Values, Belonging, and Motivation in the Twenty-First-Century Music Classroom

Abstract

Understanding and accepting diversified musical styles often touches on an ethical need to recognize, respect, and eventually accept people who are different from oneself. Achieving these goals relies on a value-based education. Moreover, research confirms that while values reflect on an individual’s character, they can be developed through education and experience, thus placing an added dimension within the responsibility of teachers’ training programs. This paper suggests social values that music educators may bring to their profession, and demonstrates pedagogic methods which enable them to function as social agents within formal and informal educational settings, grades 1–12. The paper concludes with a call for further research designed to elucidate the pedagogical methods that impact on fostering the value of belonging and the contribution of belonging to the long-term development of children’s musical interests and competence, as well as to their general wellbeing.