Domain Projects and Questions for M.M. Music Education at Northwestern University, 2020

TIKTOK, TEENS & CRISES

TikTok, Teenagers & Crises: Examining Musical Responses to Crises on Tiktok and Implications for Secondary Music Educators

The purpose of this project was to use TikTok users as a sample to study how teens and young adults are using music to cope with the crises of early 2020, including the Covid-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. Using those observations, lesson plans were developed to support processing and response to crises in future or current circumstances. Click title to enter.

Unit of Study on Polynesian Music for 6th/7th Grade General Music

Click on the image of Tahitian beaches and dive into the music of Polynesia.

This unit is designed to continue ukulele studies while introducing students to music of the Polynesian nations. While each nation has a distinct culture, so much sharing has occurred between the Polynesian cultures that there are many versions of these songs but I have done my best to find the most authentic recordings available. Waves of colonialism have had a huge impact on the cultures, languages and musics of the Polynesian peoples and it is crucial that these aspects are introduced alongside the music. 

Issues of Representation in the

Kindermusik Young Child Curriculum

This project began when I was part of a Graduate seminar at Northwestern University on Gender Diversity in Music Education. Initially conceived of as an analysis of gender representation in the Kindermusik Young Child curriculum,  through natural intersections it grew to include an analysis of cultural representation as well. Findings and suggestions for individual educator changes as well as larger suggested changes for Kindermusik International.

Research Poster