tions. As students develop musically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally, we can continue to adjust our approach to meet their needs. We can also honor students’ abilities to think critically and creatively by encouraging divergent thinking in the course of music lessons. Whether through ideas developed by students or ourselves questions that go beyond seeking a right or wrong answer can encourage stu- dents to value and listen to the ideas within themselves. We can become co-creators of knowledge and musical experi- ence by encouraging such creative and exploratory thinking together. When we honor and model curiosity, we establish the importance of thinking beyond what is already known to the beautiful possibilities that may exist in the future.


Conclusion


Before we can establish a creative practice in our classroom, change must first occur within. For some of us, that change has already begun, and I encourage you to continue to chal- lenge yourself and others as you strive to place students’ creative voices are at the core of your practice. For others, that change will require an overhaul on our assumptions and beliefs about student creativity and power. Wherever our stance, there are some critical questions we can all ask our- selves in the pursuit of a classroom focused on honoring stu- dents’ creative voices: Are we willing to show up to a regular creative “practice”? Are we able to be vulnerable and take risks in front of students? Are we willing to let go of attach- ment to product, even for just a few minutes each day? Can we laugh when the process isn’t quite as we were imagining? Can we take a moment to pause and recognize when some- thing truly magical does occur? Can we ask divergent ques- tions that challenge students to imagine new musical possi- bilities? Are we willing to see that a lively creative practice begins with a teacher who believes wholeheartedly in the creative capacity of each child therein?


I challenge you to ask these difficult questions of yourself and imagine the ways in which a creative practice may thrive where you are. I also challenge you to be an advocate for change if you are in a situation where developing the space for creative practice seems impossible. For when we allow students’ creative voices to be heard, we are establishing a place of importance for each individual and their potential to be a catalyst for change in our field and in the world. To do this requires relinquishing control of certain outcomes, and trusting in its potential for more powerful outcomes. “We can remain accessible to—even surrender to—the creative process, without insisting that we know in advance the ulti- mate outcome for us, our institutions, or our planet. To ac- cept this challenge is to cherish freedom, to embrace life, and to find meaning” (Nachmanovitch, 1991, p. 190).


References


Elliott, D. J. (1995). Music matters: A new philosophy of music education (Vol. 14). New York: Oxford univer- sity press.


Kerchner, J. L. (2014). Music across the senses: Listening, learning, and making meaning. New York: Oxford University Press.


Kratus, J. (2014, April 11). Music listening as “in the mo- ment” creativity. Presentation at National Association for Music Education Biennial Conference, St. Louis, Missouri.


Nachmanovitch, S. (1991). Free play. New York, NY:Tarcher.


Shannan Hibbard completed her Ph.D. in music education at the University of Michigan. Her research interests include creativity, social justice, teacher-student relationships, spiri- tuality, and preservice music teacher development. Before pursing Ph.D. studies, she taught K-5 general music in De- troit for 10 years. She currently teaches K-8 music at Four Corners Montessori Academy in Madison Heights.


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