Shame in Music Education: Starting the Conversation and Developing Resilience

Abstract

Feelings of shame may contribute to music teachers and music teacher educators being unwilling to discuss needs and concerns for fear of being judged or seen as inadequate. Shame or fear of feeling shame can also lead individuals to withdraw or perpetuate negative behaviors. Although shame is often a natural part of the human experience, the diverse nature of the content in music education, the wide variety of learners in various music education spaces, and music teachers’ beliefs and practices can be sources of shame among music teachers. This article aims to start a conversation about shame in music education and help music educators and music teacher educators feel empowered to use shame resilience theory as a means of understanding and coping with feelings of shame.