Dr. Shelley Griffin

Professor (BMus, MEd, PhD), Department of Educational Studies

Contact for Availability for Graduate Advisement

Office: WH 169
St. Catharines, ON
905 688 5550 x5370
[email protected]

Dr. Shelley Griffin is a faculty member in Elementary Music Education in the Department of Educational Studies. She is the 2019 recipient of the Brock University Faculty of Education Award for Excellence in Teaching. She frequently presents at Canadian and international conferences on music education, arts education, and teacher education.  

Griffin’s independent and collaborative research is published in several journals and edited collections. Griffin’s (2023) co-edited book, Traumas Resisted and (Re)Engaged: Inquiring into Lost and Found Narratives in Music Education (Springer) uniquely merges the field of trauma studies and narrative inquiry in music education. Through collaborating with international authors, the book focuses on the traumatic experiences within and through music that individuals and collectives face, while considering ways they (re)engage with their traumas in educational settings. 

In addition to her teaching and scholarship, Shelley is an active musician in the Niagara region, performing regularly as a vocalist with Avanti Singers.  

Griffin obtained her PhD and MEd from the University of Alberta, and her BMus from the University of Prince Edward Island. She has taught in the Department of Music for the University of Prince Edward Island and in the Department of Elementary Education for the University of Alberta. Prior to university teaching, Griffin taught grades 1-9 music and grade 1/2 classroom with the Public Schools Branch (former Western School Board), Prince Edward Island.

Research Interests

  • Pre-service music teacher education
  • Children’s narratives of musical experiences
  • Arts education
  • Narrative inquiry
  • Vulnerability and emotional pedagogy
  • Informal faculty mentorship
  • Collaborative scholarship

Professional Affiliations and Accreditation/Certification

Member of:

  • International Society for Music Education (ISME) 
  • Canadian Music Educators’ Association (CMEA) 
  • National Association for Music Education (NAfME) 
  • Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE) 
  • American Educational Research Association (AERA) 
  • Ontario Music Educators’ Association (OMEA) 
  • Carl Orff Canada (COC)

Certification

  • Orff Schülwerk Level, I, II, and III

Recent Publications

Edited Book

Griffin, S. M., & Niknafs, N. (Eds.) (2023). Traumas resisted and (re)engaged: Inquiring into lost and found narratives in music education. Edited book collection following co-chairing and co-hosting the 7th International Conference on Narrative Inquiry in Music Education (NIME7). In L. Bresler (Series Ed.), Landscapes: the arts, aesthetics, and education (Vol. 36). Singapore: Springer Nature. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-99-6277-8 

Chapters Contributed to Edited Books

Griffin, S. M., & Niknafs, N. (2023). Locating profound sensitivity and high intensity in facing trauma in music education. In S. M. Griffin & N. Niknafs (Eds.), Traumas resisted and (re)engaged: Inquiring into lost and found narratives in music education (Vol. 36, pp. 1–15). In L. Bresler (Series Ed.), Landscapes: the arts, aesthetics, and education. Singapore: Springer Nature. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-6277-8_1 

Griffin, S. M. (2023). When grief takes hold. Unravelling narrative beginnings. In S. M. Griffin & N. Niknafs (Eds.), Traumas resisted and (re)engaged: Inquiring into lost and found narratives in music education (Vol. 36, pp. 19–34). In L. Bresler (Series Ed.), Landscapes: the arts, aesthetics, and education. Singapore: Springer Nature. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-6277-8_2 

Niknafs, N., & Griffin, S. M. (2023). The conceivable traumas of narrative inquiry in music education. In S. M. Griffin & N. Niknafs (Eds.), Traumas resisted and (re)engaged: Inquiring into lost and found narratives in music education (Vol. 36, pp. 203–211). In L. Bresler (Series Ed.), Landscapes: the arts, aesthetics, and education. Singapore: Springer Nature. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-99-6277-8_11 

McCabe, A., & Griffin, S. M. (2023). Inside the online location: Inquiring into musical narratives through PhD mentorship. In B. A. Andrews (Ed.), Arts education: A global affair (pp. 172–189). In J. Baldacchino (Series Ed.), Doing arts thinking: Arts practice, research and education (Vol. 13). Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004685253_011 

Winters, K-L., Griffin, S. M., & Ismailos, L. (2023). Synchronicities and tensions in and outside of elementary classrooms: Perspectives on building collaborative, artful experiences. In H. Mreiwed, M. R. Carter, S. Hashem, & C. H. Blake-Amarante (Eds.), Making connections in and through arts-based educational research (Vol. 5, pp. 257–269). In Q. Cutts & W. S. Gershon (Series Eds.), Studies in arts-based education research. Singapore: Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-19-8028-2_19   

Griffin, S. M., Winters, K-L., Vietgen, P., McQueen-Fuentes, G., & Rowsell, J. (2020). Constructions of arts zones: Inclusions of diverse learners through artistry and literacy. In B. W. Andrews (Ed.), Perspectives on arts education research in Canada, Vol II: Surveying the landscape (pp. 1–25). Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. https://brill.com/display/book/9789004431409/BP000001.xml 

Research and Project Funding

Internal Grants

Griffin, S. (2019, January). Beyond school: Exploring artistic lives of children. (Part II: Extending Ongoing Research). Brock University, Faculty of Education Research and Development Grant. ($1000). Purpose: research materials, videographer services, interview transcribing, editing.

Griffin, S. (2018, April). Beyond school: Exploring artistic lives of children. Brock University, Faculty of Education Graduate Research Assistance Development Fund. (60 hours). Purpose: literature review, publishing assistance, analysis, transcribing, editorial assistance.

Griffin, S. (2018, January). Beyond school: Exploring artistic lives of children. Brock University, Faculty of Education Research and Development Grant. ($1000). Purpose: research interview transcribing, editing, research materials.

Griffin, S. (2014, September). The musical lives of children: Part 2. Brock University, Faculty of Education Research and Development Grant. ($1000). Purpose: research interview transcribing.

Griffin, S. (2012, May). Teacher candidates’ music experiences: Narratives shaping practice. Brock University, Faculty of Education Research Funds Initiative 2011–2012 Grant. ($3465.06). Purpose: literature review, qualitative analysis, manuscript preparation.

Refereed External Grants

Bartel, L. (Principal Investigator) with 9 Ontario co-investigators, 21 collaborators (including Griffin, S.), and 13 partners (June 1, 2015-May 31, 2016). Addressing our creativity deficit: Building creative ability in youth through multimodal-literacy-focused music creation. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grant. ($20,000).

Rowsell, J. (Principal Investigator) with collaborators Pahl, K., Larsen, J., Gutierrez, K., Griffin, S., Winters, K-L, Vietgen, P, McLauchlan, D., & McQueen-Fuentes, G. (2013, June). Community Arts Zone (CAZ): Projects linking literacy, community, and the arts. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Coucil (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant. ($72,621).

Courses Taught

  • EDBE 8Y25: Arts In and Across the Curriculum (Primary/Junior Music)  
  • EDBE 8Y26: Arts In and Across the Curriculum (Junior/Intermediate Music)