Making Music Education Inclusive—Without Falling into the Tokenism Trap!

Let’s talk about why it’s so important to move beyond tokenism in music education—and how you can actually make that shift. It’s a common story in music classrooms: each year, educators launch special projects tied to cultural heritage months, like focusing on jazz musicians during Black History Month or diving into traditional Latin American music for Hispanic Heritage Month. This is all great for engaging students, but it’s not enough if we want to give them a genuine, immersive, and respectful experience of these musical traditions.

My Story: When Tokenism Slipped Through

Back in 2009, I was buzzing with excitement as I prepared to kick off my fourth year of a beloved project with my 6th-grade music students. Each February, we set up a “Living Wax Museum” where the kids transformed into icons of jazz. It was an instant hit. The students loved the costumes, the music, and the opportunity to tell each other, “Hey, my artist played with your artist! Cool!” The energy in the room was contagious. My students were diving into Black musical history, making connections, and feeling a sense of pride in their work.

Looking back, though, I can see where I missed the mark. Was the project engaging? Absolutely. Did my students learn something? Yes! But, I realized I was only branching out into jazz and African American history for that single month each year. The rest of my curriculum leaned heavily on the Western canon—specifically Mozart, Beethoven, and other Western composers that I had been taught were simply the “best” to study and learn about. And while I had some understanding of jazz, I wasn’t bringing in experts or culture bearers who could help make this learning experience truly authentic for my students.

This experience was a classic case of tokenism: I was checking off a box, creating a superficial dive into jazz without embedding it into the broader fabric of my teaching. In my work with music teachers who are enrolled in Longy School of Music’s online music education programs, I can clearly see that many of us have been in the same position, with the best intentions, only to realize there’s more we could do. The good news is that there are simple, actionable steps we can take to do better. Try one, try them all. Most importantly, try to be consistent. Nothing involving equity, access, diversity, and inclusion is ever really achieved without consistency. Start small, and see where it takes you!

1. Learn and Explore Diverse Musical Cultures Yourself

To really shift away from tokenism, consider expanding your own understanding of the music you want to bring into the classroom. This isn’t just about listening to a playlist or reading a quick article online; it’s about learning the historical, cultural, and social contexts of the music you’re introducing. Dive into books, documentaries, and authentic recordings to grasp the full picture. When we, as educators, are deeply informed, we’re less likely to present a simplified or watered-down version of a musical tradition.

Try This: Attend workshops or lectures given by musicians who live and breathe the music you want to introduce. Reach out to community members who grew up in these traditions. The insights and authenticity they bring can transform your teaching—and your students’ learning. 

2. Embed Diverse Music Throughout the Year

A critical way to end tokenism is to incorporate diverse musical traditions consistently, rather than as one-off lessons tied to specific cultural months (this is something I was guilty of in the past!). When students encounter a range of musical styles as an ongoing part of their curriculum, they begin to see these traditions as part of the greater musical landscape rather than as novelty add-ons. Imagine if students grew up knowing jazz, samba, sitar music, and mariachi as familiar and valued musical forms—not just during February or September but all year round.

Try This: Design thematic units where multiple musical cultures naturally fit into larger musical concepts, like rhythm, improvisation, or storytelling. If you’re teaching rhythm, for example, explore it through West African drumming, Indian tabla, and New Orleans jazz. By showing students the connections and contrasts between these styles, you help broaden their understanding of music as a universal language.

3. Invite Authentic Voices into the Classroom

If you want to really honor the origins and practitioners of a musical genre, bring in musicians, scholars, or culture bearers who have lived experience in the tradition you’re teaching. These authentic voices bring depth and personal insight that textbooks and recordings just can’t match. When students learn directly from people who have a deep connection to the music, they not only gain respect for the art form but also for the community it represents.

Try This: Arrange for a guest musician to lead a class, perform, or share their cultural experiences with your students. If in-person visits aren’t possible, consider a virtual option (we are certainly in our Zoom era!). Students can ask questions and interact with these guests, which helps them appreciate the culture behind the music. Remember, it’s okay not to be the expert in everything! Make space for the folks who know more than you do!

4. Contextualize Music in Its Culture

It’s easy to fall into the habit of presenting music as isolated sounds or rhythms, but music is so much more—it’s tied to traditions, rituals, and stories. Rather than just playing a song, take time to explore its history, the instruments used, the dances associated with it, and its role in the culture’s events or life stages. This helps students see music as part of a living, breathing culture.

Try This: When you introduce a genre, level up your lessons by exploring not just the music but other cultural elements—traditional clothing, food, beliefs, and stories connected to it. This broader context gives students a fuller picture and makes the learning experience richer.

5. Teach Cultural Complexity, Not Stereotypes

Tokenism often goes hand-in-hand with oversimplification. Avoid presenting any culture as a monolith or generalizing a whole group with a single song, genre, or instrument. Cultures are as diverse internally as they are from one another. Representing multiple styles or periods within a culture shows students that music is dynamic and full of depth.

Try This: When exploring Latin American music, for example, don’t just stop at salsa. Teach genres like tango, cumbia, and mariachi to give students a fuller picture of the diversity within Latin American musical traditions.

6. Empower Students to Share Their Own Musical Heritage

If I could choose a starting place for most music teachers, this would be it! After all, our classes should be all about the students, right? Encouraging students to explore and share their own musical traditions adds richness and personal relevance to the classroom. When students are given space to celebrate their own cultural backgrounds, or those they’re curious about, it brings an immediate level of authenticity and pride to the class. They may even gain a new perspective on their heritage or develop a sense of being a “sharer of knowledge” with their peers.

Try This: Invite students to research a musical tradition from their culture or one they’re interested in. Encourage them to reach out to family members or community figures to bring extra depth to their presentations. This approach fosters a student-centered environment where all backgrounds are valued.

7. Practice Culturally Responsive Teaching

Culturally responsive teaching means recognizing your students’ cultural backgrounds and making them part of your teaching. In music, that could mean using examples from genres students already know, acknowledging their personal music preferences, or even adapting your approach to fit their learning styles and how they are conditioned to learn from their lived experiences outside of school. This approach validates students’ experiences authentically and helps build a bridge between their lives and the classroom content. Relevance is key! 

Try This: Get to know your students’ musical interests and backgrounds. Use a classroom survey to learn about the music they enjoy outside of school and find ways to connect these interests to your lessons. If there are musical styles they know about that you don’t, encourage them to share their insights with the class.

8. Reflect, Get Feedback, and Keep Adapting

Avoiding tokenism is an ongoing journey. Take time to regularly reflect on your teaching practices and seek feedback from students, colleagues, and even community members. No one has perfect cultural competence, but by embracing a learning mindset, we can continuously improve and evolve our approaches.

Try This: At the end of each unit, ask students to reflect on their learning experiences. What surprised them? What do they wish they could have learned more about? These reflections provide valuable insights to shape future lessons and make your teaching even more responsive.

Final Thoughts

Leaving tokenism behind isn’t just about changing the content; it’s about creating an environment where every student’s culture is genuinely respected and celebrated. By embedding diverse musical traditions thoughtfully, focusing on authenticity, and keeping an open line for feedback and self-reflection, we can create a music classroom that’s both inclusive and transformative. Cheers to you and all the rockstar things you do!