Journal of Music Teacher Education

With the intent of informing music teacher education this study aimed to better understand American preservice music teachers’ experiences with and attitudes toward different music genres. The researcher developed and administered a 17-question survey to undergraduate music education majors (N = 124) at eight American universities in the Midwest and Northeast. These music education majors had predominantly classical music performing experiences, and listening activities, and they found Western art music (e.g., classical, jazz) to be most appropriate for use in school music programs. Implications for postsecondary music education curricula and acceptance requirements of programs are offered.

The purpose of this replication and extension study was to examine how teacher delivery and student progress influenced experienced teachers’ perceptions of overall teaching effectiveness. Participants (N = 60 experienced music teachers) viewed 12 private lesson excerpts that included four separate conditions: (a) high teacher delivery and more student progress, (b) high teacher delivery and less student progress, (c) low teacher delivery and more student progress, and (d) low teacher delivery and less student progress. Participants rated teacher delivery, student progress, student musicianship, teacher knowledge of subject matter, and overall teaching effectiveness for each private lesson excerpt. Teaching excerpts with high teacher delivery were rated as more effective than excerpts with low teacher delivery, irrespective of student progress. Results of a multiple regression indicated that teacher delivery was the largest predictor for experienced teachers’ ratings of overall teaching effectiveness, followed closely by student progress.

Birdsong as a phenomenon falls at the intersection of two disciplines: ecology and music. The shared space includes bird vocalizations and musical patterns that comprise these vocalizations. The connection between natural sounds and human music has recently garnered attention from both scientists and musicians; however, thematic-based curricular connections between the science of birdsong and musical concepts have yet to be fully explored in research settings. To address this, a fifth-grade curriculum unit combining ecology and music was developed within the organizing theme of Birdsong. Inquiry-based learning guided engagement of students and teachers; the culminating project was student-composed birdsongs. The researchers examined what issues arose when integrating two disciplines, what issues arose when integrating two disciplines, how a curriculum unit based on birdsong differs when students experience problems from dissimilar viewpoints, and how projects can require inquiry-based learning. Implications for teacher preparation are included.

This study documented over contiguous 7-day periods the phonation time dose (Dt) percentages, sleep patterns, and self-reported voice health of preservice music educators (N = 8). Among primary findings, (a) Dt percentages were highest during voice lessons (38.51%), voice practice (34.54%), and choral rehearsals (30.33%) and lowest during nonperformance music classes (6.19%) and nonmusic classes (3.21%); (b) participant Dt percentages ranged from 6.87% to 13.52% overall and 5.93% to 16.93% during school activities; (c) participant daily Dt percentages ranged from 2.36% to 23.95%, (d) self-reported sleep hours displayed a statistically significant, low-positive correlation to self-reported overall singing voice quality; (e) 7 of 10 self-reported voice health indicator statements showed significant correlations to self-reported overall singing voice quality; and (f) participants reported better voice care on the weekend than on weekdays. Results were discussed in terms of comparisons with practicing educators, vocal rest, and implications for music teacher curricula.

The purpose of this multiple instrumental case study was to explore how four high school instrumental music educators assuming the role of facilitative teacher prepared to respond to challenges affecting the social and emotional well-being of their students. The four participant instrumental music educators had a reputation as being caring and having positive professional relationships with their students, represented diverse settings, and had at least 10 years of instrumental music teaching experience. Findings included (a) formative elements leading to the instrumental music educators’ preparation to support included experience, demonstration of care by influential people, parenthood, professional development, and participation in this study and (b) the instrumental music educators experienced challenges associated with providing support, including quantity of challenges, time commitment, and lack of school assistance. Suggestions for teacher educators and in-service professional development are included.

Undergraduate instrumental music education majors (N = 18) taught a series of 5-minute lessons to an ensemble of their peers. Investigators compared participants’ written lesson plans with activities demonstrated during teaching, and calculated frequencies and durations of teacher episodes, student episodes, and overall rates of pacing. Results suggest that although written plans tended to contain vague and nonspecific language, participants relied on their lesson plans during teaching in terms of general content. Analysis of teacher time use indicated that participants were able to significantly reduce teacher talk time and reduce latency time at the beginning of lessons. Findings are similar to previous research in some areas of time use but contrast with results of previous research in relation to participants’ reliance on lesson plans during teaching. The authors use these results to recommend deeper investigation into the nature of transfer of learned lesson-planning skills across various teaching contexts.

The music education profession needs the best and brightest students with potential to be excellent music educators to choose music education as a profession. Past research has identified several influences in the career choice of music educators, including important others in students’ lives. In particular, high school music teachers appear to influence the career choices of students who choose to major in music education. The present study surveyed a purposeful sample of high school music teachers to help illuminate these important others’ beliefs and actions on students’ music education career choices. Students’ love of music and their in-school experiences were perceived to highly influence career choice; direct encouragement and identifying students with a love and passion for music were frequently identified strategies. Through increased understanding of the career choice process, music teacher educators can work most effectively with K–12 teachers in music teacher recruitment efforts.