens of Schraw and
Lehman’s (2006) motivation theories, the above data suggests music teachers are interested in
culturally relevant teaching and have the confidence to apply their knowledge through a high
sense of self-efficacy. Schraw and Lehman explain “motivation helps individuals to develop the
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 106

confidence to undertake a new learning activity or to venture into an unfamiliar intellectual
domain” (p.4) When PSB K-5 general music teachers “venture” into culturally relevant
teaching, their belief that they can make progress supports them. When viewed through the lens
of Pajares’s (2006) theories on motivation, the above data shows interest and self-efficacy
support each other. Pajares explained “greater intrinsic interest and deep engrossment in
activities, set themselves challenging goals and maintain strong commitment to them, and
heighten and sustain their efforts in the face of failure” (p. 3). As PSB music teachers’ belief that
they can be culturally relevant grows, so does their interest in being more culturally relevant.
Motivation Findings
The next section of this dissertation used data collected from the interviews and
observations to answer the second research question regarding motivation necessary to achieve
the stakeholder goal of undergoing teacher training in the field of cultural relevancy, planning
and teaching culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy, and being highly-qualified. The
stakeholder goal is directly connected to the organizational goal of teaching all children so they
can access curriculum equitably. Motivation findings are connected to supporting literature from
the Chapter Two literature review. Many participants used the word “interest” when talking
about their desires to teach music in a culturally relevant way. Two major findings verified the
assumed influences necessary for motivating K-5 general music teachers to be culturally
relevant, one regarding personal interest, the other regarding the confidence that builds from
seeing students succeed.
Finding #4: Teachers place great personal interest in the retention and success of
students when curriculum and pedagogy are designed to appropriately reach the cultures
of all students. Motivation lies at the root of the application of knowledge (Rueda, 2011). That
is, stakeholders often have knowledge they are unable to apply due to a lack of motivation.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 107

Qualified K-5 general music teachers are given knowledge through their university training
programs and certification but may not have any interest in retaining students in their program
teaching with cultural relevancy. Schraw and Lehman (2009) explain that people feel motivated
to build on their work when they find it interesting. When curriculum is properly designed to
allow teachers to reach all students in their classrooms, teachers’ personal interest in retaining
students and continuing culturally relevant pedagogy increases. Teacher #6 described using
culturally relevant curriculum, and also the teacher’s personal interest in its success:
I guess you need to get to know your student population. Figure out what you
can do to engage them, or some sort of hook, and then notice if your students
actually look engaged or if they are just bored and just following the
directions…they're walking down the halls singing the songs…The other day I
was teaching them and I just heard them singing ‘do’ octaves, just while they're
washing their hands. It's just adorable.

Teacher #6 remarked on engaging students through knowing what to teach them based
on their cultures. They also commented on students who sing in the hallways and other parts of
the school showing engagement in music that carries outside the classroom. Schraw and
Lehman (2009) connect engagement to interest when discussing stakeholder motivation. When
stakeholders see student engagement outside the classroom, they are more motivated to teach in
a culturally relevant way in the future.
Corroborating Teacher #6’s sentiments, Teacher #4 described a situation where they
applied culturally relevant curriculum towards an interest in a particular student who was
retained in the program after the K-5 general music experience.
[One student,] as a second grader, he was really challenging behavior-wise to
manage, and then in third grade, something about the recorder just clicked and
he became a star student. He still plays in the band and ... I don't know if he ever
specifically told me like, "Thank you for this," but it was really cool to see that
big turnaround and [them] fall in love with the recorder.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 108

Teacher #4’s anecdote illustrates the positive effects culturally relevant music can have
on a student. The anecdote also speaks to measurable results from culturally relevant teaching.
A teacher’s interest in helping a particularly challenging student will increase when they feel
they have access to curriculum- in this case playing the recorder- that can engage the student
(Sears, 2016). Teacher #4 also notes this student continued in the band. It should be mentioned
that the student was in middle school at the time this interview was completed. Teacher #4 was
motivated by the student’s willingness to continue in band, another teachers class. This
comment supports the second research question regarding teachers working together towards
cultural relevancy.
Teacher #1 spoke about cultural relevancy serving both student and teacher motivation.
When teachers are able to share their personal interests with their students, they are more
intrinsically motivated (Schraw & Lehman, 2009). Teacher #1 discusses motivation:
I feel like a lot of teachers in our district really do want to [be
culturally relevant.] We have a genuine interest in curriculum and
pieces of music and sharing the pieces of music that are actually
from whatever culture and group of people that it should be
from...So, there's a genuine interest in legitimacy and something
that is super culturally relevant and appropriate to your group of
students that they will know that it's true. That it's from whatever
country or whatever area of the world or culture that you're trying
to talk about.

Teacher #1’s above quotation observes the interest of PSB teachers in the knowledge necessary
to find culturally relevant materials, but also the positive response of students to culturally
relevant material. Direct connections from Teacher #1’s observations can be made to Liou, et.
al’s (2016) work drawing parallels between culturally relevant teaching and student success.
Both Teacher #4, Teacher #6 and Teacher #1 above showed having access to culturally
relevant curriculum increased their interest in helping students, and increased student retention.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 109

However, interest is closely linked with another motivational aspect: self-efficacy. Student
successes will help build K-5 general music teacher self-efficacy.
Finding #5: Teachers believe they are successful and confident when students who
experience culturally relevant music education develop greater group-work and leadership
skills. Culturally relevant music education begets more culturally relevant education. The more
teachers’ self-efficacy builds when bringing cultural relevancy into their classrooms, the more
they want to include it. Notably, teachers need positive feedback to be aware they are
successful. Pajares (2006) explained “According to social cognitive theory, self-efficacy beliefs
provide the foundation for human motivation, well-being, and personal accomplishment” (p. 1).
This suggests that while the aforementioned knowledge and motivational influences are
important, self-efficacy is the most important as it lays the foundation for other abilities.
Self-efficacy can also be built through adopting a growth mindset. Dweck (2015),
discussed growth mindset as believing people can get smarter through hard work and that the
process of continuing to learn is more important than reaching a final point. Teacher #3
observed this in a culturally relevant co-worker, Teacher #4, describing:
I've seen [Teacher #4] do it so many times in [their] classroom and [they]
definitely [are] always like, "I'm working on it." It's never going to be like,
"I've reached this point where I am culturally relevant." It's always going to be
a work in progress. And I think seeing that and all the teachers who work in
this district really motivates me.

Not only does Teacher #3’s observation of teacher #4 preview positive organizational
influences that will be discussed later in this paper, but it highlights an answer to the
second research question regarding the motivation necessary to teach in a culturally
relevant way. Teams of teachers can build self-efficacy by taking on a growth mindset
together when exploring cultural relevancy. Bandura (2000) emphasized this “collective
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 110

efficacy” noting people can become more intrinsically motivated as a team rather than as
individuals.
A classroom observation of Teacher #2 in a third-grade recorder class yielded evidence
that not only were students engaged in culturally relevant group-work, but they excelled at this
group work learning from teaching each other. This particular class was roughly 50% non-white
with approximately 25% English Language Learners (ELL) and 25% qualifying for special
education. Teacher #2 allowed students to write in notes if necessary and move at their own
pace. They were allowed choices to work alone or with friends. Teacher #2 encouraged group-
work. Kids asked each other questions and followed a familiar process doing independent work.
During the observation the primary researcher of this project noticed kids encouraging each
other. The repertoire available to students came from multiple African American and European
cultural communities. The primary researcher also noticed structured, predictable routines, and
positive reinforcement from the teacher who frequently repeated phrases like, “How do you think
that went?” “How do you think the next group could do it better? Give them advice.” “You are
brilliant!” Teacher #2 made time to listen to student needs and to calmly and fairly resolve
conflicts or disengagement. Teacher #2’s messages to students and student group-work structure
aligned with Ladson-Billings (1995) findings:
All of the teachers [in the study of cultural relevancy] demanded, reinforced, and
produced academic excellence in their students. Thus, culturally relevant
teaching requires that teachers attend to students' academic needs, not merely
make them "feel good." The trick of culturally relevant teaching is to get students
to "choose" academic excellence (p. 160).

When compared to Ladson-Billings’ findings, Teacher #2’s observed teaching example is
a model for the motivation behind culturally relevant teaching. Teacher #2 exhibited confidence
in their students’ group-work and skills, and later spoke about the motivation involved with this
work saying, “once the kids know that you care about them, they'll learn whatever you want to
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 111

teach them.” Teacher #2’s motivation to teach in a culturally relevant way supports the second
research question explaining how teachers consistently improve culturally relevant instruction,
while earlier Teacher #3’s observation illustrated the growth mindset necessary to obtain such
motivation.
Motivation Synthesis
Two motivation principles emerged from the collected data. They were aimed at
answering the second research question: What motivates the K-5 general music teachers in PSB
to effectively work together to improve their instruction and student access within the
organization? These findings verified the assumed principles. The two findings are: “Teachers
place great personal interest in the retention and success of students when curriculum and
pedagogy are designed to appropriately reach the cultures of all students” and “Teachers believe
they are successful and confident when students who experience culturally relevant music
education develop greater group-work and leadership skills.” These findings are grounded in
research that explains that confident application of knowledge occurs when a person believes
they are successful and a person’s interest increases through successes measured by different
forms of positive feedback (Rueda, 2011; Schraw & Lehman, 2009). The next section delves
into organizational principles. However, overarching organizational structures are not only the
umbrella providing for knowledge and motivation, but can also be the starting point for music
departments working towards becoming more culturally relevant.
Organizational Analyses
Several interview questions were aimed at verifying the organizational influences
necessary for the K-5 PSB general music teachers to be culturally relevant. The interview
questions were formulated to address the third research question in this dissertation:
How could the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB K-5
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 112

general music teachers be applied in other districts so that other districts may provide a
similar K-5 music program?
This section will use data collected from the interviews and observations to illustrate culturally
relevant hiring practices, the organization’s investment in the “whole child,” and allowance for
music teacher autonomy. The organizational findings below are connected to supporting
literature from the Chapter Two literature review. Table G below shows the assumed
organizational influences.
Table G

Organizational Influences
1. Cultural Model: Vision,
mission and teaching time
2.Cultural Model: Selective
hiring practices
3.Cultural Model: General music
teacher autonomy

The fifth interview question was the first directed at organizational influences necessary
for K-5 general music teachers to teach in a culturally relevant way. Analysis L illustrates data
collected from this question.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 113

Analysis L

Interview Question #5- What do you think has enabled you to be a culturally relevant music educator? (O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- My love as respect for
many different styles of
music and genres of music
and appreciation for those
things and my desire to
explore and my desire to
learn more and having that
openness to not knowing
everything about every single
style of music makes me
curious and helps me to
connect with students and
bring in their knowledge and
what they have to offer
versus just what I know.
Having that curiosity guide
the curriculum and guide my
connection with students
M- Having that
curiosity guide the
curriculum and guide
my connection with
students; Respect,
curiosity, knowledge
Love, explore/learn,
curious, connect, growth
mindset
2 A O- resources, talking to other
people, talking to the kids.
Students bringing
things in
Love, ask, learn, talk
3 A O- I realize I have a
percentage of students in the
class who speak Korean but I
don't know any Korean folk
songs, I'm going to go find
some and learn them, and
make sure they're authentic
and bring them into the
classroom, because that feels
like not just a responsibility,
but also it's like an
opportunity for me because I
don’t know that kind of
music or something like that
M- I feel like it's ...
It's also something
that keeps me really
interested in my
work, because it's a
never-ending source
of connection and
inspiration to be just
always learning
something new.
Know, learn, authentic,
opportunity
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 114

4 A O- I'm continuously trying to
be culturally relevant. I don't
know if it's an arrival point of
where I am now, but I'd say
putting in the effort
Effort, culturally
relevant
Continuously trying, effort
5 A O- I am someone who is
trying to be one. So I would
say doing the research and
trying to find out … what is
authentic.
Try, research, find
out
Trying, research, authentic
6 A O- I'm able to see from the
minority's perspective, and
able to notice when students
are uncomfortable by reading
the room, and I've done a lot
of outside work
Minority, perspective,
uncomfortable,
outside work
Notice, outside work
7 A O- I think when I came into
Brookline, if I'm being
honest, I thought it would be
like a white district. I thought
it was going to be a bunch of
white, rich kids. And I
thought that like I had to
match that, but it was
completely different. It was
like, I don't even see it in our
meetings, but I see it in the
classrooms too. Everyone's
trying to be so inclusive and
everyone is making such a
big effort to make it a
culturally relevant district,
that I love how we're
focusing on it. Even more in
our music faculty department
as well.
White, different,
meetings, classrooms,
inclusive
Meetings, inclusive, focus,
faculty department
8 A O- Being in Boston, moving
to Boston and having those
World Music experiences
early on and then kind of
getting connected to certain
little microcultures
Training,
microcultures, Boston
Training, connection,
microcultures
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 115

9 A O- Part of it is just work,
doing the research. And
making sure that I am
examining my own practices
and my own curriculum, and
exploring different
perspectives on how that can
and may not be culturally
relevant.
Work, research,
practices,
perspectives,
culturally relevant
M- examining
curriculum
Work, research, bias

Major themes emerging from the fifth interview question include love or devotion for
students, trying to be culturally relevant, and awareness of bias and student culture. The final
theme here is both organizational and motivational. PSB music teachers frequently referenced
their willingness to try to be culturally relevant and their desires to formulate their teaching
around the cultural needs of their students. For example, Teacher #9 stated, “Part of it is just
work, doing the research. And making sure that I am examining my own practices and my own
curriculum and exploring different perspectives on how that can and may not be culturally
relevant.” Stevens, Plaut and Sanchez-Burks (2008) support hiring employees willing to “do the
research” aligning with the organizational goals. Data from Analysis L also supports the theory
of teaching the “whole child.” While PSB teachers are doing this, their professional goals align
with that of the PSB organization which is directed at equity. The importance hiring people
aligned with the organizational goals is emphasized by Waters, Marzano and McNutly (2003)
who explained “[o]n both individual and collective levels, changes that are consistent with
existing values and norms, create advantages for individuals or stakeholder groups with similar
interests” (p. 7). Because PSB has publicly stated it supports equity for the whole child in every
child, it capitalized on its success by hiring teachers eager to do work in that vein.
Next Analysis M illustrates responses to the eighth interview question regarding
organizational experience in districts compared to PSB.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 116

Analysis M

Interview Question #8- Have you had experiences in other districts where music curriculum was less culturally
relevant? If so, what do you think were the causes? (O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- having access to
material. Now that there
is internet access, I can
just go on my phone and
go into Apple Music and
find any song in the
world practically. That
has made a huge
difference. Having
access to materials
K- how to access
materials
Access, materials
2 A O- I haven't worked
anywhere that hasn't
really embraced cultural
differences.
Embraced Cultural
differences
Embraced culture
3 A O- In my first teaching
position, the
demographic I taught
was overwhelmingly
white and felt very
homogenous…and it was
my first teaching job,
and I felt like I didn't, I
wanted to do so much
more than I knew how to
do.
Overwhelming,
homogenous, didn’t know
how
Demographic, wanted to
do more
4 A No other districts -
5 A O- I think the causes of
that were that they were
very much homogenous
... the right word? ...
grouping of people, so
they were mainly of one
ethnic or racial group
Homogenous, grouping,
one group, aiming
towards including
Homogenous, not
including
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 117

with only a small amount
of diversity, so they were
not aiming towards
including the smaller
groups of people that
were there.
6 A Yes, due to religious
school.

7 A No other districts.
8 A O- I have had that
experience. I feel that
everything is culture.
There's nothing that
lacks culture, it's just
whose culture.
Experience Whose culture
9 A O- Definitely. And it
may just be time, this is
something that's more in
the air in education right
now than it was 10 or 20
years ago. But, this is
definitely, now and
place, is the district that
has talked about it the
most, at least of the other
ones that I've worked in
there was definitely
often a serious lack in
even, unfortunately,
thinking that it's
important to think about
and work on. And then,
if a lot of educators did
think that it was
important, not having the
knowledge or the
resources to figure out
how to do that. Like a lot
of music teachers that
I've talked to, in
particular when it comes
to curriculum, and what
Time, district, talk, lack,
thinking, important,
knowledge, resources,
curriculum
District, talk, resources,
thinking, talking
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 118

they're teaching, they
respond well.
Fewer teachers were able to fully answer interview question eight because several PSB
teachers had not worked in other districts or were in religious or private-school settings. This
paper is about average-sized, diverse, public schools, so that data was not useful in answering
this question. Those who did respond suggested organizational barriers to teaching in a
culturally relevant way included a lack of resources for building curriculum, and homogeneity.
When looked at through the lens of white privilege or institutionalized racism, organizations that
do not offer culturally relevant resources to their teachers (i.e. curriculum models, practice in
finding authentic music, peer coaching) are not taking the time to avoid white privilege or
institutionalized racism. When emphasizing the importance of a school organization’s cultural
needs, Chavez et. al, (2008) explained, “[t]he outcomes and mechanisms of institutionalized
racism are easier to uncover because these are not personal. To look internally at privilege
conferred due to education, race, sexual orientation, gender, or institutional affiliation means a
long-term commitment to engage in deep inner work” (p. 100). This suggests schools may be
permitting bias unless they are committing to long-term exploration of these issues. PSB allows
its music teachers access to culturally relevant materials and time to work together.
Interview questions 12, 12a and 12b, combined in the table below addressed
organizational influences as well. Analysis N illustrates the data collected from the twelfth
question and its follow-up questions. Below, Analysis O illustrates the data collected from the
thirteenth interview question. Discussion of these questions is combined as they both addressed
the relationship between the PSB organization and its K-5 general music teachers’ participation
in culturally relevant teaching.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 119

Analysis N

Interview Questions #12- To what degree do you feel PSB music teachers buy into and participate in culturally
relevant teaching? (O)
12A) To what degree do you feel you buy into and/or participate in culturally relevant teaching? (O)
12B) What helps or hinders your ability to do so? (O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- I feel like a lot of teachers
in our district really do
wanna. We have a genuine
interest in curriculum and
pieces of music and sharing
the pieces of music that are
actually from whatever
culture and group of people
that it should be from. Versus
finding a version of a song
that is just way far removed
from. Done by somebody else
that is not of that culture.
Genuine, interest,
curriculum, music,
culture, people,
version, removed
M- Interest
Curriculum, culture
2 A O- And I feel it's getting a
little bit more since we've
started talking about it, and I
feel like it gets more and
more each time. But I feel
like everybody really has a
cultural piece. I feel like
some of the schools are so
different with the
demographics that we have
within the school that they're
kind of doing what works
best for them.
Talking, cultural
piece, different
demographics, what
works best
Conversations, culture
3 A O- I think it's important when
we come together and have
conversations about
curriculum or we do teacher
shares, because they raise
important topics.
Important, together,
conversations,
curriculum, teacher
shares, topics
Conversations,
curriculum, department
meetings
4 A O- I think most people buy
into it just because you want
to better your teaching,
People, buy-in,
M- better, teaching
Teaching
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 120

5 A O- I think our teachers really
do try to do that. I think that's
... for the most part, if I think
of everyone, as far as our ...
let's say as far as our
classroom teachers, I think
everyone is trying to do that.
And they do buy into it,
because you certainly see it in
the little teaching sessions we
have, that people are really
out there, trying to do that.
Teachers, try,
everyone, buy-in,
sessions
Conversations,
curriculum, department
meetings
6 A O- No usable quotation Instrumental program
7 A O- I get so many ideas from
the teaching demonstrations
that we do at a music faculty
meetings
Ideas, teaching,
faculty
Teaching, Meetings
8 A NOT RECORDED
9 A O- I think, pretty well. I think
most teachers, in this district,
realize the importance of that
work and really buy into
trying to work towards
making our curriculum and
our teaching culturally
relevant.
Well, teachers,
importance, work,
buying-in,
curriculum, teaching,
culturally relevant
Curriculum

Analysis O

Research Question #13- To what degree do you feel PSB music teaching aligns with the qualities of culturally
relevant music teachers?
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- We structure a lot of
the curriculum talk around
different points of cultural
Structure, curriculum,
talk, point, cultural
relevance, cultural
learning
Curriculum, conversations
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 121

relevance and cultural
learning
2 A O- I think it aligns pretty
well. I think we have a lot
of really dedicated music
teachers. I think we have a
lot of very passionate
music teachers. I think that
Brookline is so culturally
diverse that it's really nice
since you have a wealth of
information just sitting in
your classroom
Align, dedicated,
teachers, passionate,
diverse, information,
classroom
Dedicated, diverse,
passionate, common vision
3 A O- Of the people that I
have seen [teach,] I've
seen like a handful of
people, and I feel like
we're on the same page.
Seen teach, people, same
page
Observations, common
vision
4 A O- from teachers I have
observed, I have seen that.
Teachers, observed, seen Observations
5 A O- I think we're trying Trying Trying
6 A SKIPPED QUESTION
7 A O- I think PSB is
definitely compared to the
other schools that I've
briefly been at, it's very
progressive in terms of
really trying to be
culturally relevant. I love
all the honest
conversations, especially
in our faculty meetings,
Compared, progressive,
trying, culturally
relevant, honest
conversations, meetings
M- Love
Department meetings,
Conversations, Trying
8 A NOT RECORDED
9 A O- I think the fact that
we're thinking about it and
we're working on it is a
huge step.
Thinking, Working Trying

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 122

Responses to interview question twelve, its follow-up questions, and interview question
thirteen suggested themes of access to curriculum and conversations around cultural relevancy
taking place at department meetings. Access to curriculum, whether online through a shared
Google Drive or simply shared between teachers at department meetings, connects to the
knowledge influences discussed earlier. The connection suggests teachers need access to models
of culturally relevant curriculum. PSB organizational leaders allow K-5 general music teachers
time and space to do their jobs in a culturally relevant way. This trust, discussed by Colquitt,
Scott and LePine (2007) results in “strong relationships between trust and the three facets of job
performance, as individuals who are willing to trust others tend to engage in better task
performance, perform more citizenship behaviors, and commit fewer counterproductive
behaviors” (p. 918). PSB K-5 music teachers trust each other for curriculum support, peer
coaching and deeper discussions about bias.
Analysis P, below, illustrates the data from interview question fourteen. The
organizational influence of focus here involves equity through the lens of curriculum alignment
in the PSB K-5 general music department.
Analysis P

Interview Question #14- What enables or inhibits curriculum alignment (equity) among the eight PSB K-8
schools? (O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- I think it would be
beneficial to create a
more positive culture
around talking about
this stuff instead of just
going down the negative
route. When we manage
to do that, manage to go
down the positive route,
we get a lot more done
Beneficial, positive
culture, talking,
negative, manage,
positive, more done,
connected
Positive culture, conversations
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 123

and I feel a lot more
connected
2 A O- I think enabling it is
the community that we
have. People being able
to comfortably ask
questions
Enabling, community,
people, comfortably,
ask questions
Positive culture,
conversations, questions
3 A O- But I also think that
by sharing some
powerful content or
lesson, or experience
that you had…
Sharing, powerful,
content, lesson,
experience
Curriculum, conversations,
examples
4 A O- we have a lot of
quality examples of
music that we should be
teaching on [the
curriculum.] I think that
aspect of it is good.
Quality, examples,
music, should,
teaching
Curriculum, examples
5 A O- There's more
alignment across the
district, but things are
still handled with a very
neighborhood approach
in each particular
school.
Alignment, district,
handled,
neighborhood
approach
Curriculum
6 A O- I think everybody is
willing to hear other
people's perspectives. I
think that's helpful even
if they're not changing
their own practice that
they're hearing the other
people are and then
maybe they'll be
encouraged to
eventually.
Willing, hear,
perspectives, helpful,
changing, practice,
M- people,
encouraged
Conversations, openness
7 A O- I have a music
teacher friend who
works in Newton and
they don't have a
common curriculum like
we do. And it seems like
they're kind of all over
the place with their
curriculum so when I
talked to this friend,
when we meet up once
Common curriculum,
comparing area
district
Curriculum, examples
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 124

in a while, she is always
very jealous of the fact
that we have a common
curriculum.
8 A O- and I think if you
want to make something
bigger happen, you have
to risk more.
Something bigger,
risk
Curriculum, openness, willing
9 A O- I think just having a
document, or a working
document of our
curriculum and what
we're doing with kids at
different grade levels
helps a lot because, it
gives us something to
look at, and to examine,
and to be continually
reinventing and
improving.
Document, working,
curriculum, kids,
different, helps,
something to look at,
examine, reinventing,
improving
Curriculum, examples

Themes derived from the data above involve time and access for curriculum
development. Similar to results from interview questions twelve and thirteen, results from
question fourteen connect to earlier knowledge influences. Mayer (2011) notes the necessity of
job aids, in this case curriculum models, to the application of knowledge in an organization. Yet
PSB K-5 general music teachers are often only able to access curriculum models and other
applications of their knowledge because the organization allows for meeting time, teacher
autonomy and group work. It could be suggested that PSB music teachers are motivated to
continue that work on their own through the shared Google drive because the organization laid
the groundwork for their collaboration. Judge, et. al (2001) as cited in Colquitt, Scott and LePine
(2007) noted trust within an organization, whether it be peer-to-peer or trust in the organization
to provide, encourages employees to do their best work. When an organization like PSB allows
music teachers space and time to do their work, positive knowledge and motivational results also
emerge.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 125

Responses to interview questions fifteen and nineteen are highlighted in the tables below.
The following analyses both address organizational influences that allow PSB K-5 general music
teachers to apply their knowledge and harness their motivation. Analyses Q and R below
illustrate the data collected.
Analysis Q

Interview Question #15- What organizational supports help you implement culturally relevant curriculum? (O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- Having a school
administration and all
the parents and all the
teachers supporting
something like that
allows for a lot of
creativity and
connection
School, administration,
parents, teachers,
supporting, creativity,
connection
Support, feedback,
administration
2 A O- My administration,
they're pretty great too
if I look for help from
principals there
Administration, great,
help, principals
Support, feedback,
administration
3 A O- We can feel isolated,
and I feel like if we
were given more time to
really talk, I'd love to
know, what would other
teachers do in this
situation? What would
other schools do? What
would another principal
suggest
Isolated, time, talk, love,
other teachers, schools,
principal
Time, administration
4 A NO ANSWER
5 A O- An openness. We
have an openness. It's
been discussed at our
meetings, so that's there.
Openness, discussed,
meetings
Open, conversations,
department meetings
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 126

6 A O- We've been doing a
lot with equity
Equity Equity
7 A O- Our Google drive
that we have and the
curriculum and people
also… So I feel like in
those email chains … I
feel like really
strengthened and really
emphasize on how
much we care about
cultural relevancy
Google drive,
curriculum, people, e-
mail chains,
strengthened,
emphasize, care cultural
relevancy
Conversations, curriculum,
examples
8 A O- Have guest speakers
come have make it a
cause. I mean if they
like ... Just going from
the classroom
instruction is the only
engine might not be
enough. I think you
want to make it a public
campaign. Say, "We're
going to go on the
campaign of three years
of expanding our
cultural relevancies,
have these guests, artists
come, have these
teachers come.
Guest speakers,
classroom instruction,
engine, enough, think,
public campaign, three
years, expanding
cultural relevancies,
guests, artists, teachers
Vision, examples,
conversations
9 A O- I think just having a
document, or a working
document of our
curriculum and what
we're doing with kids at
different grade levels
helps a lot because, it
gives us something to
look at, and to examine,
and to be continually
reinventing and
improving.
Working document,
curriculum, kids,
different, grade levels,
look at, examine,
continually reinventing,
improving
Curriculum, conversations,
examples

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 127

Analysis R

Research Question #19- If you were to teach other districts what PSB K-5 general music teachers are doing well,
what organizational supports would you tell them they needed? (O)
Participant
(P)
Asset/Need
(A/N)
A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 A O- More time to collaborate
that's not dictated to them,
like this is what you must be
collaborating on. Like,
leaving it more open.
Time, collaborate,
not dictated, open
Autonomy, time,
collaboration
2 A O- There's no better way to
get your help and questions
answered than by going from
the people who live in that
culture and who experienced
that culture. So I would say
being close with your PTO
would be a huge one. And
not even PTO, but just
reaching out in your
community, being
comfortable to reach out to
parents
K-Better, help,
questions, people,
culture,
experienced, close
reaching out,
community,
comfortable, parents
Authenticity
3 A O- It's really important that
we have a program director
who brings us together for
better or worse, that people
are making the time to come
to the meetings, connecting,
discussing, working,
planning opportunities for
sharing
Important, program
director, together,
time, meetings,
connecting,
discussing, working
planning, sharing
Autonomy, time,
collaboration
4 A O- I mean, I think you could
try to be culturally relevant
on your own without needed
things from administration or
whatever. But it would
certainly help to have their
buy-in or at least them being
aware of what you're trying
to do and maybe they could
observe you and give you
feedback
Try, culturally
relevant, on your
own, administration,
help, buy-in, aware,
observe, feedback
Feedback, observe
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 128

5 A O- I would recommend for
them to have workshops,
music workshops, from other
people, professional people.
Recommend
workshops, other
people, professional
people
Teacher training
6 A O- I think that just having a
platform where you can
share those kinds of stories, I
think can also be really
encouraging to other
teachers.
Platform, share
M- Encouraging
Time and space to meet
7 A O- I would tell them that,
based on our system, at least
have a willingness to talk
about it at meetings,
System, willingness,
talk, meetings
Conversations
8 A O- Have guest speakers
come have make it a cause. I
mean if they like ... Just
going from the classroom
instruction is the only engine
might not be enough
Guest speakers,
make it a cause,
classroom
instruction, engine,
not enough
Vision
9 A O- That way they can meet
together, and continue where
they left off the last time
they were working on this.
So that it's not just
happening in a vacuum and
then everything, nothing
keeps moving forward.
Meet, together,
continue, working,
not just happening
in a vacuum,
moving forward
Time and space to meet
Responses to the above interview questions suggested themes involving teaching the
whole child and music teacher autonomy. Stevens et. al, (2008) spoke about the necessity for
employees to reflect on culturally relevant practices alone and in groups. They discussed the
negative effects of not doing this work explaining. Because PSB gives its music teachers time
and space to discuss and explore cultural relevancy, they can better avoid the pitfalls of bias and
institutionalized racism. Time and space allowed employees could lend itself to a better ability
to discuss bias and teaching the whole child (Chavez et. al, 2008).
Finally, Analysis S in the table below illustrates data collected from the classroom
observations. This table differs slightly from the interview question tables as it does not
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 129

determine data collected from observations as an asset or a need. The data could be classified as
knowledge, motivation or organizational, but the most frequently emergent themes are results of
hiring practices, teaching the whole child, and music teacher autonomy. Thus, the analysis of the
observation data is in the organization section. The A Priori code section in table S shows
observation notes rather than interview quotations.
Analysis S

Analysis of Observation Data
Participant A Priori Code Open Code Axial Code
1 Group movement activity to
Caney mi Macaro ~Ella
Jenkins. Exposure to world
drumming, movement,
listening, shaking homemade
shakers. Students doing
different kinds of world
movement. Some just
running, some showing
African/Latin American-type
dancing, some doing ballet,
some doing the floss.

Group, movement,
world, different, types
Group work, diversity
2 West-African song: Akan
language, rhythm, let them
guess language.
Shows Ghana on board. Kids
are so tuned in because think
it’s cool.
Group passing game-
encourages group work and
team building. Asks students
how they can do better next
time? Self-reflection.
Way song and game are
taught and performed are
authentic.
Shows attentive listening to
students who are speaking
and asks for respect from
other students.
Language, rhythm,
guess, focus, Group
work, team building,
self-reflection, song,
game, taught,
performed, authentic,
listening, respect
Authentic cultural awareness
(curriculum,) group work, self-
reflection
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 130

3 Movement activity to
Jamaican song where kids
choose their movements and
lead each other in group.
Kids smiling, laughing,
singing, dancing together
taking turns as leaders.
Celebrates unique ideas of
student who was showing
being withdrawn.
Give tricky student choices
about taking a break- time and
place. Empowers student to
control learning. Uses warm
tone of voice and smile.
Neutral volume
Movement, choose,
lead group, smiling,
leaders, celebrates,
unique ideas,
withdrawn, choices,
break-time, empower,
control, warm, neutral
Group work, empower,
student-centered, whole child

The most frequently recurring themes in the observation can be verified as high priority
influences when viewed through the lens of Grossman and Salas’s (2011) principle that long-
term training and organizational supports allow teachers to best apply their knowledge. Coupled
with Seriki’s (2010) definition that “Culturally appropriate education is a pedagogical approach
that is student centered and authentic” (p.1,) observations of the general music teachers
suggested that the work of the PSB K-5 general music teachers is indeed a promising practice
worthy of being examined.
Organization Findings
This next section used data collected from the interviews and observations to answer the
final research question regarding organizational influences necessary to help K-5 general music
teachers, the stakeholders, achieve their goals of becoming culturally relevant. Organizational
influence findings are connected to supporting literature from the Chapter Two literature review.
The findings verified the assumed influences in this dissertation explaining the organizational
actions necessary for teachers to achieve cultural relevancy.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 131

Finding #6: Teachers recognize outstanding hiring practices: organizations bringing on
board teachers who love working with children and are open to cultural learning. Hiring
provides the building blocks for any successful organization. When employees are supported,
human capital can be the first step towards success in an organization (Stan, 2018). Harrison
(2012) explained the importance of hiring teachers whose thinking aligns with the vision and
mission of the organization. DiTomaso, Post and Parks-Yancy (2007) and Stevens, Plaut and
Sanchez-Burks (2008) support this principle explaining organizations must model diversity if
they want to have employees who support it. If a district wants culturally relevant teachers who
love working with children and are open to being culturally relevant, the district must begin to
put forth a cultural setting where it can hire people who live those values. Evidence supporting
the alignment of an organizational vision and how it attracts personnel comes from Teacher #8:
There's a sort of openness…I think there's a selection bias, perhaps, and that
people who have that lean would want to work here, and then if they apply
and then that is sort of a forward trait, the people hiring might be more
likely to select them. So, I think Brookline attracts people or maybe hires
people with that lean in sort of a self-fulfilling situation, which is good,
which is good, which leads to a good situation.

When talking about “that lean,” Teacher #8 could be referring to teachers who are predisposed to
thinking that aligns with cultural relevancy: openness, group work, getting to know the students.
Harrison (2012) remarked that organizations can bring teachers already geared towards creativity
and exploration in order to move more towards an inclusive district for all students. Teacher
#8’s comments not only show the benefits of an organization setting itself up to hire culturally
relevant teachers but addresses the research questions about organizational structures necessary
for districts to provide culturally relevant music education.
Teacher #3 discusses their particular hiring experience comparing their job in PSB with
teaching in another district. Teacher #3 notes the culture of PSB as a reason for coming to the
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 132

district. The culture they mention is publicly noted on the PSB hiring website where teachers
interested in applying to the district are expected to be aware of the “diverse student population,”
the “Comprehensive new teacher support including a three-year induction and mentoring
program” and the highly varied demographics of the student population (Public Schools of
Brookline, 2019).
In my first teaching position, the demographic I taught was
overwhelmingly white and felt very homogenous…I wanted to do so
much more than I knew how to do. I questioned all the time if what I was
doing was the right thing…I felt a little, yeah, I guess it was lacking in
cultural relevancy. It didn't feel like there was a culture. Where the culture
was just white. Then I wondered how to insert other authentic experiences
in. I think that's part of what brought me to Brookline actually, is that I felt
like I would learn more by knowing people who weren't just like me.

Teacher #3 compares their experience in a previous district to their experience in PSB. When
referring to hiring, Teacher #3 explains that the positives of diversity were what attracted them to
the district. Teacher #3’s comments are a direct reflection of PSB’s hiring practices aligning
with a culturally relevant vision and mission. Hiring should align with vision and mission- in
PSB’s case, cultural relevancy- in an organization (Kezar, 2001).
Regardless of change efforts from organizations, if the right personnel have not bought
into the vision and mission of the organization, change will be slow or not occur at all. Thus,
hiring practices that bring on board teachers ready and willing to participate in cultural relevancy
can be a first step for any K-5 general music department.
Finding #7 Teachers believe organizations need to invest in success for the “whole
child” considering the unique needs of every student. Parallel to hiring highly qualified
teachers, organizations can commit themselves and their employees to cultural relevancy in
terms of cultural setting. Gorski and Swalwell (2015) describe highly qualified teachers as those
who aim to fluidly accept and understand their students as whole cultures within themselves.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 133

The unique needs of every student will not fit neatly into racial, ethnic, religious or any other
boxes. By publicly stating the organizational goal of reaching every student regardless of race,
ethnicity or other factors. PSB does what Waters, Marzano and McNulty, (2003) describe in
setting the example for the entire organization to pay attention to the needs of the whole student
in every student.
Teacher #1 references this organizational support citing multiple stakeholders: “Having a
school administration and all the parents and all the teachers supporting [the performance] allows
for a lot of creativity and connection building.” It should be noted that Teacher #1 was
referencing a particular musical performance, yet their enthusiasm for their organizational
stakeholders is palpable. Teacher #1’s references to “creativity and connection building” align
with this paper’s research into what culturally relevant teaching is. Teacher #1 reminds readers
that school organizations are not only about administration, but about student support networks.
They described participating in a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics
(STEAM) committee aimed at teaching children through project-based learning, group work and
creativity.
So, really kind of bringing us together on this school wide and having
administration that supports something like that and can find you coverage
when you want to go to the STEAM meetings so that you can talk about how
to incorporate things across all curriculum, I think is super important.

Teacher #1 cited a specific activity- participation in the STEAM committee- that their
organization created to work towards teaching the whole child. Not only does this support
cultural relevancy in the music classroom, but it promotes positive teacher collaboration across
topics.
Teacher #5 also spoke of the importance of organizational initiatives aimed at teaching
the whole of every student. Rueda (2011) explained organizational supports must align with the
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 134

knowledge and motivation necessary to reach a goal. In the case of PSB, Teacher #5 explains
the goal of providing access to education for all students. They stated:
Well, I think just generally looking at my population and how diverse my
population is, culturally. Certainly from the administration, superintendent,
assistant superintendent, for many years, we've been encouraged to address
the achievement gap

Teacher #5 not only described their reaction to the students in front of them but could
also feel the pressure of the administrative hierarchy looking for ways to close what
was formerly known as the achievement gap, and is now more appropriately described
as the access gap for students of color. Schein (2017) described the positive outcomes
when individual and organization goals align.
Teacher #1 and Teacher #5 discussed how organizations can aim to teach the whole
child, but collaboration and learning time are necessary organizational principles.
Finding #8. Teachers feel trusted by their organizations when they are allowed to
work autonomously and have time and space for them to do their best work. Thus far this
paper has posited that organizations must set a culturally relevant vision and mission, hire highly
qualified teachers, and allow them access to knowledge and motivation that will help them
succeed. The final finding of this paper is a cultural model that sets the stage for cultural
relevancy work to commence. Bandura (2000) emphasizes the relevance of allowing teachers
time and space to work explaining, “A group’s attainments are the product not only of shared
knowledge and skills of its different members, but also of the interactive, coordinative and
synergistic dynamics of their transactions” (p. 76). Yet if K-5 general music teachers are not
given the time and space commit to group work; they cannot achieve cultural relevancy. The
driving principle behind this influence was described by Colquitt, Scott and LePine (2007) as
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 135

cited in Starnes, Truhon and McCarthy (2010) as showing supporting employees so they can get
done the jobs for which they were hired.
Teacher #3 explained the work that goes on when music teachers are given common
planning time, that is, time and space to do culturally relevant work. They described:
I share a lot of resources, and we often times, it's funny, we'll sit to meet and
plan a concert or just share what we're teaching and we're bringing the same
thing to the table but for different version, and it makes her really great
conversations. Like, "Oh, let me look at yours. Look at mine. Where did this
come from? Oh, that's so interesting, because ..." I find that that kind of
conversation where you're comparing sources, comparing different materials
can strengthen that skill set of looking for authentic materials, questioning
the origins of something, or also just broadening your horizons.

Teacher #3 talks about comparing authentic versions of music in order to uncover the true
purpose and performance style of a song. They described a model conversation about creating
culturally relevant lessons while looking at resources. Teacher #3 also notes the broadening of
horizons that happens when two culturally relevant music teachers meet to share resources and
discuss planning and pedagogy. Their description refers to the third research question in this
paper regarding organizational structures necessary for culturally relevant music teaching and
aligns with Bandura’s (2000) description of collective self-efficacy where groups of people can
be more successful than individuals working alone. It should be noted Teacher #3 has
conversations like the one above during their “planning periods.” They expressed interest in
having more time given by the district.
While Teacher #3 emphasized the importance of time and space for music teacher
common planning where resource sharing and pedagogy becomes the focal point, Teacher #7
described a positive bi-product of monthly department meetings structured around cultural
relevancy:
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 136

I love all the honest conversations, especially in our faculty meetings…I love
the honesty. I love the openness when it comes to these kinds of topics and I
feel like a lot of healthy conversations are going on and a lot of healthy ways
to really put this into action is going on in this district.

“These kinds of topics” as described by Teacher #7 are culturally relevant topics. They note
“openness,” “healthy conversations,” and putting cultural relevancy into action. PSB’s K-5
general music teachers have contracted meeting times once per month where cultural relevancy
was the primary topic for an entire school year. Gorski (2016) emphasizes the importance of
conversations focused on culturally relevant topics specifically regarding race or students of
color suggesting teachers traditionally shy away from talking openly about race in education.
Both Teacher #7’s thoughts and Gorski’s support give organizations a starting point for how to
begin making their K-5 general music departments culturally relevant.
Some teachers in the interview appreciated the time given by PSB, but also expressed
interest in more time to collaboratively work with K-5 general music peers. Teacher #4
expressed:
We used to have release days…like, time when we could create curriculum, write,
brainstorm together as a department, a team. This was really good because a lot
of us are just one or two in a building. It’s hard to get our jobs done well when
we have so little access to each other built into the day.

While not all PSB teachers in the study expressed these same concerns, they are notable
to the study because they illustrate K-5 music teachers desire to work together in times
beyond their own planning time during the school day.
Organization Synthesis
Three organization principles emerged from the collected data. These principles verified
the assumed principles aimed at answering the third research question: How could the
knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB K-5 general music teachers be
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 137

applied in other districts so that other districts may provide a similar K-5 music program? As
many PSB K-5 music teachers commented on hiring, teaching the whole child and autonomy,
this section concluded that the first finding was: “Teachers recognize outstanding hiring
practices: organizations bringing on board teachers who love working with children and are open
to cultural learning.” While all organizations may strive toward attracting high quality teachers,
culturally relevant organizations are best served by hiring teachers whose interest in cultural
relevancy aligns with the organization's vision (DiTomaso, Post & Parks-Yancy, 2007; Stevens,
Plaut and Sanchez-Burks, 2008). The next two organizational findings were also verified by the
interview data. They were: “Teachers believe organizations need to invest in success for the
“whole child” considering the unique needs of every student” and “Teachers feel trusted by their
organizations when they are allowed to work autonomously and have time and space for them to
do their best work.” These findings are grounded in research that organizations that provide time
and trust for employees, and publicly state a vision, could better allow employee success
(Colquitt, Scott and LePine, 2007; Waters, Marzano & McNutly, 2003).
Synthesis
The interview and observations were analyzed and aligned with research in order to
answer this dissertation’s three research questions:
1.) What knowledge do the PSB K-5 general music teachers have that allows them to
create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the organization’s vision and mission?
2.) What motivates the PSB K-5 general music teachers to work together effectively to
improve their instruction and student access within the organization?
3.) How could the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB K-5
general music teachers be applied to other districts so that other districts may provide a similar
K-5 general music program?
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 138

Findings from the interviews and observations aligned with the assumed influences in this study.
When examining the research questions through the KMO framework, areas of validated
influences emerged. In terms of knowledge, PSB teachers emphasized the importance of
knowing how to design culturally relevant curriculum, having metacognitive knowledge about
bias, and knowing how to access training. When discussing motivation, PSB teachers verified
that both interest and self-efficacy connected to growth mindset allow culturally relevant work to
thrive in the K-5 general music department. Lastly, organizational influences include hiring
practices, teaching the “whole child,” and providing K-5 general music teachers logistical
structures where they can do culturally relevant work. Not only did the interviews and
observations verify the assumed influences, but in some cases, almost all of the participants
agreed with the influence.
Conclusion
This chapter revealed the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences necessary
for the K-5 general music teachers in PSB to achieve their stakeholder goal of having undergone
cultural relevancy teacher training and peer support specifically regarding curriculum and
pedagogy and applying their learning, observable by administrators, in classrooms. The
participants in the study verified the assumed influences by participating in interviews and
observations. The final chapter, Chapter Five, connects the goals, influences and findings to
make recommendations for other K-5 general music programs to do their own work towards
cultural relevancy.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 139

CHAPTER FIVE: RECOMMENDATIONS

The problem of practice, equitable access to music education for students of color, is a
public-school issue on a national level. This study validated influences on the problem of
practice through the knowledge, motivation and organizational (KMO) lens. Interviews with the
stakeholders illustrated components that may lead to a successful culturally relevant music
program providing access for all students, regardless of race or ethnicity. Chapter Five
organized the influences in the KMO categories and provide recommendations derived from the
research. The New Kirkpatrick Model, using four levels of professional development, was
applied to create a program for other school districts to create culturally relevant music programs
for their K-5 students. The following section reminds the reader of the context of the problem,
the role of the stakeholders, and the research questions.
Organizational Context and Mission
The Public Schools of Brookline’s mission statement is that the district “prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin.” This includes
curriculum and instruction that promotes covert racism and white normative structures.
Organizational Performance Goal
The Public Schools of Brookline in Brookline, MA (PSB) is an organization showing
promising practice having a culturally relevant public-school music program for students of all
colors. PSB was founded in 1843 and continues to evolve into one of the best school systems in
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Massachusetts DOE 2018a; Public Schools of Brookline,
2018a). The music program in PSB has existed for as long as the district, and music education
became compulsory in Massachusetts beginning in 1830 (Humphreys, 2016).
The first line of the PSB Performing Arts organization’s mission explains that “[u]pon
graduation from the elementary level, students are developing the ability to live in and contribute
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 140

to a diverse global community in which the performing arts play a vital role in creating cultures
and building civilizations” (PSB Performing Arts Department, 2013). The PSB K-5 music
department provides equitable curriculum and musical opportunities for a district with almost
8600 students at eight K-8 schools and one high school. The curriculum expectations are applied
town-wide and benchmarks are used to keep schools and students in line with each other (PSB
Performing Arts Department, 2013). 100% of PSB students have access to the K-5 general
music program (PSB Performing Arts Department, 2013). Earlier, this paper compared the
successes of PSB to area towns in terms of race, socioeconomics and teaching time.
This promising practice has great national implications. Statistics were gathered from the
National Center for Education Statistics (2014), the Massachusetts Department of Education
(DOE) (2018a), and an averaging of the teaching time from the four featured local schools. The
reader is asked to remember that many PSB students actually live in Boston, thus the “Average
Yearly Family Income” discussed below is not entirely representative of the population in the
schools. Massachusetts required teaching time in the arts is not specifically described or listed in
any current source.
Currently, PSB’s student racial demographics nearly math the United States average, and
while the income of Brookline families is higher than the national norm, it is important to note
that according to the published budgets of Brookline, Newton and Lexington, PSB spending per
student is less than nearby wealthy towns. American students have music on average 45 minutes
per week. Massachusetts students average music class time around 55 minutes per week. PSB
students have music 85-90 minutes per week; up to a half hour more per week and up to 20 hours
more per year. This is in a district that has only about 3% more white students than the national
average (51%). And while PSB has higher family income than the national average, according
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to the published budgets of Newton and PSB (Newton Public Schools, 2018; Public Schools of
Brookline, 2018a), PSB spends less per student than other Massachusetts towns.
Compared to the national norms, PSB’s K-5 students have music classes taught by highly
qualified music teachers 15% more often than students in the rest of the country (National Center
for Education Statistics, 2014). Massachusetts teachers are considered highly qualified when
they are “(1) possessing a bachelor’s degree; (2) possessing a valid and active Massachusetts
teaching license; and (3) demonstrating subject matter competency in each of the core subject
areas they are teaching” (Massachusetts DOE, 2018b). Almost all Brookline PSB K-5 music
teachers have master’s degrees or doctorates and five or more years of music teaching
experience. Because PSB hires highly qualified teachers and provides ample time for successful
music education, Brookline PSB K-5 students have consistent access to music teachers capable
of culturally relevant teaching.
While assumptions can be made about socioeconomic status and its alignment with race
and ethnicity, the income status of PSB students varies from family to family. Another
demographic of note is that Brookline’s poverty rate is higher than the state average (Data USA,
2018). The mean and median income measurements in Brookline are driven higher by outliers
living in the highest socioeconomic bracket, thus statistics do not always paint a clear picture of
the demographics of all citizens. Driven by the PSB Performing Arts Department’s simple goal
that the arts are for all students, PSB’s eight K-5 schools continue to formally assess every K-5
music student and share the data with parents via K-5 progress reports (Public Schools of
Brookline Office of Teaching and Learning, 2015). Music teachers in the K-5 program meet at
least once per month to discuss curriculum improvements and to review overall improvements as
a culturally relevant music program. The existing curriculum includes authentic music and
pedagogy from every continent, multiple world languages, and is reflective of children with
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various backgrounds. Perhaps most importantly, PSB music teachers embark on real
conversations about what Gorski and Swalwell (2015) describe at “Equity Literacy.” Gorski
(2013) defined this literacy as “Its central tenet is that any meaningful approach to diversity or
multiculturalism relies more on teachers’ understandings of equity and inequity and of justice
and injustice than on their understanding of this or that culture” (2013, p. 36).
This is important in Brookline because the demographics of the district vary greatly.
Almost 50% of the students are non-white, 42% are English language learners or speak multiple
languages, and in some Brookline schools up to 70 different nationalities are represented (At
School in Brookline, 2014; Massachusetts DOE, 2018a). Returning to Ruppert and Nelson’s
report, PSB is meeting several requirements including more minutes in teaching time, number of
highly qualified music teachers and consistent assessment tools (Ruppert and Nelson, 2006).
And while culturally relevant curriculum has been proven to better serve students of color, its
impact on Asian and white students can be just as powerful in helping them be aware of societal
and personal bias (Byrd, 2016).
Through the goals of the school district, the PSB Performing Arts Department aims to
“Ensure that every student meets or exceeds Brookline’s…standards and eliminate persistent
gaps in student achievement by establishing educational equity across all classrooms, schools,
and programs” (Public Schools of Brookline, 2018). This goal was set by the central
administration of the town and was approved by the school committee. By 2018, 100% of the K-
5 students in Brookline were accessing music education with highly qualified music teachers for
eighty or more minutes per week. As a part of this program, the performing arts department
began assessing 100% of the K-5 students in music. Data from these assessments are used to
communicate with families and inform future program improvements. Both actions help the
Performing Arts department work towards its goal of “establishing educational equity across all
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 143

classrooms, schools and programs.” At the time this paper was written, the collected data had
not yet been aggregated and interpreted outside of class-to-class comparisons within schools.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
Four stakeholder groups make the Music Department in Public Schools of Brookline
successful: teachers in the K-5 program, parents of the students in the eight K-5 schools, K-5
music students, and administrators both town-wide and in individual K-5 school buildings.
While the parents have great influence over teachers and administrative decisions through
community means, such as voting for overrides which put more money into the schools, parents
have very little influence over what exactly gets taught in classrooms. However, the
demographics of the parent population can inspire the development of culturally relevant
curriculum (Ladson-Billings, 1995). Similarly, administrators can allocate funding for PSB
teacher training and can receive suggestions from parents, but they too have very little input on
what is taught in the music classrooms. In special subjects like music, the PSB administration
has traditionally been very hands-off in their management. Students provide helpful individual
input, but hold narrow world views and biases due to their age. Thus, the stakeholder group for
the study was the PSB K-5 general music teachers themselves. These teachers set the standard
for this promising practice as they can create and implement culturally relevant curriculum
resulting in K-5 Table A below summarizes the stakeholder goals in this study.
Goal of the Stakeholder Group for the Study
Teachers, parents and administrators work as a team to provide exceptional music
education for students. However, the work of the teachers in PSB’s K-5 general music program
has the greatest impact on the overall solution to the problem of practice. Thus, the focus of this
dissertation was on the teachers in the K-5 music program in Brookline. This team of 12 teachers
works continuously to meet the National Core Music Standards, the goals and missions set forth
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 144

by the Town of Brookline, and to measure and communicate data through common assessments.
A curriculum coordinator and multiple principals work together to ensure the 12 teachers are
functioning as highly qualified teachers should. At the time of this study, the music teachers
self-identified as more than 90% white. These demographics, observable by the researcher, add
to the importance of this study as teachers with different demographics from their students are
still managing to deliver high quality, culturally relevant curriculum to all students. The years of
experience of the stakeholders varies. Some are new to PSB but have more than a decade of
music education experience. Some are newer teachers in their third or fourth year, and some
have been teaching K-5 general music in the district for more than twenty years. All teachers in
the PSB K-5 general music program hold a Massachusetts music teaching license and have at
least one degree in music education.
Table A

Organizational Mission, Global Goal, Stakeholder Performance Goals

Organizational Mission
Public Schools of Brookline’ mission statement is that the district “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
ethnicity, color, religion, national origin.” This includes curriculum and instruction that promotes covert racism
and white normative structures.
Organizational Performance Goal
Every year since 2014 Public Schools of Brookline K-5 music program provided 100% of its students with 90 or
more minutes per week of equitable, culturally relevant music education.
Stakeholder Goals
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 145

Parents:
By June 2020 PSB family
surveys will show more
than 70% of survey
participants are happy
with the schools’
“addressing matters
related to students’
race/ethnicity” (PSB
Family and Staff Survey
Results, 2018).
Music Teachers:
By June 2020 100% of
the PSB K-5 music
teachers will have
undergone cultural
relevancy teacher training
specifically regarding
curriculum and pedagogy.
Administrators:
By June 2020 PSB
administration will have
provided planning and
training time in cultural
relevancy for K-5 music
educators.
Students:
By June 2020 100% of
PSB K-5 students will
have access to
culturally relevant
music curriculum and
pedagogy.

Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this project is to focus on the K-5 music department in Public Schools of
Brookline as it relates to the larger problem of practice of equitable access to culturally relevant
public-school music programs for K-5 students of color. While many stakeholders are involved
in making Public Schools of Brookline successful, this study focused on data collected from the
teachers in the Public Schools of Brookline K-5 music program. The teachers were interviewed
and observed in areas of the knowledge necessary to create and deliver culturally relevant
curriculum and instruction, the motivation necessary to implement the program, and the
organizational constructs which allow their success.
The questions applied in this promising practice study were:
1. What knowledge do the K-5 general music teachers in PSB have that allows them
to create culturally relevant curriculum which aligns with the organizational vision and mission?
2. What motivates the K-5 general music teachers in PSB to effectively work
together to improve their instruction and student access within the organization?
3. How could the knowledge, motivation and organizational influences on the PSB
K-5 general music teachers be applied in other districts so that other districts may provide a
similar K-5 music program?
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Recommendations for Practice to Address KMO Influences
Eight recommendations in the areas of knowledge, motivation and organization (KMO)
have been assumed through research, verified through data collection and connected with
principles. Each recommendation is necessary for implementing a K-5 general music teacher
training program closing the access gap for students of color through cultural relevancy. The
eight recommendations previously discussed are:
1) Music teachers know how to design curriculum that supports self-efficacy,
creativity, and group work.
2) Music teachers create curriculum that avoids bias and supports awareness of non-
white musicians celebrating their contributions to music history.
3) Teachers of students of color know where to access training and support specific
to cultural relevancy.
4) Teachers place great personal interest in the retention and success of students
when curriculum and pedagogy are designed to appropriately reach the cultures of
all.
5) Teachers believe they are successful and confident when students who experience
culturally relevant music education develop greater group-work and leadership
skills.
6) Teachers recognize outstanding hiring practices: organizations bringing on board
teachers who love working with children and are open to cultural learning.
7) Teachers believe organizations need to invest in success for the “whole child”
considering the unique needs of every student. Teachers feel trusted by their
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 147

organizations when they are allowed to work autonomously and have time and
space for them to do their best work.
The recommendations, viewed through the KMO framework created by Clark and Estes
(2008), allow for the creation of a four-level culturally relevant music teacher training program.
Each recommendation above has been aligned with training needs necessary for a 10-month
program that has a high return on expectations. The program asks that music teachers meet
once per month for an hour to undergo teacher training where they can learn to have productive
conversations about race, identify and create culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy, and
set up structures allowing their culturally relevant work to continue into the future.
Level 2 of the program, where teacher learning will take place, will be a collection of
activities and discussions which will then be evaluated for behavioral changes outputs and
outcomes (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). At the end of each hour-long session, participating
teachers will fill out exit tickets that inform trainers what the group needs to learn next. Final
surveys will be given at the end of the ten-month training, and three months after the end to
evaluate success.
The four levels of the program, using the Kirkpatrick framework, include:
- Level 4: Internal and External outcomes affected by the training such as student
retention and reduction in suspensions
- Level 3: Critical behavior changes in teachers shown through curriculum creation
and meeting participation
- Level 2: Learning goals of teachers will include awareness of bias and growth
mindset in discussions about race
- Level 1: Immediate reaction of teachers showing relevance to teachers in their
day-to-day classroom experiences
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Following this introduction, KMO recommendations are made and evaluated connecting back to
the research questions for this study and the findings described in Chapter Four. Afterwards, the
full plan for the teacher training program and evaluation was delineated using the Kirkpatrick
(2016) model.
Knowledge Recommendations
Introduction. Table H below illustrates assumed knowledge influences in this study.
The influences were selected based on the frequency at which they appeared in the literature
review combined with the observations of the author of this paper who works on the team that
formed the population for the research. All knowledge influences were validated through
interviews and observations during the data collection portion of the study. Clark and Estes
(2008) explain that knowledge is one of the foremost pillars that must be explored when
examining professional successes. Through their KMO framework, knowledge influences were
assumed and verified. Table H below also shows recommendations for how organizations can
obtain the suggested knowledge and aligns the recommendations with principles found in
previous research.
Table H
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Knowledge
Influences
Validated as a
Gap?
Yes, High
Probability or No
(V, HP, N)
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Music teachers know
how to design
curriculum that
supports self-efficacy,
creativity, and group
work. (P)

V Y
To develop mastery,
individuals must
acquire component
skills, practice
integrating them, and
know when to apply
what they have
learned (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Provide guidance,
modeling, coaching,
Provide music teachers
written culturally
relevant curriculum
models and processes
that music they can
repeatedly access during
group curriculum-
writing and peer
coaching times.
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 149

and other scaffolding
during performance
(Mayer, 2011).
Music teachers create
curriculum that
avoids bias, and
supports awareness of
non-white musicians
celebrating their
contributions to music
history. (M)

V Y
Positive educational
effects result from
aligning curriculum
and pedagogy with
students’ cultural
needs (Rueda, 2011).

Provide music teachers
training and
opportunities to self-
reflect alone and in
groups on how they
align curriculum to
support awareness of
non-white musicians and
celebrates their
contributions to music
history.
Teachers of students
of color must know
where to access
training and support
specific to cultural
relevancy. (P)

V Y Long-term training
and organizational
support will allow
teachers to apply
knowledge in their
daily work
(Grossman, R., &
Salas, E, 2011).
Use learner-friendly
training materials
(clear, coherent,
complete; Schraw &
Lehman, 2009).
Provide music teachers
with easily accessible
training and peer-
support opportunities
specific to cultural
relevance.

Music teachers can explain how to develop culturally relevant curriculum. The
results and findings of this study showed 100% of the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) K-5
general music teachers involved in the study have the procedural knowledge necessary to design
curriculum that supports self-efficacy, creativity, and group work. Implications come from
information processing system theory emphasizing the importance of procedural knowledge
necessary for K-5 general music teachers to design culturally relevant curriculum. Schraw and
McCrudden (2006) support this explaining that to develop mastery, individuals must acquire
component skills, practice integrating them, and know when to apply what they have learned.
Mayer (2011) further explains when learning, people need guidance, modeling, coaching, and
other scaffolding during performance. This suggests that written models of culturally relevant
curriculum inclusive of self-efficacy, creativity and group work be provided to music teachers
during department meetings and planning periods. The recommendation is for districts to
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 150

continue providing written culturally relevant curriculum models and processes that music
teachers can repeatedly access during group curriculum-writing and peer coaching times.
Choi and Keith (2016) and Seriki (2010) emphasized the need for lesson plans about non-
white musicians that support cultural understanding and increase student participation. While
Choi and Keith provided models of such lesson plans, Seriki emphasized the importance of the
delivery of lessons about non-white musicians. Additionally, Kindall-Smith (2010) talked
specifically about written music education curriculum, including assessments and reflection, that
allows students to obtain success in their own way regardless of race or home culture. Thus,
music educators need access to models and coaching that allow them to create curricula that
speaks to students of all cultures. Music teachers should also have access to culturally relevant
curriculum models and should have time to write curriculum with peer coaches. Bird and Stahl
(1998) explain that in addition to peer coaching, job aids provide enough information for
teachers to know how to access their own training, whether those be online classes, area
workshops, or other learning experiences.
Music teachers create non-biased curriculum. The results and findings of this study
showed that 100% of the PSB general music teachers who participated in the study have the
metacognitive knowledge necessary to design curriculum that addresses and minimizes bias and
supports awareness of non-white musicians celebrating their contributions to music history. This
principle comes from expectancy value theory allowing teachers to close the gap between
reflecting on their own biases and positionality and providing students with curricula that
promotes understanding and celebration of musicians from all cultures. Rueda (2011) supports
this saying positive educational effects result from aligning curriculum and pedagogy with
students’ cultural needs. It is suggested that PSB K-5 general music teachers continue to access
opportunities to self-reflect on how they align curriculum with the cultural needs of their
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students. This dissertation recommends giving K-5 general music teachers time during planning
periods and in department meetings to reflect alone and in groups on bias and positionality
related to the cultural needs of students.
Chapman (2013) used a Critical Race Theory study to illustrate the importance of
curriculum and pedagogy that minimizes bias by creating and delivering lessons that are not
from a white only point of view. Ladson Billings (1995) corroborates Chapman saying that
teacher awareness of bias and white privilege is pivotal to the success of students of color.
Together, these sources support the need for music educators to have time to reflect on their
biases and positionality developing the skills necessary to move away from institutionally racist
curriculum and pedagogy.
Music teachers access cultural relevancy training. The results and findings of this
study showed that 100% of the PSB general music teachers who participated in the study have
the procedural knowledge necessary to pursue cultural relevance training, and they strongly
desire access to cultural relevance training. The above principle comes from the interest theory
of learning which connects motivation to learning allowing teachers to want to learn about
cultural relevance. Grossman and Salas (2011) explain long-term training and organizational
support will allow teachers to apply knowledge in their daily work. Additionally, learner
friendly training and materials make people want to learn (Schraw & Lehman, 2009). It is
suggested that PSB continues to provide K-5 general music teachers simple ways to access
cultural relevance training. The recommendation is to provide music teachers with easily
accessible training and peer-support opportunities specific to cultural relevance in ways that
remove the burden of research from the teachers.
While PSB K-5 general music teachers are fortunate to live near many universities with
easily accessible professional development opportunities, such as Boston University, Berklee
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College of Music and New England Conservatory, other music teachers may not live near
universities and will have to access training opportunities elsewhere. Kennett (2013) synthesized
the results of a study of organizations, trainings and workers and the importance of training
specifically over a long period of time and in groups where peers can support each other.
Kennett (2013) continues to explain that when training opportunities cannot be accessed, or are
focused only on individuals, job turnover is more likely the result rather than improved success
of employees within the organization. Schein (2017) concluded several major aspects allow
learners to feel positively motivated when obtaining new knowledge. Schein’s aspects included
formal training, training in teams, and resources. When music teachers can access training and
peer support over time, regardless of whether or not their location is away from local trainings,
they will be more able to provide culturally relevant education for their music students.
Motivation Recommendations
Introduction. Table I below illustrates assumed motivational influences in this study.
Similar to the knowledge influences, the influences were selected based on the frequency at
which they appeared in the literature review combined with the observations of the author of this
paper. All motivational influences were validated through interviews and observations during
the data collection portion of the study. Clark and Estes (2008) explain that motivation is one of
the foremost pillars that must be explored when examining professional successes. Through
their KMO framework, motivational influences were assumed and verified. Table I below also
shows recommendations for how organizations can support the suggested motivational
influences and aligns the recommendations with principles found in previous research.

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Table I

Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed Motivation Influence

Validated as
a Gap
Yes, High
Probability,
No
(V, HP, N)
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation
Context-Specific
Recommendation
Interest: Teachers place great
personal interest in the retention
and success of students when
curriculum and pedagogy are
designed to appropriately reach the
cultures of all.
V Y Activating and
building upon
personal interest
can increase
learning and
motivation
(Schraw &
Lehman, 2009).

Provide teachers
access to an
evolving culturally
relevant curriculum
that they would
enjoy teaching.
Self-Efficacy: Teachers believe
they are successful and confident
when students who experience
culturally relevant music education
develop greater group-work and
leadership skills.
V Y Feedback as well
as actual success
on challenging
tasks positively
influences
people’s
perceptions of
competence
(Borgogni et al.,
2011)

Feedback and
modeling
increase self-
efficacy (Pajares,
2006).
Provide teachers
access to a
respectful work
environment,
positive
constructive
feedback focused
on the solution,
guided practice and
instructional
modeling.

Music teachers find teaching in a culturally relevant way accessible and enjoyable.
The results and findings from this study indicated that 90% of participating teachers in this study
place great personal interest in the retention and success of students when curriculum and
pedagogy are designed to appropriately reach the cultures of all. A recommendation rooted in
expectancy value theory was selected to illustrate this interest. Schraw and Lehman (2009)
explained building upon personal interest can increase learning and motivation. This would
suggest music teachers would show increased interest should their connections to students feel
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 154

accessible and enjoyable. Thus, the recommendation is to provide music teachers access to an
interesting and evolving culturally relevant curriculum that they would enjoy teaching.
Mayer (2011) explains that employee or stakeholder motivation is one of the five most
important aspects of organizational success. Additionally, Schraw and Lehman (2009) explain
how motivation and persistence can be directly connected to personal interest. Sears (2016)
wrote specifically about music teachers’ interest and how it is imperative for motivation in
teaching in a culturally relevant way. When synthesized, Mayer (2011), Schraw and Lehman
(2009) and Sears’ (2016) findings support the need for music teachers to have an interest in the
culturally relevant curriculum they are teaching. Perhaps most-specifically, Davidson (2008)
wrote directly about the motivation of the Public Schools of Brookline community and how that
interest is reflective of culturally relevant music programs within the town. Thus, the interest of
music teachers in teaching accessible curriculum in a culturally relevant and enjoyable way is
highly impactful in terms of motivation.
Music teachers believe they are successful when teaching in a culturally relevant
way. The results and findings of this study showed many participating teachers in this study
believe they are successful and confident when students who experience culturally relevant
music education develop greater group-work and leadership skills. A recommendation rooted in
both expectancy value theory and self-efficacy theory was selected to illustrate this feeling of
success. Borgogni et al. (2011) explained feedback, as well as actual success, on challenging
tasks positively influences people’s perceptions of competence. Additionally, Pajares (2006)
explained feedback and modeling increase self-efficacy. Together these sources suggest music
teachers have higher rates of self-efficacy when they have access to direct feedback and positive
modeling. Thus, it is recommended that music teachers have access to a respectful work
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environment, positive constructive feedback focused on the solution, guided practice and
instructional modeling.
Catterall and Peppler (2010), Gay (2002), and Jacobson et al. (2013) were among the first
to explain the value of the connection between culturally relevant music teaching, and students
who show increased ability to work in groups and contribute to their communities more actively.
Jacobson et al. also explained that when students learn from teachers who have high self-efficacy
in terms of cultural relevance, both students and teachers show increased self-efficacy. Lastly,
Bandura (2000) spoke of “collective self-efficacy,” present in groups of people, like music
teachers, who succeed in their mission as a team. Self-efficacy plays a large role in the cultural
relevancy of music teachers, and they can be motivated through positive feedback, guided
practice and modeling.
Organization Recommendations
Introduction. Table J below illustrates assumed organizational influences in this study.
The influences were selected based on the frequency at which they appeared in the literature
review combined with the observations of the author of this paper. All organizational influences
were validated through interviews and observations during the data collection portion of the
study. Clark and Estes (2008) list organizational influences as the final pillar that must be
explored when examining professional successes through their KMO framework. Thus, through
their KMO framework, organizational influences were also assumed and verified. Table J below
also shows recommendations for how organizations can provide a setting where K-5 general
music teachers will become culturally relevant and aligns the recommendations with principles
found in previous research.

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Table J

Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations

Assumed Organization Influence

Validated as a
Gap
Yes, High
Probability, No
(V, HP, N)
Priority
Yes, No
(Y, N)
Principle and
Citation

Context-Specific
Recommendation
Teachers recognize outstanding
hiring practices: organizations
bringing on board teachers who
love working with children and
are open to cultural learning.
(Cultural Setting)
V Y Effective leaders
promote diversity at
the highest levels of
the organization.
(DiTomaso, Post &
Parks-Yancy, 2007;
Stevens, Plaut &
Sanchez-Burks,
2008).
Organizations
recruit and qualify
teachers in
interviews who are
open to cultural
learning and being
a part of teaching
music through the
lens of diversity.
Teachers believe organizations
need to invest in success for the
“whole child” considering the
unique needs of every student
(Cultural Setting)
V Y Organizational
effectiveness
increases when
leaders identify,
articulate, and focus
the organization’s
efforts on and
reinforce the
organization’s
vision; they lead
from the why
(Waters, Marzano &
McNulty, 2003;
Knowles, 1980).
Effective leaders are
aware of the
organization’s and
its community’s
historical
and socio-cultural
context (Chavez,
Duran, Baker, Avila
& Wallerstein,
2008).
Organizations
commit publicly to
a shared goal of
“teaching music in
a culturally
relevant way,” and
then attune
departmental
curriculum work
and discussions
towards reaching
that goal by
teaching the
“whole child.”

Teachers feel trusted by their
organizations when they are
allowed to work autonomously
and have time and space for
them to do their best work.
(Cultural Model)
V Y Organizational
effectiveness
increases when
leaders are
trustworthy and, in
turn, trust their team
giving them time to
do their jobs
correctly. The most
visible
demonstration of
trust by a leader is
Organizations
provide time for
teachers to work
alone and in
groups where
teachers are held
accountable for
creating culturally
relevant
curriculum,
discussing
successes and
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 157

accountable
autonomy (Colquitt,
Scott & LePine,
2007 as cited in
Starnes, Truhon &
McCarthy, 2010).
failures, and
coaching each
other to constantly
improve cultural
relevancy in the
music classroom.

Organizational hiring practices. The results and findings of this study showed that
100% of the PSB K-5 general music teachers who were interviewed already loved working with
children and were open to cultural learning when they were hired. A principle rooted in
organizational diversity theory has been selected to illustrate the importance of this. Effective
leaders promote diversity at the highest levels of the organization (DiTomaso, Post & Parks-
Yancy, 2007; Stevens, Plaut & Sanchez-Burks, 2008). This would suggest that promoting
diversity starts with hiring teachers who already valule it. The recommendation based on this
principle is that organizations must recruit and qualify teachers who love working with all
children, are open to cultural relevance and are willing to work through a lens of diversity.
The PSB website states that it hires teachers capable of teaching a diverse student body.
Harrison et. al, (2012) discussed the importance of hiring staff who have the knowledge and
skills necessary to bring creativity and joy to every student in a given classroom. Naper (2010)
added to Harrison et. al,’s points explaining hiring teachers who are already intrinsically
motivated to meet the organization’s goals- in this case, cultural relevancy- will be more
successful in terms of “educational efficiency” (p. 666). Schein (2010) adds to Naper explaining
hiring practices can positively affect overall organizational culture. Thus, organizations that hire
teachers open to cultural learning and teaching through a lens of diversity will increase success
for all stakeholders.
The goal of the whole child. The results and findings of this study showed that 95% of
teachers interviewed for this study invested in success for the whole child considering the unique
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 158

needs of every student. A principle rooted in organizational leadership theory has been selected
to illustrate this organizational influence. Organizational effectiveness increases when leaders
identify, articulate, and focus the organization’s efforts on and reinforce the organization’s
vision; they lead from the why (Waters, Marzano & McNulty, 2003; Knowles, 1980).
Additionally, effective leaders are aware of the organization and its community’s historical and
socio-cultural context (Chavez, Duran, Baker, Avila & Wallerstein, 2008). The above resources
suggest organizations, specifically school music departments, make a public statement about
working towards cultural relevancy as it applies to their specific community. Thus, this paper
suggests attuning departmental curriculum work and discussions towards reaching that goal by
teaching the “whole child” through a lens of cultural relevancy.
Working towards a common, publicly stated goal has been shown to increase
organizational effectiveness. In the case of PSB, the departmental vision explains that
performing arts are aimed at every student, and to benchmark this, K-5 general music
assessments are completed every year by every K-5 music teacher (Public Schools of Brookline
Office of Teaching and Learning, 2015). Gorski (2013) emphasizes the importance of working
towards cultural relevancy (defined in his writings as cultural literacy) as a common goal
explaining, “Its central tenet is that any meaningful approach to diversity or multiculturalism
relies more on teachers’ understandings of equity and inequity and of justice and injustice than
on their understanding of this or that culture” (2013, p. 36). Mayer (2011) spoke of the
importance of departmental goals explaining their positive correlation with motivation. Thus,
verbalizing a goal of being a culturally relevant department will greatly influence the success of
any given organization.
Teacher autonomy. The results and findings of this study showed that 100% of K-5
general music teachers in PSB not only enjoyed the autonomy given to them in Brookline, but
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 159

also desired more time to work as a cohesive team. A principle rooted in organizational
leadership theory has been selected to illustrate this organizational influence. Organizational
effectiveness increases when leaders are trustworthy and, in turn, trust their team giving them
time to do their jobs correctly. The most visible demonstration of trust by a leader is accountable
autonomy (Colquitt, Scott & LePine, 2007 as cited in Starnes, Truhon & McCarthy, 2010). It is
then suggested that organizations allow teachers autonomy when they are working towards
cultural relevancy. Specifically, teachers should be allowed time to work alone and in groups
where teachers are held accountable for creating culturally relevant curriculum, discussing
successes and failures, and coaching each other to constantly improve cultural relevancy in the
music classroom.
Bandura (2000) discusses empowering groups not as individuals, but as cohesive teams.
Bandura continues, explaining, “[p]eople’s shared beliefs in their collective efficacy influence
the types of futures they seek to achieve through collective action” (p. 76). Ruppert and Nelson
(2006) discuss the strengths in the best performing arts programs including teacher planning time
and professional training. Lastly, Mezirow (2000) emphasizes the importance of group
reflection and coaching and its alignment with an organizational goal. A synthesis of the above
citations suggests teachers need time and space to work together to discover their paths to
cultural relevancy.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
Implementation and Evaluation Framework
Using the New World Kirkpatrick Model, (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016), the
following implementation and evaluation plan are designed to allow school systems to create
settings where K-5 general music teachers can become culturally relevant. While the framework
is based on the original “Four Level Model of Evaluation,” (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2006),
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 160

the support for how and why the plan works comes from the promising practice in the PSB
organization. The Kirkpatrick and Kirpatrick model works best because it avoids repeated
initiatives that take up teachers’ time without actually providing implementation and evaluation
that will produce real results. Too many teachers are already familiar with these types of
trainings. Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2010) describe this saying, “A common error many
training professionals make is defining desired results at the level of training instead of relating
training to the accomplishment of the highest level of business goals” (p. 36). Below the New
World Kirkpatrick Model is explained using four levels, beginning with the fourth and working
backwards, and is followed by an implementation and evaluation plan.
Organizational Purpose, Need and Expectations
The PSB organization’s goal is to provide 100% of its students with 90 or more minutes
per week of equitable, culturally relevant music education. Connected to this overarching goal,
the goal of the K-5 general music teachers, the stakeholders, in the PSB organization is to have
100% of the PSB K-5 music teachers undergo cultural relevancy teacher training specifically
regarding curriculum and pedagogy by 2020. By partaking in long-term cultural relevancy
training, the stakeholders are able to provide culturally relevant music education in every music
class at every school in the district. Both the organizational and stakeholder goals aim to close
the gap in access for American public-school students of color who often cannot access
culturally relevant music education while culturally relevant music education is capable of
improving academic and social life for students of color (Catterall and Peppler, 2010).
The training implementation and evaluation plan delineated below will successfully
prepare teams of K-5 general music teachers to become more culturally relevant. It will allow
them to identify and create culturally relevant materials and curriculum and will motivate them,
with organizational support, to teach every student in their populations preparing them to be
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citizens in a diverse world. The evaluations for the plan below are woven into the
implementation informing administrators of adjustments needed throughout the training.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators. The table below shows the outcomes
achieved by the PSB K-5 general music teachers in their work towards cultural relevancy.
Because internal outcomes have been met, external outcomes- reflected in the students
themselves- have also been achieved. School district data, a school community survey, and
written hiring practices will show that the training results in improved high school performing
arts registration for students, overall improvement for music students in the community, and
hiring and curriculum writing practices reflective of culturally relevant teaching.
Table K

Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metric(s) Method(s)
External Outcomes
High school registration (per
data)
Percent of K-5 students who go on to
register for middle or high school
music classes
School district registration data
Improved student behaviors
and class participation
Number of suspensions and other
behavioral discipline
School district data showing drop in
suspensions and other behavioral
disciplines
Student and school community
awareness of publicly stated
vision to work towards a
culturally relevant K-5 general
music program

Percent of surveyed students and
families aware of programmatic
change
E-mail survey
Internal Outcomes
Written curriculum and
working Google docs
committed to cultural relevance
and full-department
participation
Rate of creation of documents Started by end of first year, continued
for four consecutive years, increasing
in use, complexity and size
Create recruitment
requirements specific to
cultural relevancy and hire
music teachers committed to
cultural relevancy and teaching
the “whole child”
Number of requirements, percent of
culturally relevant teachers hired.
Requirements created by end of first
year, hiring practices applied for up to
ten years

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Level 3: Critical behaviors. The table below illustrates how the PSB teachers, the
stakeholders of focus, exhibit behaviors that drive the results shown in the table above.
Behaviors include department meetings focused on cultural relevancy, first-year teacher peer
observations, increased teaching time allowing teachers ample opportunity to build relationships
with students, and teachers working towards cultural relevancy in their curriculum and
pedagogy. The specifics are shown in the table below.
Table L

Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical Behavior Metric(s)
Method(s)
Timing
1. Teachers participate in
department meetings
where culturally relevant
conversations and
curriculum writing take
place.
Active participation in
hour-long department
meetings involving group
work and exit ticket
written responses that ask
teachers to reflect on their
work
Observations of teachers in
meeting by supervisor
(curriculum coordinator) and
review of exit tickets.
Once per month within
first two years
2.Teachers engage in first
year teacher peer
observations as either
mentors or the new
teachers themselves.
Observations between
first-year teachers and
mentors
Teacher professional
development data collected
by state.
Mentor observes first-
year teacher within first
two months; first-year
teacher observes mentor
within first five months
3..Teachers teach in a
culturally relevant way.
Frequency of culturally
relevant teaching
throughout observations
by supervisors, peers or
other administrators
Review observation data Supervisor observes
once per year; culturally
relevant curriculum
development by the end
of two years

Required drivers. The table below shows the required drivers that allowed PSB K-5
general music teachers to exhibit critical behaviors resulting in positive outcomes. Drivers
include peer support, providing culturally relevant curriculum examples to help teachers create
their own, and long-term training. Table M below further illustrates the required drivers drawn
from the K, M and O principles discussed earlier.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 163

Table M

Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Method(s) Timing
Critical Behaviors Supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing

Provide music teachers with easily
accessible training and peer-support
opportunities specific to cultural
relevance.

2 years

1, 2, 4

Provide music teachers training and
opportunities to self-reflect alone
and in groups on how they align
curriculum to support awareness of
non-white musicians and celebrates
their contributions to music history.

Training in first year, reflection and
reinforced training in years 2-5 and
then continuing

1, 4
Encouraging

Provide music teachers written
culturally relevant curriculum
models and processes that music
they can repeatedly access during
group curriculum-writing and peer
coaching times.

Teacher contributions and training
in first year, continued work years 2-
5.

3, 4
Provide teachers access to a
respectful work environment,
positive constructive feedback
focused on the solution, guided
practice and instructional modeling.

Ongoing 1, 2, 3
Rewarding

Provide teachers access to an
evolving culturally relevant
curriculum that they would enjoy
teaching.

Ongoing

1, 3, 4
Monitoring

Organizations recruit and qualify
teachers in interviews who are open
to cultural learning and being a part
of teaching music through the lens
of diversity

Within first year, hiring practices
ongoing

1, 2, 4
Organizations commit publicly to a
shared goal of “teaching music in a
culturally relevant way,” and then
attune departmental curriculum
work and discussions towards
reaching that goal by teaching the
“whole child.”

Vision written in first year,
applied:ongoing
1, 3, 4
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 164

Organizational support. The ability of the stakeholders to achieve their goals is heavily
reliant upon the organizational supports suggested in the recommendations at the “O” level. The
organizations must make space for teacher autonomy allowing teachers time to work and reflect
in a culturally relevant way. Organizations need to partake in outstanding hiring practices, and
they publicly invest in the success of the “whole student.” These organizational supports may
reveal themselves as increased teaching time, hiring a curriculum coordinator, and rigorously
reviewing hiring practices to align with a vision of being culturally relevant. Only through these
organizational actions can the stakeholders reach their critical behaviors and required drivers.
Level 2: Learning
Learning Goals. Once teachers as stakeholders have completed year-long cultural
relevancy work, both in monthly department meetings and independently, they will be able to:
1) Articulate the importance of cultural relevancy in music programs and explain why it is
necessary for teaching the “whole child” (D)
2) Detect their own cultural biases and positionality (M)
3) Apply positive thinking and growth mindset concerning culturally relevant conversations
(M)
4) Recognize what cultural relevancy looks like in their particular school setting (P)
5) Design a culturally relevant lesson or unit to be a model for themselves and others (P)
6) Implement Google Doc with other teachers sharing reflections and ideas (P)
7) Carry out material acquisition and selection for culturally relevant curriculum (P)
8) Plan to continue cultural relevancy conversations over the next two school years (D)
Program
The above learning goals will be achieved through a 10-month long teacher training
program that prepares teachers to discuss cultural relevancy and look at music teaching through a
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 165

culturally relevant lens. Teachers will engage in small and large group discussions, create
definitions of cultural relevancy, and develop an understanding of the cultural positionality of
their students and themselves.
A school district can hire a curriculum coordinator for its K-5 general music department
or hire a consultant to run the meetings. Once the district has hired a curriculum coordinator,
consultant or both, the organization must set aside a time and place for monthly department
meetings. It is suggested that the group of teachers first set meeting norms allowing for growth
mindset, assuming good will, and giving space for every voice to be heard.
The first meeting should begin with defining cultural relevancy and small-group
discussions about personal bias, positionality, and the importance of cultural relevancy in music
education. Small and large group work can be combined to allow for more diverse idea sharing.
Individual teacher-shares can be embedded in meetings so teachers with cultural relevancy
experience can provide models and exemplars for others.
While the exact structure of each meeting relies upon the needs of the district and its
teachers as observed by the curriculum coordinator, the department meetings should include the
following: Evaluating general music materials deciding what is culturally relevant, what is not,
and how can music be made culturally relevant; creating and using a Google Doc where teachers
can share materials and reflect on lessons, and individual reflections at the end of every meeting
via exit tickets as surveys.
The department meetings will last a minimum of once per month for one hour each
allowing for 10 hours of meeting time. General music departments can continue into a second
year for formal curriculum writing. Many school districts already require this time in teacher
contracts, so no extra funding or scheduling would be required.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 166

Components of Learning
Table N below illustrates the methods, activities and timing of the general music teacher
cultural relevancy training program. The table shows how and when the training will be
evaluated over the course of a school year. The table includes declarative knowledge,
demonstrated through exit tickets and small-group discussions, procedural skills, demonstrated
through material classification and discussions of personal bias. The table also shows methods
of measurements concerning teachers’ attitudes, confidence and commitment surrounding the
complexities of cultural relevancy in the K-5 general music setting.

Table N

Evaluation of the Components of the Learning for the Program.

Method(s) or Activity(ies) Timing
Declarative Knowledge “I know it.”

Exit tickets: Written responses summarizing and
recalling what was learned that day

At end of each department meeting
Small-group check-ins summarizing and recalling what
has been learned in parts of the meeting

During meetings
Procedural Skills “I can do it right now.”

Classifying general music materials and pedagogy
separating it into culturally relevant and not culturally
relevant OR making non-culturally relevant material
culturally relevant

During last five meetings
Exploring and understanding personal bias and
positionality

During first two meetings and in classrooms
Attitude “I believe this is worthwhile.”

Implementing understanding of personal bias and
positionality in group discussions

During meetings
Initial survey Sent electronically five days before first meeting and
again the day before as a reminder (Data will be
collected once)
Confidence “I think I can do it on the job.”
Observations by curriculum coordinator of attitudes and
growth

During meetings and classroom observations
Implementing understanding of the importance of
cultural relevancy in group discussions
During first meeting
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 167

Commitment “I will do it on the job.”

Utilization of Google Doc for creating lessons and
curriculum, analyzing materials, and sharing personal
reflections

Between meetings and for up to two years after.
Final survey results During last meeting

Level 1: Reaction. Table O below illustrates how and when teacher reactions will be
measured during and immediately after department meeting. Teacher engagement, relevance of
the training to their jobs, and teacher satisfaction will be measured monthly.
Table O

Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Method(s) or Tool(s) Timing
Engagement

Curriculum coordinator observations of participation
and quality of participation

During meetings
Contributions to Google Doc materials Between meetings (beginning in second half of first
year) and after first year

Consultant observations

First two meetings
Relevance

Exit ticket survey

At end of each meeting
Customer Satisfaction

Exit ticket survey

At end of each meeting

Google Doc Reflections

Between meetings (beginning is second half of first
year) and after first year

Evaluation Tools
Immediately following the program implementation. At the end of the final training
session (the tenth month), participants will fill out a survey measuring their immediate reactions
to the training. This analytic device will assess the engagement, relevance, customer satisfaction
and various knowledge elements experienced by the participants in the training. The specific
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 168

instrument is attached in Appendix A. This survey will be a culmination of the full training
experience and will not be connected to the monthly exit tickets used for immediate evaluation
and planning at the end of each meeting. This analytic device will assess immediate participant
reactions to both Level 1 and Level 2. This can be repeated after a second year of work as well.
Delayed for a period after the program implementation. Three months after the
training has commenced, the attached evaluation tool, Appendix B, will be sent out to teachers
who participated in the training. Since the training would finish at the end of a school year
(June) three months later would mark the beginning of the next school year (September.) This is
an ideal time to re-assess participants’ experiences in the training. This evaluation differs from
the aforementioned Level 1/Level 2 evaluation in that it assesses all four of Kirkpatrick’s Levels
of Evaluation. Again, this could be repeated if the team does a second year of cultural relevancy
work.
Data Analysis and Reporting
It is assumed that teachers entering the program have had little to no previous cultural
relevancy training. Thus, external outcomes and changes in behavior can be measured as progress
towards closing the access gap for students of color in K-5 general music programs. Earlier this
paper mentioned that monthly exit tickets would be used to inform administrators how to direct
monthly trainings. For example, exit tickets may shows teachers have a strong desire for
curriculum materials, thus the administrator can schedule that portion of the training, or emphasis
on it, into the next month’s meeting. Thus, the exit tickets are feedback that will not measure a
return on expectations. The chart below are models of aggregate data from Imaginary Unified
School District. The bar graph shows the growth in each area where there is a return on
expectations. This data can be used to inform cultural relevancy training for the next year or, if
done by a consultant, in another district. The assumptions made in the model charts below are
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 169

based on verbal feedback the author of this paper received when discussing this training with peers
from the stakeholder population. In the models below, CR is the abbreviated form of “Cultural
Relevancy.”
Model Measure of Improvements After 1-Year Training in Cultural Relevancy
The chart below shows possible outcomes of the K-5 general music teacher training. This
chart connects to the stakeholder goal:
By June 2020 100% of the PSB K-5 music teachers will have undergone cultural relevancy
teacher training and peer support specifically regarding curriculum and pedagogy and will
be applying their learning, observable by administrators, in classrooms

Summary
The New World Kirkpatrick Model (2016) used in this chapter frames the
implementation and evaluation plans necessary for K-5 general music teachers to be culturally
relevant. Cultural relevance in PSB specifically connects to the organizational and stakeholder
goals aimed at teaching every PSB student in an equitable way regardless of race or ethnicity. It
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 170

is expected that any district applying the plan described in using the Kirkpatrick framework will
close the access gap in music for students of color in K-5 general music classes. The four levels
used along with the evaluation process will guarantee that the training is applicable to teachers,
effective in the long term, and highly valuable to any district looking to improve outcomes for
students of color.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Approach

While many methodological approaches were possible, this study used interviews and
observations to collect data that supported the promising practice. Clark and Estes (2008)
remind researchers that using a research structure appropriate to a specific problem of practice
affects the outcome of a particular study. Thus, surveys or other forms of data collection would
not have provided enough deep evidence for this study as surveys tend to retrieve more general
data. While interviews and observations were the best structure for this study, research over a
longer period of time may have yielded more robust data. It was not logistically possible to
complete the data collection over a longer period of time due to time constraints within the
organization.
Using the KMO framework for this study allowed the researcher to break down the data
into specific categories which would later be applied to creating a training program within the
New World Kirkpatrick Model. The KMO framework could be considered restrictive as it is
very specific in how organizational problems should be examined, but for the purposes of this
study, it provided a reliable problem-solving approach.
The population in this study included twelve people. Only nine were able to participate.
If the researcher had access to more time or an assistant, multiple populations in multiple school
districts or other departments in PSB could have been accessed. However, keeping the
population and the sample narrow allowed the research to complete a highly accurate, valid and
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 171

reliable study. It should again be noted that the three teachers who chose not to participate may
have self-selected to not be interviewed because they were teaching in a less culturally relevant
way. This assumption is based on a comment made by one of the teachers declining to be
interviewed because they believed they would not have positive information to offer.
Limitations and Delimitations
This study was successful in gathering preliminary data about cultural relevancy in K-5
general music teachers. However, it was done by a first-time researcher with little experience in
interviewing. Future work and follow-up studies may result in better interviewing techniques
since the researcher would have more experience. Additionally, time for research was extremely
limited. Data collection with longer observations would have been more robust. Additionally,
the four-level professional development plan suggests work over a second school year. The PSB
teachers had not finished their second year at the time this research was completed.

Future Research

While this study collected data from teachers as stakeholders, it did not benchmark
districts before and after cultural relevancy training. Future projects could compare and measure
growth between and among K-5 general music students in multiple districts providing numeric
data supporting the necessity of culturally relevant music education for students of color. Future
research could also involve a focus group created to examine culturally relevant curriculum and
the proposed training program.
Conclusion
There are roughly 22 million K-5 students in American public schools and by 2021 more
than half of them will be non-white. Culturally relevant music education access for students of
all colors has been repeatedly proven to better prepare young people to succeed socially and
academically. This study of the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) K-5 general music teachers
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 172

was structured to answer three research questions regarding the knowledge, motivation and
organizational (KMO) structures that allow for culturally relevant music teaching. The KMO
framework was used as a window on assumed influences extant in the promising practice. Once
interviews and observations of the stakeholders took place, the KMO influences were aligned
with data to verify the influences and provide suggestions for other school districts to train their
music teachers to be culturally relevant. This study could lay the foundation for improved
standardized test scores, reduce negative behavioral incidents in students, increase positive
student social engagement, and make more public-school music teachers happy to go to work
each day. The results of happy, successful students and teachers is that access gaps close, less
money is spent, and American schools begin to better provide programs that teach every student.
When looking at the evidence provided in this study, one might question why any school district
would not embark on the journey of culturally relevant teaching.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 173

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CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 189

Appendix A
L1 and L2 Sample Immediate Evaluation After Final Meeting
Using a Likert Scale, respond to each of the following prompts:
1 2 3 4
Highly Disagree Disagree Agree Highly Agree

1) I know what it means to be a culturally relevant teacher. (Declarative knowledge) (Level 2)
1 2 3 4
2) I can identify culturally relevant materials. (Procedural knowledge) (Level 2)
1 2 3 4
3) I see the value in implementing understanding of personal bias and positionality in group
discussions. (Attitude) (Level 2)
1 2 3 4
4) I can apply cultural relevancy in my K-5 general music classroom. (Confidence) (Level 2)
1 2 3 4
5) I will use a Google Doc with my teammates to build culturally relevant curriculum.
(Commitment) (Level 2)
1 2 3 4
6) The 10-month training was engaging. (Level 1)
1 2 3 4
7) The 10-month training was relevant to my teaching. (Level 1)
1 2 3 4
8) I would recommend this training to other school districts. (Level 1)
1 2 3 4
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 190

9) Please share any comments you have that would help improve this training or allow you better
access to the information:

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 191

Appendix B
L1-L4 Sample Delayed Evaluation Three Months After Final Meeting
Using a Likert Scale, respond to each of the following prompts:
1 2 3 4
Highly Disagree Disagree Agree Highly Agree

1) I can write culturally relevant curriculum and share it in a team Google Doc. (Level 4)
1 2 3 4
2) I can teach in a culturally relevant way. (Level 3)
1 2 3 4
3) I know how to identify culturally relevant curriculum. (Level 2)
1 2 3 4
4) The cultural relevancy training was valuable to my teaching. (Level 1)
1 2 3 4
5) Please share any comments you have that would help improve this training or allow you better
access to the information:

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 192

Appendix C
Interview Protocol
Hello! Thank you for taking time to be interviewed. Please take a moment to get settled.
As you know, the purpose of my study is to collect data on the successes of the K-5 general
music teachers in terms of culturally relevancy. Your contributions to this study will help me
collect robust, accurate data on PSB’s successes in teaching music specifically to students of
color. Please remember you can skip any question or leave at any time during the interview. As
you saw in the forms you signed, the responses you share will be completely confidential.
Names of schools and personnel will be redacted. You will be audio recorded, but a transcribing
service will write out the responses and your name will be disconnected from your responses.
The recordings and any notes that are taken will be destroyed after the study. The audio
recording is better than just note-taking, so we can ensure accuracy and correct quotations. You
also signed a form saying that it is okay to audio record your responses. Is this process still okay
with you? (WAIT FOR RESPONSE.)

If at any time you are uncomfortable, you make take a short break or leave.
If you are ready, we will begin.

First, we’re going to start with some background questions about your personal experiences.
1) How would you describe the demographic groups with which you most closely identify?
Please only share information about you that you are comfortable sharing.
2) Why did you decide to become a music teacher?
3) What are the qualities of a culturally relevant music teacher?
4) What do you think has motivated you to be a culturally relevant music teacher?
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 193

5) What do you think has enabled you to be a culturally relevant music educator?
6) What training or experience have contributed to your ability to create culturally relevant
curriculum?
7) If you had to explain how a white teacher could successfully teach students of color, what
would you say?
8) Have you had experiences in other districts where music curriculum was less culturally
relevant? If so, what do you think were the causes?
9) Describe a time when you received positive feedback regarding cultural relevancy or the
successes of students of color in your program.
10) What are some challenges involved with implementing culturally relevant music teaching
and how might someone overcome them?

Okay, now we’re going to move on to questions that are less about your personal
experiences and more about the district. Please remember these questions are only about
the K-5 general music program.

11) Describe how PSB K-5 general music teachers work together to improve cultural
relevancy.
12) To what degree to you feel PSB music teachers buy into an participate in culturally
relevant teaching?
12A) To what degree to you feel you buy into and/or participate in culturally relevant
teaching?
12B) What helps or hinders your ability to do so?
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 194

13) To what degree to you feel PSB music teaching aligns with the qualities of culturally
relevant music teachers?
14) What enables or inhibits curriculum alignment (equity) among the eight PSB K-8
schools?
15) What organizational supports help you implement culturally relevant curriculum?
16) If you were to teach other districts what PSB K-5 general music teachers are doing well,
what knowledge would you share?
17) In what ways do you incorporate cultural relevance in your lesson design or instructional
practices?
16a. (Follow-up) How do you get cultural relevance from theory into practice?
18) If you were to teach other districts what PSB K-5 general music teachers are doing well,
what advice would you give about getting started or obtaining resources?
Okay, this will be our final question.
19) If you were to teach other districts what PSB K-5 general music teachers are doing well,
what organizational supports would you tell them they needed?

Thank you so much for being willing to participate in these interviews. The information you’ve
shared will remain confidential and it will contribute greatly to this study of the great job PSB
teachers are doing in their K-5 general music classrooms. Based on the data I collect from these
interviews, I may reach out to you for an observation. Would this be okay?
(WAIT FOR RESPONSE.)
If you have any concerns or questions about the process, please reach out.
Stand and show participant out of interview space.

CULTURALLY RELEVANT MUSIC PROGRAMS 195

Appendix D
Observation Protocol
Upon entering the classroom or teaching space-

Thank you so much for letting me be here. As you know, the purpose of my study is to
collect data on the successes of the K-5 general music teachers in terms of culturally relevancy.
Your contributions to this study will help me collect robust, accurate data on PSB’s successes in
teaching music specifically to students of color. I am only looking at positive teaching
strategies you use to incorporate and apply culturally relevant teaching. I will sit silently in a
corner and not interrupt your teaching or your students’ learning. I will be here for a maximum
of 45 minutes and leave when I am finished. You will notice me taking notes. This is to ensure I
remember what you do here as accurately as possible. My observations will be completely
confidential. Names of schools, teachers and students will be redacted. You signed a form
saying that it is okay for me to observe you today. Is this still okay?
(WAIT FOR RESPONSE)

If at any time you are uncomfortable, you may ask me to step out of the room or leave.

If you would like to share the lesson plan you use for today or any other materials you use that
demonstrate your use of culturally relevant teaching, please share with me today or in the next
week. Your name will be redacted from those materials as well.

(AFTER OBSERVATION)
Thank you again for welcoming me into your teaching space. I am grateful.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Few Kindergarten through fifth grade (K-5) American public-school students of color have access to culturally relevant in-school music programs, yet many of their peers in mostly white public schools, regardless of socioeconomic status, benefit from access to these programs. This study examines the K-5 general music teachers in the Public Schools of Brookline (PSB) as a promising practice. The teachers as stakeholders were interviewed and observed in order to gather data which painted a picture of the training, curriculum and group planning necessary to provide equitable, culturally relevant music education for the highly diverse 7600 students in PSB. The data collected from this research was examined through the lens of Clarke and Estes (2008) Knowledge, Motivation and Organization (KMO) framework as a means to create a training program for other districts with similar demographics to create culturally relevant music programs based on the one provided by the teachers in PSB.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Huntley, Meredith Jean (author)

Core Title Equitable access to culturally relevant public-school music programs

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Publication Date 12/02/2019

Defense Date 10/03/2019

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag culturally relevant,Music education,OAI-PMH Harvest,students of color,Teacher Training

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Hasan, Angela (committee chair), Malloy, Courtney (committee chair), Adderley, Cecil (committee member)

Creator Email merhuntley@gmail.com,mjhuntle@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-239977

Unique identifier UC11673856

Identifier etd-HuntleyMer-7965.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-239977 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-HuntleyMer-7965.pdf

Dmrecord 239977

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Huntley, Meredith Jean

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA