Preventing and Combating Apathy in the Music Classroom

Many music teachers join the profession to share their passion for music, so it can be frustrating, or even jarring, to have your life’s passion be met with indifference from your students. Student apathy is a significant contributing factor to teacher stress and burnout. We care so deeply about our work and our students; it’s hard not to take their comments or lack of interest personally—”if no one else thinks this is compelling or even interesting, is there something wrong with me?”

In the classroom, apathy looks like a lack of motivation, disinterest, and dismissiveness. An apathetic student may do the bare minimum (or less) on work or practicing, or constantly miss deadlines and important dates. They might be rude when speaking about music or music class and generally be disinterested in the topic. When you’ve reached your limit and have threatened a punishment, phone call home, or a trip to the office, they respond that they don’t care. This adds to teachers’ frustration and might even result in the teacher giving up on the student who has given up. But what is apathy, really? And how can music teachers prevent and react to student apathy in a constructive manner?

What causes apathy in students?

There are several factors and forces that may contribute to a student’s level of apathy, including psychological and emotional conditions. Though apathy is not the same thing as depression or anxiety, they can be related. A student who is depressed or anxious may be apathetic as well, but apathy does not necessarily mean a student is anxious or depressed. In fact, many students who struggle with these mental illnesses become quite adept at masking their symptoms at school and, therefore, may show little to no symptoms as one would typically expect (Glaser, 1967). It is best not to jump to conclusions about what is really going on with a student.

Apathy may also be a trauma response. Most teachers are familiar with the idea of “fight or flight,” but another common response to trauma is “freeze.” A student who freezes becomes emotionally frozen or even physically immobile. Like fight or flight, this is a physiological reaction to feeling intensely threatened by a situation. Studies indicate that this response may be a function of the brain allowing for time to figure out what to do next (Roelofs, 2017).

Teachers who are new to teaching BIPOC students sometimes hold the common misconception that families of color do not care about education, and therefore, the students are apathetic about school. This has been proven false; in fact, “by every indicator, we can see that poor families and families of color actually place a higher value on education than more education-savvy parents” (Collins & Yeskel, 2005). The blame for apathy amongst students of color is better placed on school culture. In his book Rachetdemic , Dr. Christopher Emdin asserts that “because school culture is made inaccessible, young folks of color take on the view that school is not worth their while” (Emdin, 2021). It is much simpler for many students to say “I don’t care” than “I feel like I don’t belong” or “I need help,” especially if they feel their requests would go unheard or dismissed.

It is very important to note that music teachers are not psychologists, therapists, or social workers and should not be expected to fill any of those roles. However, we are on the front lines of our students’ lives. Music teachers often get to know students on a deeper level than other subject areas, as we teach students for multiple years and often instruct outside of the school day as well. We are well-positioned to notice changes in students’ behavior that may go under others’ radar. However, it is best to refer students to mental and social health professionals if there is any concern beyond our expertise.

Why are teachers seeing more student apathy now?

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on how young people socialize, think, and learn. All of us survived a global pandemic that disrupted our basic sense of safety, and some of us still grieve personal losses. The lingering trauma can manifest as apathy.

On an even larger scale, however, youth mental health has been on the decline for several years before the pandemic (Miron et al., 2019). The cause of this decline is hotly debated, but the results—higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues—are seen clearly in classrooms across the country.

Finally, the generation of students currently in school has been dealt a difficult hand, to say the least. Gen Z carries the burdens of wars, global warming, pandemics, gun violence, and all manner of injustices—all of this stress has led to a sense of hopelessness in many young people.

How can music teachers prevent apathy?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when it comes to supporting your students’ emotional needs. Teachers who intentionally acknowledge and make space for social and emotional learning are less likely to see apathy in their students.

Give opportunities for voice and choice. Allow students to make personalized goals for their improvement or assessment. Students are much more likely to be engaged in a topic, activity, or assignment if they had a hand in its creation.

Develop a culturally-responsive curriculum and culture. Cultural misunderstandings can lead to frustration that the teacher doesn’t “get” a student. When this happens again and again, it’s understandable for a student to give up caring. Be curious about how your students are different from you and each other; learn on your own, ask questions, and be humble enough to admit your mistakes. This will build your students’ confidence that their unique perspectives are important in your classroom—and that the work is worth their time.

Put music into context: This is great advice for any classroom, but it can do a lot to prevent apathy. For unfamiliar material, help students relate to the context of the music. Every song, piece, and melody has a story; make sure your students get to know it!

Keep expectations high for all students. It’s very easy to lower the goals for students who seem disengaged just to get them to achieve something. While it’s important to celebrate all the little “wins” for an apathetic student, it’s best to keep expectations high. If students sense that you are giving up on them, they will give up on you as well.

Demonstrate active listening. This has two purposes. One: Actively listening to your students and their families will keep your mind open to their realities, which is key to creating engagement. Second: Showing students what listening looks like (full attention, repeating back relevant information for clarification, taking action based on what you heard, etc.) will encourage students to demonstrate active listening in your classroom as well. It sets an expectation that when anyone in your class speaks, their voice is heard and valued.

Show that you know them and care about them. It is harder to act apathetic to someone who cares about you. How do you show your students that you know their realities and care about them? This is very personal to each teacher but typically includes active listening, asking for and receiving feedback, and being present for students.

How should teachers react to apathetic students?

Preventing apathy takes time, as does any culture shift in your classroom. If you’re already dealing with rampant apathy, you need to learn how to react in the moment.

Try not to take it personally. This is easier said than done, but it is critical to keep your cool when a student pushes your buttons with “I don’t care” or “This is stupid.” Rarely is apathy really about you personally. Getting angry with a student for being apathetic will only reinforce to them that their opinions don’t matter in your classroom, even if that isn’t true. Take a breath before you respond.

“I notice … ” This is a neutral way to start a statement about a student’s behavior or attitude. It takes the drama out of their initial statement or behavior and allows them to clarify what they meant. Do more listening than talking and allow for the student to fill in an awkward silence.

Find solutions together. While still honoring your classroom’s community agreements, work with students to find a solution. That might look like adjusting an activity or project parameters, creating a new classroom job or responsibility, or finding opportunities for play. Remember: Lowering expectations should not be the default solution.

Celebrate little wins. Assignments turned in on time? Amazing! Joined the class quickly on the carpet for story time? Great job! Little “wins” give your classroom a more positive spin for students who seem apathetic. But don’t overdo it; students can tell when you’re forcing positivity.

Provide responsibilities. Small responsibilities, like writing the date on the board or passing out music, give students a sense of purpose. It also shows the student that you trust them, building your rapport. For older students, you might engage them in non-musical activities like stage management, writing program notes, or writing lyrics.

Connect with their other teachers. Is this student only showing apathy in the music classroom, or is it pervasive throughout the day? This can give you (and the other adults in the student’s life) more clues about what is really going on. Armed with knowledge, you and their other teachers can more confidently advocate for support services if needed.

Music is uniquely suited to address apathy in students, as it more easily opens students to personal connections, but we are not immune to apathy in our classrooms. Students come to music class as whole and complex people; it is our job and privilege to get to know them individually for maximum engagement and joy in music class.

CITATIONS:

Collins, C., & Yeskel, F. (2005). Pushing Past the Achievement Gap: An Essay on the Language of Deficit. In Economic apartheid in America: A Primer on Economic Inequality & Insecurity. essay, New Press.

Emdin, C. (2021). Ratchetdemic: Reimagining academic success. Beacon Press.

Glaser, K. (1967). Masked depression in children and adolescents. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 21(3), 565–574. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1967.21.3.565

Miron, O., Yu, K.-H., Wilf-Miron, R., & Kohane, I. S. (2019). Suicide rates among adolescents and young adults in the United States, 2000-2017. JAMA, 321(23), 2362. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.5054

Roelofs, K. (2017). Freeze for action: Neurobiological mechanisms in animal and human freezing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 372(1718), 20160206. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2016.0206