Ryckman’s students identify with complex layers of culture and language. As first or second-generation Americans, some have a stronger identity with the United States than their family's native country. “My students speak Somali, Korean, Spanish, Swahili, Afrikaans, Kinyarwanda, Russian, Mandarin, French, Nahuatl, Vietnamese, and Arabic. However, some don't feel comfortable with that language at all. Some speak it but don't write it, some only feel comfortable speaking it at home, some families are very strict about learning English only, and others speak it all the time in school and at home,” she explained.

For Ryckman, understanding how each student is situated within the context of their family, paired with the history of language erasure within public schools and the U.S. in general, is critical for validating her students’ diverse experiences.

“There’s a ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus’ perception of Title 1 schools,” Ryckman said. “There’s no magic solution…really, it’s just me trying to be the guidepost and find out what the community is passionate about. Being creative and willing to learn new and different things to support the students and their interests is in my wheelhouse.”

Ryckman utilizes many methods for teaching music and reflects with her students on how each is rooted in specific parts of society and cultures. Her discussion of musical concepts sparks conversations in which her students evaluate information from multiple perspectives.

Her students’ final project is creating a cover of a song they get to choose. Ryckman notes this “opens space for my Spanish speakers to choose Spanish music, and it opens up space for my students who are Muslim or are African immigrants. It allows them to sing or play songs in their native language.”

“When we engage in standard notation and learn to read tabs, they ask, 'Why does standard notation even exist? When we learn how to improvise or learn chords and scales, they ask, 'Why does anyone do music this old way?' We talk about how different types of music and ways of notation fit different situations and how some methods have erased or devalued other methods,” says Ryckman.

They also talk about how varying skills and exposure to different contexts are strengths, a theme clearly at the center of her teaching.

Ryckman’s classes are the first formal music experience for some students. They bring so much worldly experience to the classroom, and these conversations bolster their musical confidence.

“When they understand that their musicianship does not depend on their ability to read notation, it unlocks potential typically shut down by systemic traditions in music education.”

“They see that they belong,” she said. They learn that music is for everyone. Music doesn't have to look or sound a certain way; it should bring you joy and bring people together.”

Ryckman also empowers her students to plan concerts, including song selection, adjusting instrumentation, and creating adaptations.

“Even my first- and second-year musicians are leading sectionals or whole group rehearsals, and it’s an opportunity for them to develop their identity as musicians and share their love for music. They have a pulse on what is exciting and interesting to their families and the rest of the school,” she said.

CSU flute student Karin Sotillo came to Denver from Venezuela in 2020 and was Ryckman’s student when she taught at Abraham Lincoln High School.

Since the school didn’t have a large ensemble, Ryckman gave Sotillo the opportunity to use her advanced musicianship and concert experiences to support her classmates by leading the guitar class in performing some music from her culture.

“The small guitar group was full of enthusiasm and motivation to interpret and perform the songs we learned in class,” said Sotillo, who has been playing guitar and singing her whole life.

“It’s a space where I relax, and that helps me concentrate better in my daily life, and I wanted to emphasize those values ​​within my class and for my close friends, sharing with them and making that space something musical and fun, just as I have experienced since I was little,” she said.

For Sotillo, Ryckman was instrumental in her decision to major in music.

“Those years were key to realizing I wanted to take the next step towards a musical career. Ms. Ryckman was always very kind to me and very supportive of my musical development. She let me know that I could count on her,” said Sotillo, who remembers how Ryckman helped her with the Colorado All-State Band flute audition and connected her with Dr. Ysmael Reyes, who is also Venezuelan and now Sotillo’s flute professor at CSU.

By adapting to the world around her, Ryckman is passing on the innovative skills she learned at Colorado State University and forging a spirit of collaboration, critical thinking, and leadership potential in the citizens of citizens.