Promoting Joy in the Classroom

If you’ve been following updates from CAST and the evolving world of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), you may have noticed an exciting new addition to the framework in the summer of 2024—a guideline focused on joy. That’s right: joy is no longer just a welcome byproduct of good music teaching—it’s now a central principle of inclusive design. And if you’re a music educator, you’re in a uniquely powerful position to bring this to life. 

Let’s unpack what this means and how we can make it real in the general music setting. 

The updated UDL guidelines recognize joy as a key factor in engagement. Neuroscience and psychology have long affirmed what we know intuitively: students learn better when they feel safe, seen, and inspired. Joy isn’t fluff—it’s fuel. 

By intentionally designing learning environments where joy is invited, not just hoped for, we open up deeper access and connection for all learners. And in music? Joy is practically built into our toolkit. 

In a general music setting, joy can take many forms: 

• Singing freely without fear of judgment 
• Trying out instruments and discovering new sounds 
• Moving to music with abandon 
• Creating something unique and feeling proud of it 
• Feeling connected to others through shared rhythms or melodies 
• Being welcomed and valued for who you are and what your bring to the community of learners 
• Seeing yourself in the curriculum (composers featured, experts who are brought into the room, etc.) 

When students experience this kind of joy, they are more likely to engage meaningfully, take creative risks, and build a lasting relationship with music—and learning as a whole.

Here’s how we can intentionally design for joy in music class, aligned with the UDL framework: 

Let students choose between instruments, songs, or roles within an activity. Even simple choices—like “Do you want to start the rhythm pattern or echo it?”—can give students ownership. Choice leads to investment, and investment often leads to joy. 

Shift the focus from “getting it right” to “trying it out.” Celebrate effort, exploration, and uniqueness. Use phrases like, “That was a creative twist!” or “I love how you made that rhythm your own.” Build a classroom where joyful risk-taking is the norm. 

Start class with a “joyful warm-up” like a silly echo song, a movement game, or a short musical greeting where each student gets a turn to shine. These predictable, positive rituals support social-emotional safety and set a joyful tone. 

Introduce an unexpected musical guest (even a puppet!), play a song from students’ home cultures, or let them teach you a dance. These moments of novelty and recognition spark genuine joy and curiosity. 

Use visual supports, simplified patterns, and peer modeling so that every student can participate meaningfully. When students feel successful, joy follows. 

As educators, we’re not just facilitators—we’re emotional leaders in the room. When we model joy in our teaching—by singing with energy, dancing like no one’s watching, and responding with genuine delight—we give students permission to do the same. 

Bringing joy into the classroom isn’t an extra add-on—it’s a foundational part of designing inclusive, equitable learning spaces. With the new UDL guideline, we have the encouragement (and the framework) to take it seriously. 

And what better place to start than the music room? 

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Blog Post Contributor: Erin Zaffini