This past weekend, I was privileged to attend and present at the 2024 ABLE Assembly Conference; through the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education (BIAAE), in Boston, Massachusetts. This is the only conference of its kind; and has created a community where educators, practitioners, and stakeholders can get together in a safe place, and move forward regarding the discussion of accessible arts education; and breaking down the barriers that exist in our field.
After a wonderful networking event Friday night, the conference opened with the keynote The Anti-Ableist Arts Classroom, by Hannah Berube. She hit the mark in so many aspects during this topic and highlighted the fact that ableism is found in every aspect of what we do in arts education. It comes up in our language and communication, curriculum, and community. Even more, we can be teaching our youngest students to create a sense of welcome to everyone.
Another reflective session was Albatross or Advocate: Strategies for Effecting Change, by Christopher Hanson. The key message that we ALL took away, and kept discussing after, was that it is not our fault that we were unprepared to teach a wide range of learners. Often, we feel frustrated and ineffective at creating the environment and culture that we know everyone deserves - however, we are missing many key pieces from our training to get us there. Dr. Rhoda Bernard mentioned in BIAAE’s PBS Newshour that as teachers, we trained in Western conservatory methods - but these methods are not designed to reach ALL students.
The following Sunday, Lydia X. Z. Brown gave an introspective keynote. While the focus of my work has been on neurodiversity, Lydia went so much deeper into it; it was inspiring to hear. Lydia mentioned neurodiversity is: descriptive reality, philosophy and values, social movement, politically and culturally specific, and interconnected with disability culture and mad resistance. Lydia then introduced us to the idea of neuroexpanding.
For those interested in the field of accessible arts education - this is the community to go to and join. I have been presenting, and attending, since 2019 - and no other arts education community exists in this way. Be prepared to grow as an educator and as a human being, in a safe community that wants to expand access for ALL.
My biggest takeaway is how do we take ALL of this - and break through the barriers in our field where change may be hesitant or resistant? Change needs to happen, and it is always a slow process; but how do we as a community get the stakeholders in other areas to unlearn their own biases and practices that are not reaching ALL?
Here are my slides from the session I presented: Music for All: Engaging All Learners in the Accessible Music Classroom
Comentarios