Effects of Student Teaching on the Classroom Management Beliefs and Skills of Music Student Teachers

Abstract

This study provided a basis for answering two questions: (1) Does the music student teaching experience affect student teachers' classroom management beliefs and skills; and (2) As a result of student teaching, do the classroom management beliefs and skills of student teachers and their cooperating teachers become more congruent? Forty-seven music student teachers from two universities and 47 cooperating teachers comprised the sample population. Data were collected on the subjects' classroom management beliefs and skills before and after the 8-week student teaching experience. Multivariate analysis of variance results indicated that the student teaching experience did not affect the student teachers' classroom management beliefs and skills, and student teachers did not become more like their cooperating teachers wtih regard to classroom management beliefs and skills. The results raise questions regarding the effectiveness of cooperating teachers in assisting their trainees in the area of classroom management.