Pride and Professionalism in Music Education

Author(s):  
Richard Colwell

This article explores what appears to be music educators' lack of pride for their chosen profession. Studies show that even before entering the profession, music education students prefer to be identified as something other than a music education major, such as a bassoonist or a tenor. To gain respect, many music educators pay more attention to events in education than to events in music. Attracting better individuals to the profession requires a perceptual change that emphasizes scholarship and musicianship in music education. Music education also needs self-criticism and professional argumentation for music educators to take pride in its “big picture.”

1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Wilson ◽  
Jan McCrary

Before and after completing a university course for teaching music to special education learners, master's-level music education students ( N = 18) were given a measure examining their attitudes toward students with disabilities. The survey instrument consisted of 20 statements describing five different groups of students; these were learners with emotional, physical, multiple, mental, or no impairments. The participants were directed to indicate strength of agreement or disagreement with the following statements: “I would feel comfortable in interacting with this individual,” “I would be willing to work with this individual,” and “I would feel capable in working professionally with this individual.” Results showed an increase in the participants' responses to the statement “I would feel more capable in working professionally” but a statistically significant decrease ( p < . 05) to the statement “I would be willing to work” with special-needs learners after the completion of training.


Author(s):  
David J. Teachout

This article discusses the “ecosystem” within music education that defines teacher education, and reminds educators of their obligation to give music education students the tools needed for them to supersede current practices. It argues that music education is encased in a “closed-loop” system, where teachers teach how they were taught; and where opportunities for transformative change rarely occur within teacher education programs. Breaking this cycle is a key to developing more effective music educators who can question past practices and deal with current and future realities.


Author(s):  
David J. Elliott

This article introduces the field called “the philosophy of music education,” or music education philosophy (MEP). The philosophy of music education is a relatively young field, with many music educators unaware of its existence, not to mention its nature and values. Indeed, specialized courses in MEP are still infrequent in undergraduate and graduate music education curricula in North America and most other nations. Nevertheless, there is a fairly sizeable and rapidly expanding international literature intended to (1) analyze, synthesize, debate, or “problematize” and “worry” all theoretical and practical aspects of music education and, thereby, to (2) inform teachers, university music education students, and scholars about fundamental concepts, conceptions, controversies, principles, and practices in school and community music education.


2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsey R. Williams ◽  
Somchai Trakarnrung

The purpose of this investigation was to acquire a better understanding of the decision-making process of Thai pre-service music education students and their expectations of their post-graduation professional activities. Demographic data was gathered as well as self-reported participant influences regarding choosing to major in music education. A free response question sought participants’ perception of their role as a music educator in their community. Results tended to mirror those of previous research. Emergent themes from the free response question included teacher behaviors, teacher traits, and student outcomes. These data may help to provide a better understanding of the pre-service music educators’ influences to become music educators, and their post-graduation expectations, as well as providing important information that may lead to possible revisions in current music education curricula in Thailand. Immediate and future relevance of the data and areas for further research were discussed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Prickett ◽  
Madeline S. Bridges

Following up on an earlier study, an audiotape of the tunes of 25 standard songs, assumed to be known by everyone who has finished 6th grade, was played for 135 undergraduate instrumental music education students and 79 undergraduate vocal/choral music education students. There was no significant difference in the ability of either group to identify the songs. The means for both groups indicated that neither had developed a strong repertoire of standard songs outside the college classroom. Several songs that music educators have stated are very important for children to learn could not be identified by even half the students in either group. It is recommended that professors preparing music education students for their future careers consider adding activities to music education courses that build a strong song repertoire.


1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Prickett ◽  
Madeline S. Bridges

An audiotape of the tunes of 25 standard songs assumed to be known by everyone who has finished Grade 6 was played for 273 undergraduate music therapy and music education students and 306 elementary education students who were beginning a music skills class. Music majors identified significantly more tunes than did elementary education majors, but the means for both groups indicated that neither had developed a strong repertoire of standard songs outside the college classroom. Several songs that music educators have stated are very important for children to learn could not be identified by even half the students in either group. It is recommended that those preparing elementary education students emphasize building a song repertoire and that those teaching music therapy and education students consider adding this goal to appropriate courses.


Author(s):  
Roger Mantie

Philosophies of assessment are rare, perhaps even more so in music education. This chapter, arranged in five “movements” intended to reflect various ways of examining assessment issues, considers prominent themes emerging from the music education assessment literature, such as accountability, authentic assessment, consequential validity, legitimacy, mandated testing, metaphor, power-knowledge, and self-determination. The author asks questions such as, To what extent should philosophical commitments be voluntary versus compelled? To what extent should music educators be able to collectively determine educative values and to what extent should others (policymakers, local communities) have a say in what should constitute valuable learning in music? A common theme throughout the chapter is the urge for caution and reflection so that well-intended assessment efforts do not undermine cherished goals for music education.


Author(s):  
Lauren Kapalka Richerme

Authors of contemporary education and arts education policies tend to emphasize the adoption of formal, summative assessment practices. Poststructuralist philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s emphasis on ongoing differing and imaginative possibilities may at first glance appear incompatible with these overarching, codified assessments. While Deleuze criticizes the increasing use of ongoing assessments as a form of control, he posits a more nuanced explanation of measurement. This philosophical inquiry examines four measurement-related themes from Deleuze’s writings and explores how they might inform concepts and practices of assessment in various music teaching and learning contexts. The first theme suggests that each group of connective relations, what Deleuze terms a “plane of immanence,” demands its own forms of measurement. Second, Deleuze emphasizes varieties of measurement. Third, those with power, what Deleuze terms the “majority,” always set the standard for measurement. Fourth, Deleuze derides continuous assessment. His writings suggest that music educators might consider that assessments created for one musical practice or style should not transcend their own “plane of immanence,” that a variety of nonstandardized assessments is desirable, that the effect of measurement on “minoritarian” musical practices must be examined carefully, and that it is essential to ponder the potentials of unmeasured music making.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Mara E. Culp ◽  
Karen Salvador

Music educators must meet the needs of students with diverse characteristics, including but not limited to cultural backgrounds, musical abilities and interests, and physical, behavioral, social, and cognitive functioning. Music education programs may not systematically prepare preservice teachers or potential music teacher educators for this reality. The purpose of this study was to examine how music teacher education programs prepare undergraduate and graduate students to structure inclusive and responsive experiences for diverse learners. We replicated and expanded Salvador’s study by including graduate student preparation, incorporating additional facets of human diversity, and contacting all institutions accredited by National Association of Schools of Music to prepare music educators. According to our respondents, integrated instruction focused on diverse learners was more commonly part of undergraduate coursework than graduate coursework. We used quantitative and qualitative analysis to describe course offerings and content integration.


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