Perceptions of Beginning Teachers, Their Mentors, and Administrators Regarding Preservice Music Teacher Preparation

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen Conway
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
First Year ◽  
Preparation Program ◽  
First Year Teachers ◽  
Validity Of Results ◽  
Music Teacher Preparation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preservice music teacher preparation program at a large midwestem university (in this article called “BTU” for “Big Ten University”) through an examination of the perceptions of beginning teachers and their mentors and administrators. Primary research participants included seven first-year teachers from BTU's class of 1999 and seven first-year teachers from the class of 2000. Data from these participants included individual interviews, focus group interviews, teacher journals, classroom observations by the researcher, mentor interviews, administrator interviews, and responses on an open-ended “End-of-Year Questionnaire.”In addition, secondary participants (n = 11) completed the End-of Year Questionnaire regarding their first-year experiences and the teacher preparation program. Results and discussion include descriptions of the perceptions regarding the most valuable parts of preparation and the least valuable parts of preparation, as well as suggestions for preservice teacher preparation made by teachers, mentors, administrators, and the researcher. Issues of validity of results and transferability of findings to other settings are discussed in addition to possible implications for teacher education and music education program evaluation research.

Comparing Field-Teaching Experiences: A Longitudinal Examination of Preservice and First-Year Teacher Perspectives

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. Bartolome
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
First Year ◽  
Job Interviews ◽  
Observation Process ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Music Teacher Preparation

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine preservice and first-year music educators’ perspectives on fieldwork activities embedded within a music teacher preparation program. One cohort of students was tracked for 2.5 years as they participated in an elementary teaching practicum, fulfilled the student teaching internship, and ultimately entered the field. Drawing on data from a previous study of the same cohort’s perceptions of a service-learning project (2013), this report provides a comparative analysis of the students’ evolving perceptions of fieldwork over time. The perceived transfers of emergent skills and dispositions to the first year of practice also are explored with particular attention to the voices of first-year teachers. Findings suggested a wide range of benefits associated with each type of fieldwork, including overlapping and unique constructs. Perceived collective transfers included comfort and experience, habits of self-reflection, skills and knowledge for job interviews, and comfort with the observation process. These findings may assist higher education professionals as they design field-teaching activities and make informed decisions about best practices in music teacher preparation.

scholarly journals Collaboration of Researchers and Stakeholders: Transforming Educator Preparation

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 182
Author(s):  
Bobbette M Morgan ◽  
Alma D. Rodriquez ◽  
Irma Jones ◽  
James Telese ◽  
Sandra Musanti
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
First Year ◽  
Preparation Program ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
First Year Teachers ◽  
Educator Preparation ◽  
Educator Preparation Program

This study contributes to the literature on first year teachers by identifying complexities and struggles of becoming a teacher and the implications of district-university partnerships to strengthen our educator preparation program. The importance of partnerships with stakeholders, memorandum of agreements to share data, observations of first year teachers by university faculty, employer surveys, and the first year teacher’s perspectives about how well our university prepared them, as well as how they compare with other first year teachers nationally is addressed. Multiple sources of data were used to provide information about completers, individuals that graduated from the educator preparation program. These include state reports, national trends, and review of survey results next to universities across the United States involved in teacher preparation. Graduates of our teacher preparation program have a 93% retention rate after five years of teaching. The national average is 50% after five years. 

scholarly journals How Does Practice-Based Teacher Preparation Influence Novices’ First-Year Instruction?

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hosun Kang ◽  
Mark Windschitl
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
The Other ◽  
First Year ◽  
Opportunities To Learn ◽  
Preparation Program ◽  
First Year Teachers ◽  
Core Practices ◽  
Research Questions

Background/Context Teacher preparation suffers from a lack of evidence that guides the design of learning experiences to produce well-prepared beginners. An increasing number of teacher educators are experimenting with practice-embedded approaches to prepare novices for ambitious instruction. This study examines the role of core instructional practices introduced during preparatory experiences in shaping novices’ first-year teaching. Research design Employing a mixed-methods approach, we compare the first-year teaching of two groups of individuals with secondary science certification, one of which comprises graduates from a practice-embedded preparation program, and the other graduates from programs that did not feature practice-embedded preparation. A total of 116 science lessons taught by 41 first-year teachers were analyzed, focusing on the quality of student opportunities to learn (OTL) observed during the lessons. Research questions This study sought answers to two research questions: 1) What are the characteristics of students’ OTL from first-year teachers, one group of whom learned a set of core instructional practices during their preparation program and the other group of whom were not exposed to core practices? 2) Who provides opportunities for students to engage in meaningful disciplinary practices as outlined in the Next Generation Science Standards, during the first year of teaching, if any? How did they create such opportunities? Findings Independent-sample t-tests showed that there are significant mean differences between the two groups (t=3.1∼8.9; p <.001), on four metrics associated with their students’ opportunities to learn. In-depth qualitative case studies reveal two ways that core practices shape instruction in new teachers’ classrooms: (a) they support novices in formulating an actionable curricular vision as advocated by the science education community, and (b) they appear to help novices notice, attend to, and build upon students’ ideas in classrooms with the use of strategies and tools recommended by the program. Conclusions/Recommendations A focus on a set of strategic and intentional practices, designed to help teachers achieve rigorous and equitable learning goals, has potential as a curricular frame for teacher preparation. But the emphasis should be placed on the vision and pedagogical goals that underlie the core practices, rather than the ungrounded use of strategies or tools themselves.

scholarly journals Learning to Be Rural: Lessons about Being Rural in Teacher Education Programs

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Moffa ◽  
Erin McHenry-Sorber
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
First Year ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
First Year Teachers ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Program Of Study ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Community Types ◽  
Rural Place

This qualitative study investigated the evolving perceptions of rurality of five Appalachian native, first-year teachers as influenced by their teacher preparation program. Findings suggested tensions between participants’ rural upbringings and programmatic and non-rural peer conceptions of rurality that surfaced during their program of study. Responses to these tensions included participants positioning themselves as “rural representatives” in their courses and, in some cases, the adoption of revised conceptions of rurality. Intra-Appalachian diversity, such as different childhood community types and childhood social class, influenced participants’ conceptualizations of rurality and their perceptions of its representation in their programs. The majority of participants perceived a trend toward generalized notions of rural place that were not necessarily representative of their personal experiences. Transitioning to first-year teachers, participants relied on their community-driven knowledge and teacher preparation to guide their practice in home or new rural, Appalachian communities

Supporting Beginning Music Teachers: The Development of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association Mentorship Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 10-23
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Baumgartner
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Beginning Teachers ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Education Leaders ◽  
President Elect ◽  
Survey Responses

In the fall of 2016, leadership in the Oklahoma Music Educators Association (OkMEA) recognized the need for a formal, music mentorship program for beginning educators. I provide a detailed description of how the mentorship co-chairs, president, immediate past president, and president-elect of OkMEA designed and implemented a statewide music teacher mentorship program. Interviews, documents, and participant survey responses highlighted the rationale for program creation as well as characteristics of program design, recruitment, and implementation that resulted in successes and challenges during the first year. Music teacher educators and music education leaders charged with designing MEA-sponsored mentorship programs in other states should carefully consider how they address participant recruitment, mentor preparation, communication with and among program participants, community-building among beginning teachers, and long-term funding needed for program sustainability.

A Study of Some Results of an Educational Media Course within a Teacher Preparation Program

1976 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-203
Author(s):  
William McCavitt
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Physical Science ◽  
Behavioral Science ◽  
Student Evaluation ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
First Year ◽  
Instructional Media ◽  
Preparation Program

This study sought to examine one dimension of the on-the-job behavior of secondary public school teachers who have completed a teacher preparation program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. More specifically, the study examined the on-the-job behaviors and attitudes of these teachers in the following terms: (1) use of instructional media in the classroom, (2) use of instructional media in making student assignments, (3) use of instructional media in conducting student evaluation, (4) years experience (first year or fifth year teacher), (5) teaching area (behavioral science or physical science). The data revealed that differences do exist between the secondary teachers in the behavioral sciences in their attitudes toward and use of instructional media in student assignments and evaluation with physical science teachers scoring higher. Study data also seem to indicate that, regardless of the number of years of teaching experience teachers have, attitudes and uses of instructional media differ very little. It should be pointed out, however, that the attitudes and behaviors toward the use of instructional media by first year teachers, as shown by their mean scores, were slightly higher than those with five years teaching experience.

Band Project: A Model for Service Learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-45
Author(s):  
Laura K. Sindberg
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Instrumental Music ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Music Teacher Preparation

Real-world experiences, such as situated learning, fieldwork, and student teaching have been among the most prevalent examples employed in teacher preparation programs. Despite the increasing evidence in support of service learning in music teacher preparation, there are a limited number of models specific to instrumental music education. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of participants in one such model, called Band Project. Participants included preservice music educators, young band students, and one lead teacher who also served as the instrumental music teacher at the school. The research question that guided this investigation was as follows: In what ways do participants in an afterschool band project describe their experience? Four themes emerged from analysis of data: (a) Relationships and Community, (b) Challenges and Tensions, (c) Aspirations, and (d) Transformations. Findings reinforced the importance of service learning for preservice music educators, particularly amid growing concerns for cross-cultural awareness, inclusion, and social justice in music teacher preparation.

Music Teacher Preparation for Teaching Children With Exceptionalities

2019 ◽  
pp. 543-557
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Hourigan ◽  
Alice M. Hammel
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Music Teachers ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Music Teacher ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Music Teacher Preparation ◽  
Working Together

This chapter examines a framework for special education teacher preparation within music teacher education. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, as of the 2013–2014 academic year, 6.5 million students representing 13% of all public school children qualify for special education services. This was an increase from 4.7 million, or 11%, in 1990–1991. Music education and special education share similar challenges with teacher preparation. Finding, preparing, and developing a qualified workforce in special education presents one of the field’s biggest challenges. The first logical place to examine pathways to successful preparation for music teachers is the literature focused on teacher preparation in special education. Brownell (2005) proposes a framework for special education teacher preparation that includes crafting impactful field experiences, working together (collaboration), examining outcomes of teacher education, and focusing on inclusion and cultural diversity.

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