January 2021

What are U.S. parents most worried about regarding their children’s health? Two surprises in a new poll—it differs among different racial groups, and it isn’t COVID. Latinx and white parents are most concerned about their kids’ use of social media—both the amount of time spent and the danger of bullying. Black parents are most concerned about racism and COVID. See what the parents of your students may be most worried about.

Video recordings are still available from Harvard’s annual Initiative for Learning and Teaching Conference, covering the themes of equitable instruction and inclusive classrooms. Speakers cover an array of difficult questions ranging from facilitating “difficult or charged” conversations to “adaptive pedagogies” during challenging times. These concepts can easily be applied to music classrooms as programs seek to embed more equitable practices into their curricula and program designs. Also offered is a comprehensive list of resources for educators for reference during the presentations. View the recordings here.

The LEGO Foundation is publishing a series of reports that gather a broad spectrum of viewpoints on creativity in learning. Their most recent report is “Creating Creators.” The LEGO Foundation describes its goal: “to build a future in which learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners.” These goals encounter arguments that are familiar to teachers in the arts—that the arts are “nice but not necessary.” LEGO takes a holistic view that highlights the ways in which children’s physical, social, cognitive, creative, and emotional skills complement and interact with one another through play. Read the full report here.

The New Jersey Symphony has a set of useful instructional videos that offer “pro tips” for the young, budding musician. Share this with your teaching artists and students for extra practice fun during the holiday break!