Reimagining the arts as a vehicle for innovation, leadership, and lifelong success.
Ashley Cuthbertson 
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! If you’ve been with me for a while, you’ve probably heard me say that “simply diversifying your curriculum content is NOT culturally responsive.” Besides the fact that you can’t just “be culturally responsive” because it’s not a thing we “do,” one issue with focusing on … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! For both kids and teachers, coming back to school after any extended break can stir up a variety of emotions. For many kids (and teachers!), returning to the routines of school after being away can be especially jarring. It’s important to keep this in mind … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! Music educators committed to working for equity have a similar vision: Music for Everyone. On the surface, “music for everyone” sounds like a beautiful ideal for our music education spaces, however the question then becomes “how do we actually ensure that music CAN be for … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! As music educators committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, it’s important to point out that there will be pushback. We must expect it and we must be ready for it. As with any kind of change, there will be discomfort, and in fact when there … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! In Dr. Rudine Sims-Bishop’s 1990 article “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors,” she presents a useful metaphor for the importance of diverse children’s books when she says that “books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange… … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! I’m back this week with this month’s Song of the Month! This month’s song is “Just From the Kitchen” a singing game from the Georgia Sea Islands. For my first semester of grad school, one of the resources we were required to get was “Step … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! Contrary to popular beliefs, the first step towards an equitable music room is not selecting diverse repertoire or designing arts integrated lessons. The first step towards cultivating an equitable music classroom is understanding your own mindset and frames of reference. Understanding your own frames of … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! A common misconception about Culturally Responsive Music Education is that it’s just about utilizing diverse repertoire. And while this isn’t incorrect, it isn’t the full scope of what Culturally Responsive Music Education is. Culturally Responsive Music Education is a robust approach to teaching music that … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! I’m back this week with the next edition of my Song of the Month series! This month’s song is “Sorida” a welcome song and hand clapping game from Zimbabwe. I came across this song in one of my favorite resources, “Let Your Voice Be Heard!: … Read more
Listen to this blog post by clicking the player below! An essential part of cultivating a culturally responsive music room is developing a learning community where young musicians feel affirmed and safe enough to take the risks necessary to move past surface level knowledge into deep understandings. Let’s talk about why building a strong community … Read more