What's On

Speakers

Professor Jennie Henley Royal Northern College of Music

About

Just like every child, young person, and adult we teach, every teacher, educator, facilitator, music leader, coach, etc. brings with them a variety of musical experiences. These musical experiences are all valid music-making activities, and create a rich tapestry in the musical ecosystem, yet we often hold notions of music and musical learning based on a single point of reference. Within an environment where we strive for excellence, using a single point of reference as to what that excellence is can create barriers to music education.

Questions such as who can teach music, who can be taught music, who has the ability to progress, and what excellence is are fundamental questions to interrogate in the discourses surrounding inclusive practice. If these questions are answered with one single idea of what music and musical learning is, not only do we neglect to take account of the rich variety of musical experiences that we each bring to the musical ecosystem, we risk taking a deficit approach to teaching that ultimately manifests as exclusionary practice.

Stepping out of their own experience puts the educator in a vulnerable position, but this is needed in order to understand how to work with others who have different experiences, meeting them at their starting points. The question the educator needs to ask is, ‘does this position of vulnerability present a risk, or does it put me in a position of growth?’ The answer to that question is key to engaging in inclusive pedagogy.

Drawing on a rich experience of teaching and facilitating music in many educational and community settings, coupled with over twenty years of researching the relationship between pedagogy and inclusion, Professor Jennie Henley explores inclusive pedagogy and how educators can enact change through the way that they work.

Exploring her own story of growth, Henley takes three principles of inclusive pedagogical practice, analyses them using Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), and demonstrates how reconceptualising the notions of quality, difference, expertise, growth, talent, ability, and vulnerability is fundamental to inclusive pedagogy.

Biography
An internationally renowned expert in music pedagogy and educational strategist, Professor Jennie Henley has taught and led music in various contexts for over 25 years. Her experience spans instrumental teaching, ensemble direction, class teaching, workshop leading and teacher education. She has worked with children, young people and adults and has a rich tapestry of practice crossing music education and community music, often working in challenging and complex settings.

Jennie is a Professor in Music Education with a research specialism in the relationship between pedagogy and inclusion. Her research has public impact, and she has attracted funding from a variety of funders including AHRC, ACE, and Comenius, and she is regularly engaged as a consultant for international and national education design and evaluation work.

Tickets

Free admission, no ticket required

This event will end at approximately 5.30pm.