Abstract
Democratic practices in music classrooms involve sharing power between teachers and students in determining rules and procedures, content and curriculum, and pedagogy. Researchers investigating democratic practices in elementary music settings have observed that students are more engaged, have a stronger emotional connection, and feel validated in their musical identities, creating a sense of community for students. The purpose of this collective case study was to discover how elementary music teachers use democratic practices. Participants included three teachers with varying backgrounds and student populations. Five themes emerged from the data through individual and focus group interviews, demonstrating how teachers solicited student input on procedures, content and curriculum, and pedagogy. This study provided insight into the strategies and struggles of using democratic practices as well as teachers’ perceptions of students’ increased engagement and ownership in the music classroom.
