String Music Educators’ Perceptions of the Impact of New String Programs on Student Outcomes, School Music Programs, and Communities

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Gillespie ◽  
Joshua A. Russell ◽  
Donald L. Hamann
Keyword(s):  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Programs ◽  
Music Business ◽  
Regular School ◽  
Music Program ◽  
School Music ◽  
School Day ◽  
String Programs ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of newly initiated string programs on teachers, schools, districts, communities, and existing music program administration and students. Research questions pertained to (a) locations, student access, and instructional offerings; (b) educators; and (c) perceived impact on student outcomes. Data from 64 participants were analyzed. Results indicated that new string programs were largely developed at the middle and high school levels, located in suburban (59%), urban (23%), and rural (18%) areas, with instruction held during the regular school day. The majority (86%) of teachers were credentialed string specialists. While participants cited some frustrations, such as scheduling difficulties and lack of performance facilities, they identified several benefits from the new programs, including increased student participation in all music programs, more student collaborative opportunities, increased community and local music business support, and the more comprehensive nature of the music curriculum.

Singing the Nation into Being: Teaching Identity and Culture at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn M. Sargeant
Keyword(s):  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Programs ◽  
Holistic Model ◽  
Art Programs ◽  
Math Scores ◽  
Local Newspapers ◽  
The Arts ◽  
School Music ◽  
Reading And Math ◽  
American Schools

Although music has long had a place in the school, its position has often been precarious, relegated to odd hours and odd locations, and starved of both funds and attention. While at times music and the arts have enjoyed considerable support, these subjects are often the last ones added and the first ones cut from the curriculum. Yet, the arts have passionate advocates as well, including parents and pedagogues who support a holistic model of education that emphasizes humanistic values and aesthetics as well as utilitarian training. Still, music educators have struggled to justify their subject, often relying on extrinsic arguments to support its inclusion in the curriculum. Music, one is told, helps students raise their reading and math scores, improves their self-discipline, and builds community. Such arguments are rarely persuasive to voters concerned with eliminating expensive “frills” or to officials trying to balance tight budgets and raise test scores. Local newspapers bear witness to this struggle, as music and art programs fight to stay alive in American schools. This story, so potent today, has a long history. It dates back to the nineteenth century and the very birth of school music programs. It crosses continents, having as much currency in Europe as it does in North America. Debates over music in the schools are nothing less than debates over the meaning and purpose of education. Music is not one of the “three ‘R's.” Yet, precisely because of music's peripheral

The State of Music in the Elementary School

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos R. Abril ◽  
Brent M. Gault
Keyword(s):  
Elementary School ◽  
No Child Left Behind ◽  
Music Education ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Music Programs ◽  
Educational Goals ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Music Program ◽  
School Music ◽  
Principals Perceptions

This study is an examination of school principals' perceptions of the elementary school music curriculum. A survey, mailed to 350 elementary school principals (61% response rate), was designed to answer the following questions: What are principals' perceptions of music learning outcomes and broad educational goals that result from school music instruction at their respective schools? How do they believe these should exist in ideal conditions? Is there a difference between principals' ratings for current and ideal conditions? To what degree do certain variables affect the music program? Results revealed that principals were generally satisfied with their music programs' ability to meet music education standards and broad educational goals. However, significant differences between the current and ideal conditions imply that they believe improvement is possible. Principals reported that the No Child Left Behind Act, budgets, standardized tests, and scheduling had the most negative effects on their music programs. September 15, 2005 November 30, 2005

scholarly journals Starting a Conversation about Trans and Gender-Expansive Persons

2021 ◽  
pp. 19-49
Author(s):  
Matthew L. Garrett ◽  
Joshua Palkki
Keyword(s):  
Gender Identity ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Programs ◽  
Gender Expression ◽  
School Music ◽  
Collaborative Music ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Arts Engagement

This chapter explores the need for music teachers to honor trans and gender-expansive (TGE) students participating in school music programs. Diversity enriches arts engagement, in part, by uniting individuality through communal and collaborative music experiences. School music diversity includes the LGBTQA population and, more specifically, TGE young persons. Music educators benefit from knowing and understanding the lived experiences of TGE young persons as a way to honor and celebrate their individuality. Concepts of gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, and attraction are discussed in an effort to frame a glossary of terms used throughout the book. The authors acknowledge historical contexts in which this text was written. A brief primer of intersectionality is provided to contextualize the complex identities of TGE persons.

The impact of a music education program on meta-musical awareness, logical-mathematical, and notational skills in preschoolers

2021 ◽  
pp. 025576142110272
Author(s):  
Oriana Incognito ◽  
Laura Scaccioni ◽  
Giuliana Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
General Domain ◽  
Music Program ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

A number of studies suggest a link between musical training and both specific and general cognitive abilities, but despite some positive results, there is disagreement about which abilities are improved. This study aims to investigate the effects of a music education program both on a domain-specific competence (meta-musical awareness), and on general domain competences, that is, cognitive abilities (logical-mathematical) and symbolic-linguistic abilities (notational). Twenty 4- to 6-year-old children participated in the research, divided into two groups (experimental and control) and the measures were administered at two different times, before and after a 6-month music program (for the experimental group) and after a sports training program (for the control group). Children performed meta-musical awareness tasks, logical-mathematical tasks, and emergent-alphabetization tasks. Non-parametric statistics show that a music program significantly improves the development of notational skills and meta-musical awareness while not the development of logical-mathematical skills. These results show that a musical program increases children’s meta-musical awareness, and their ability to acquire the notational ability involved in the invented writing of words and numbers. On the contrary, it does not affect the development of logical skills. The results are discussed in terms of transfer of knowledge processes and of specific versus general domain effects of a musical program.

The Value of Learning Collective Free Music Improvisation: Preservice Music Educators’ Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 40-53
Author(s):  
Hoon Hong Ng
Keyword(s):  
Music Teachers ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Curriculum ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Music Improvisation ◽  
Free Improvisation ◽  
Entrepreneurial Skills ◽  
School Music ◽  
Collaborative Skills

I conducted a case study to explore preservice music teachers’ behaviors, thoughts, and feelings when engaged in collective free music improvisation. Nine preservice music teachers were taught how to freely improvise within groups as part of a teacher education course and participated in interviews and focus group discussions. Major themes highlighted learning across three segments that emphasized communication and collaborative skills, entrepreneurial skills and risk taking, and reconciliation and transformation. I concluded that the sociomusical outcomes produced by collective free improvisation may complement those of more formal and idiomatic improvisation practices, and that by introducing preservice music teachers to free improvisation activities, they may be more willing to engage PK–12 students in free improvisation lessons that enhance the existing school music curriculum.

Music at Lincoln Junior High (Minneapolis) and the Lincoln Junior High Girls’ Band: 1923—1940

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-74
Author(s):  
Keitha Lucas Hamann
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Junior High ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Junior High Schools ◽  
Music Program ◽  
Music Model

Examination of the music opportunities available to students in the junior high schools of the early twentieth century lends historical perspective to current challenges facing middle level music educators. This article describes the specific music offerings at Lincoln Junior High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from the school opening in 1923 to 1940, when financial challenges forced the reorganization of the music program. In many ways, the music curriculum at Lincoln Junior High School in Minneapolis was exemplary of the music experiences found in other junior high schools. The required curriculum was based on the general music model of the elementary school and included music appreciation and a strong emphasis on the development of music reading skills. Extracurricular “clubs” provided performance opportunities for young adolescent musicians. Choruses focused on preparing large-scale productions such as operettas and musicals, while instrumental groups participated in contests and festivals. Performances for school assemblies and civic groups provide evidence of the importance of connections to the community for junior high schools. The formation of the Girls’ Band at Lincoln in 1924 was unusual. In the absence of direct evidence, I postulate possible explanations for the founding of this unique ensemble.

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