Elementary Music Teachers Research Articles

Identifying Elements of Inclusion: Interviews With Elementary Music Teachers About Their Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Each year, increasingly more children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are being served in schools. Many children with ASD are included in elementary music classrooms, but little is known about the experiences of these students and their teachers. For this study, we purposefully selected two elementary music teachers from participants in a survey about students with ASD. Semi-structured interviews with these teachers allowed us to identify elements necessary for creating a culture of inclusion and implementing the inclusion of students with ASD. Follow-up, in-class observations with one teacher confirmed interview findings. Overall, results from the teachers’ interviews suggested elements that could impede or facilitate elementary music teachers in their efforts to create a classroom culture of inclusion and implement inclusion using best practices from music education and special education. Findings also provide important implications for music teacher preparation programs and school policies and procedures.

A Collective Case Study of Elementary Music Teachers Integrating Modern Band into the Curriculum

The purpose of this collective case study was to examine how four elementary music teachers (from different U.S. regions) integrated modern band into their curricula. Data included semi-structured interviews, videos, emails, and a researcher journal. Teachers integrated modern band to improve student “buy-in” and to gain instruments. All started modern band with older students in Grades 4 to 6 or 3 to 5, with some expanding to younger grades. Instruments were accumulated over time through various forms of funding, with repertoire selection coming primarily from students. All participants used approximation and multiple access points for making music when teaching modern band. Challenges were teachers’ lack of knowledge and skills (playing modern band instruments and teaching rap and hip hop) and overcoming personal biases of popular music. Facilitating factors included access to training and resources and administrative funding and support. Implications include considerations for music teachers and music teacher educators.

Pentecostal Pedagogy and Musical Engagement: A Narrative Portrait

Abstract This narrative portrait of Michelle, a Bahamian elementary music teacher working in the southeastern United States, illustrates how Emdin's (2016) Pentecostal pedagogy might apply to music education. An element of Emdin's broader reality pedagogy, Pentecostal pedagogy emphasizes ways in which a teacher engages students in educational content by connecting with them emotionally, balancing structure and improvisation, utilizing knowledge about students’ backgrounds and interests to present material in meaningful ways, and fostering a sense of community. We chose narrative portraiture (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997) as a means to illustrate the vibrancy, flexibility, and holistic embodiment evident in Michelle's classroom. The research process was generative and iterative, with attention to elements of portraiture including context, voice, relationship, emergent themes, and the aesthetic whole. The portrait illustrates ways that Michelle exemplified tenets of Pentecostal pedagogy, including offering expressions of love juxtaposed with fierce musical expectations; using a variety of voice inflections and facial expressions to maintain student attention; emphasizing context; creating community; sequencing material to facilitate student openness to unfamiliar concepts; using call and response to assess and energize students; balancing structure and improvisation; and teaching for musical, intellectual, physical, and emotional transformation. This portrait depicts nuanced differences between merely teaching students “their” music within a traditional, Eurocentric pedagogy versus teaching a broad variety of genres with an engaging approach. Findings pave the way for broader discussions about how teachers from a variety of backgrounds might work with a variety of students.

Restorative Justice and Classroom Management in Elementary General Music Classrooms

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine elementary general music teachers’ familiarity with, agreement with, and perceptions of restorative justice practices. Participants ( N = 49) included practicing elementary general music teachers who were members of the California Music Educators Association, the Florida Music Educators Association, the Missouri Music Educators Association, the New England Orff chapter, and an Orff chapter in Southern California. Findings indicated that participants were moderately familiar with their perceived ideas of restorative justice. They reported moderately high levels of agreement with a restorative justice ideology but held largely negative perceptions regarding the approach and its implementation in elementary music classrooms. Results suggest that although many elementary music teachers generally agree with a restorative justice ideology, they face challenges in implementing restorative justice–based approaches in their classrooms. Administrative support, professional development opportunities, and future research on the topic are needed.

What I now know: a Black male educator’s story on success

ABSTRACT Black males leave the teaching profession higher than any other demographic. Additionally, there is a paucity of literature detailing what it will take for schools to retain and develop Black teachers according to Afrocentric epistemologies. Using Teacher Life Stories and Psychology of Black Success to ground the research, I explore my journey to success as a former elementary music teacher in an urban school educating high populations of Black and Brown students labeled incompetent. Findings from a 9-month autoethnographic study support the creation of a new critical autoethnographic (m)ode of research to story and analyze teachers’ positioned perspectives, (re)frame research and practice by attending to what is critical to researcher and participants through analysis of in-class interactions, and agentively (re)position lived experiences within broader historical and political contexts. If successful, critical autoethnographic (m)odes will foster much-needed wellbeing paths for writing and righting successful careers of teachers of color in education.

Inside Inclusive Elementary Music Classrooms: Teachers and Their Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are frequently included in regular music classrooms, yet little is known about teachers’ and students’ classroom experiences. We sent a 35-question survey to all members of the National Association for Music Education who had identified themselves as elementary music teachers. We received a total of 569 responses; we analyzed the results from 441 who taught in the United States and who completed the entire survey. Most teachers were positive about including students with ASD and confident in teaching them. Teachers who expressed greater confidence in teaching students with ASD had more instruction related to special education during their undergraduate preparation and collaborated with more professionals in their school settings. Teachers reported that students with ASD were included in most of the regular music curriculum, and interactions with classmates were reported to be positive. Implications for teacher preparation, collaboration, and students’ music learning are discussed.

Current Status and Actual Conditions of Elementary School Music Rooms and Music Teachers in Gunsan City

Current Status and Actual Conditions of Elementary School Music Rooms and Music Teachers in Gunsan City

Elementary General Music Performances and Teachers’ Perceptions of Stress

The purpose of investigation was to examine the perceptions of elementary music teachers concerning the preparation of elementary music performances and the impact on their perceived stress. Participants were practicing elementary general music teachers ( N = 3) representing three different elementary schools from a metropolitan area in the Midwest. All participants were interviewed twice over a period of two months via Zoom. Data were analyzed through an open coding process (Gibbs, 2007), which yielded three themes: time management, control, and isolation. Facets of time management included strategic planning, organizational techniques, and instructional time; control concerned scheduling, repertoire selection, equipment, and performance venues; and isolation pertained to relationships with colleagues and administrators and an overwhelming amount of responsibility. These findings indicate the importance of acknowledging various stressors affecting music educators and how those might positively and negatively affect teachers and students.

A multiple case study of elementary music teachers’ recognition and implementation of blended learning

A multiple case study of elementary music teachers’ recognition and implementation of blended learning

Music teachers’ understanding of blended learning in Korean elementary music classes

ABSTRACT As information and communication technologies (ICT) have been rapidly developed, the computers and internet are widely used in many fields. The purpose of this study was to examine music teachers’ experiences and perceptions of blended learning in elementary music classes. Using a multiple case study method, I observed four elementary music teachers in different schools located in Seoul, South Korea. The following research questions were addressed: (1) How do the elementary music teachers utilise blended learning in their music classes? (2) What are the challenges the music teachers face in implementing blended learning into their classes? and (3) What are the music teachers’ perceptions of blended learning that could be beneficial to their students and to their teaching? The results showed that the music teachers employed the station-rotation model of blended learning. This study also revealed that the teachers acknowledged educational effects of blended learning. Nevertheless, they shared concerns about motivational factors and teacher education for blended learning. It is suggested that continuing professional development is needed to increase the use of blended learning in Korean elementary music classes.

Elementary Music Teachers’ Experiences Training and Collaborating With Paraprofessionals

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary music teachers’ perceptions of paraprofessional participation in the classroom and to examine the extent to which instructors provided preparation for their paraprofessional colleagues. Five hundred and four members of the National Association for Music Education completed a 32-item survey utilizing a 3-point Likert-type scale ( strongly agree = 3, neither agree nor disagree = 2, strongly disagree = 1). Music teachers indicated that they need help with behavioral reinforcements and transitions in the classroom (e.g., entering, exiting, and moving between activities). They also needed paraprofessionals to adapt music activities for students spontaneously during class, but they provided little to no guidance or training for their colleagues. Out of 504 participants, only 8 (1.6%) indicated any kind of regular meetings with paraprofessionals and special education teachers outside the music classroom to discuss goals and strategies.

Beyond the workshop: An interpretive case study of the professional learning of three elementary music teachers

This article outlines the methodology and findings from an interpretive collective case study exploring the professional learning of three elementary music teachers. Participants were purposefully selected based on their differing career stages, background, and teaching situations, and each participant was interviewed five or six times over the course of the 5-month study. Additional data sources included field notes from classroom observations, a variety of artifacts provided by the participants, and responses to Pre-Interview Activity prompts. Through hermeneutic analysis of individual case data related to each participant’s teaching and experience of professional learning, participants were found to have a variety of highly personalized learning processes which they used as mechanisms for their ongoing professional growth. Cross-case analysis revealed three larger themes related to the participants’ professional learning: (1) The quality of the participants’ learning was always instrumental and related to specific personal goals for/issues in practice; (2) meaningful professional learning had a temporal element and was characterized by continuity; and (3) the participants’ professional learning was social in nature.

“Anything Is Better than Nothing!” Inservice Teacher Preparation for Teaching Students with Disabilities

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to examine three elementary music teacher’s perceptions of preparation to work with students with disabilities. Research questions included the following: How do elementary general music teachers define preparedness for working with students with disabilities? What challenges do elementary general music teachers face in their work with students with disabilities? What resources do general music teachers identify as helpful? Based on major themes that emerged from the analysis, I concluded general music teachers need more preservice preparation and ongoing professional development focused on students with disabilities, more time to collaborate with special education professionals, more consistent communications and recommendations about how to work with students who have disabilities, and access to assistive technologies.

A Cultural Immersion Field Experience: Examining Preservice Music Teachers’ Beliefs About Cultural Differences in the Music Classroom

While the United States is becoming increasingly diverse with regard to race, ethnicity, primary language, religion, and culture, many educators feel unprepared to teach students from socioculturally diverse backgrounds. In this case study, I explored the impact of a cultural immersion field experience on preservice music educators’ beliefs and assumptions about teaching students whose backgrounds differ from their own. Nine undergraduate music education majors were placed with one of two elementary music teachers in a community that has a large proportion of Arab and Muslim Americans and immigrants. Participants did not immediately recognize the ways in which culture affected music teaching and learning. Through firsthand experiences in classrooms and the local community, however, they developed greater empathy for and understanding of Arab and Muslim students, began to recognize their own implicit biases, and developed a deepened understanding of the impact of culturally responsive teaching in the music classroom.

“Everybody has something”: One teacher’s beliefs about musical ability and their connection to teaching practice and classroom culture

The purpose of this case study was to explore one elementary music teacher’s beliefs about the nature of musical ability and the ways in which these beliefs relate to actions and lived experiences in the classroom. Data included extensive classroom observations documented through fieldnotes and video footage, semi-structured interviews, teacher journal entries, teaching artifacts, and researcher memos. Three themes emerged from the data: (a) enabling success for all; (b) power of the learning environment; and (c) encouraging lifelong engagement with music. The findings of this study suggest that music educators’ beliefs about students’ musical abilities relate to their actions in the music classroom, their interactions with students, and their beliefs about the purpose of music education. Music educators should reflect on their beliefs, the ways in which they relate to teaching practice, and the impact they may have on students’ musical achievement and musical identity development. Additionally, music teacher educators should consider the role they might play in helping pre-service as well as in-service music teachers examine and possibly reshape their beliefs about music teaching and learning.

Critiquing the Critical: The Casualties and Paradoxes of Critical Pedagogy in Music Education

In the twenty-first century, many music education scholars seek to reconceptualize music education toward social justice. Critical pedagogy is at the fore-front of this shift. However, as teachers aim toward equity through employing critical pedagogy, some undesired effects of using this teaching approach may arise. In this paper, I consider the problematic side of critical pedagogy and ask two important questions: Are there any restrictions or limits placed on who can enact critical pedagogy in music education? And are there any so-called casualties of critical pedagogy in music education or in education more generally? To consider these questions philosophically, I employ a critical race lens to explore tenets of critical pedagogy and their applications to music education, as illustrated in the ideas and practices of four elementary music teachers who strove to challenge dominant paradigms of music education. By examining critical pedagogy in music education with a critical lens, I seek to illuminate the philosophical complexities and paradoxes of engaging critical pedagogy in the classroom.

Toward a New Vision of Equality: Perspectives of Male Teachers in the Elementary Music Classroom

Research concerning men working in predominantly female environments has suggested that stereotyping can occur when gender norms are violated, such as men teaching at the elementary school level. The present study investigated the presence and perspectives of male elementary school music teachers in specific geographical regions of the Northeastern United States. A qualitative analysis of six public school districts representing multiple states in the Northeastern United States revealed that women still hold a majority among elementary music teachers. Interviews were then conducted with three selected male elementary music teachers to determine if any of them felt discriminated or marginalized among their female colleagues. While these men did claim that their masculinity indeed caused various issues relating to male discrimination, all three felt content with their positions regardless of their gender identification.

Emotional Competence in Elementary Music Teaching

Emotional Competence in Elementary Music Teaching

Do You Really Want to Know? Elementary Music Personnel and Potential in Utah

This is the second of two articles reporting the results of a study by the author regarding the status of elementary music education in the state of Utah. This article focuses on the qualifications of Utah's elementary music teachers (music certified, elementary classroom certified, artists-in-residence, volunteers, and paraprofessionals) and the conditions under which they teach. Interactions among teacher qualifications and teaching status are explored. Paraprofessionals play a significant role in Utah's elementary music programs. While over 90 percent of elementary schools in the United States provide regular music instruction taught by certified music specialists, less than 10 percent of Utah's elementary population receives such instruction. Nearly half of the elementary students in the state receive no designated music instruction beyond that provided by their regular elementary classroom teacher. The influence of school funding, No Child Left Behind and other accountability measures, high-stakes testing, urban/rural populations, and leadership are highlighted. Policy considerations are discussed.

Considering Culturally Responsive Teaching, Children, and Place in the Music Room

In this article, the author explores how culturally responsive teaching and the concept of children and place relate in the music room. The article begins with a brief explanation of both culturally responsive teaching and children and place. Through the use of anecdotes and ideas to consider, this article provides elementary music teachers with practical suggestions to use in the music room. It also provides opportunities for music teachers to reflect on their current practices with another frame of reference.