Abstract
Culturally responsive content, accessible and inclusive tools, and meaningful interdisciplinary tasks can aid in developing equitable and creative learning environments. Music and mathematics are ideal disciplines for interdisciplinary creative learning. In this article, we reflect on our experiences engaging in interdisciplinary music and mathematics tasks with preservice teachers. In particular, we highlight specific efforts taken to design and implement a creative music and mathematics workshop for use in a mathematics methods course. Guided by these experiences, we offer examples of tools and practices that have helped preservice teachers collaborate, engage in inquiry, improvise, develop empathy, and take intellectual and social risks while building musical and mathematical skills, knowledge, and confidence.
DOI
10.5642/steam.MJYS8444
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Graham and Moldavan, Alesia M.
(2023)
"Creative Learning With Music and Mathematics: Reflections on Interdisciplinary Collaborations,"
The STEAM Journal:
Vol. 5:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
DOI: 10.5642/steam.MJYS8444
Available at:
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/steam/vol5/iss1/4
Included in
Art Education Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons
Author/Artist Bio
Graham Johnson, M.S.Ed. is an Adjunct Professor and Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University. His research interests include music education, STEAM education, creativity, and culturally responsive pedagogy. He was a music and special education teacher in New York City public schools for thirteen years, designing and implementing music and interdisciplinary courses at elementary, middle, and high school levels. His teaching is grounded in improvisation and the musical languages of Latin, jazz, pop, and hip-hop music. E-mail: gjohnson53@fordham.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8191-9726 Alesia Mickle Moldavan, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Science Education in the College of Education at Georgia Southern University. She teaches elementary mathematics and science methods courses for preservice and in-service teachers. Her research interests include equity and asset-based teaching practices that promote cultural awareness, well-being, and justice-oriented advocacy in STEM classrooms. She also examines such work in the context of teacher education, including how teachers can use technology and innovative instructional tasks to empower underrepresented students in STEM. E-mail: amoldavan@georgiasouthern.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7946-9028