Facets Model in Music Education

Culturally responsive teaching is crucial when creating a music education curriculum. With the use of the Facets Model, students are further able to understand the meaning of a song as well as how people use music in different contexts. Additionally, the use of the Facets Model can be used to uncover hidden or buried ideas that if not brought to light could misrepresent or perpetuate falsehoods about people. Educators can use the Facets Model as a resource when lesson planning to ensure that they are being as thoughtful, respectful, and insightful as possible when introducing students to new music. 

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Examples of Facets Model Use: 

• Sansa Kroma (music from Ghana) Lesson Plan

  • When teaching Sansa Kroma, students were asked questions from the Facets Model such as "who performs and values it?"; "what is its function for people?"; and "how and to whom is it transmitted?".

• Nina Nona (music from Kosovo) Lesson Plan​​​​

  • Teaching a lullaby that I grew up listening to was such a pleasure. Throughout this lesson, students reflected on many questions from the Facets Model such as "why and for whom was it created?"; "what is the subject?"; and "who performs and values it?". 

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