From the Margins: The Underrepresentation of Black and Latino Students/Teachers in Music Education

There is an alarming gap between rising numbers of minority students and a shrinking minority teaching force. The purpose of this research was to explore the question: Why are so few students of color preparing to teach music in the public schools? Black and Latino music students and teachers who graduated from urban high schools in northern New Jersey were interviewed about their race/ethnic related experiences in college along with their ideas about the scarcity of music students of color in music teacher education. Data, presented in narrative form, indicated a complex web of factors that discourage high school students from considering a career in music teaching. Consequently, this research emphasizes the importance of listening to the voices of those who have been marginalized before suggesting solutions for how we recruit and educate students of color

Early Field Experiences in the Community

Traditional field experiences may not allow music education students the freedom to try their own teaching ideas. Lisa C. DeLorenzo describes the added benefits a community internship system has brought to her program

Sketches in Democracy : Notes from an Urban Classroom

https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/all_books/1277/thumbnail.jp

The Perceived Problems of Beginning Music Teachers.

The purpose of this study was to identify: (a) the perceived problems of beginning music teachers, and (b) the perceived usefulness of professional assistance offered during the first year of teaching. A 55-item questionnaire was developed and sent to beginning teachers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Results indicated that respondents felt reasonably comfortable with most of the teaching skills and responsibilities, with the exception of preparing a budget and continuing musical growth. In addition, music teachers at the secondary level identify recruitment as a concern, whereas general music teachers as well as those with combined areas of responsibility identified content/curriculum issues as problematic. In terms of assistance, beginning music teachers felt that mentor teachers and discussions with experienced colleagues provided greatest support during the first year of teaching. The discipline-specific nature of problems identified in the data suggests that collaboration with experienced music teachers is particularly important for beginning music teachers

A Field Study of Sixth-grade Students Creative Music Problem Solving Processes.

In this qualitative research study, the author examined the creative problem-solving processes of sixth-grade students in the general music class. Eight creative problem-solving activities were videotaped at four school sites. Starting with the assumption that problem solving involves a series of choices, the author analyzed the student\u27s chain of music decisions from problem perception through problem solution. Findings demonstrated that highly involved problem solvers explored and organized sound for its musical expressiveness, while uninvolved problem solvers rarely based their decision making on musical concerns. In addition, the problem structure and the student\u27s perception of the problem\u27s relevance seemed to influence the problem-solving process. The author concluded that structured exploratory experiences with related discussion, as well as problems that encourage students to determine their own forms in music, may facilitate higher levels of musical thinking

An Interview with Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

3 parts (2 v.) ; 34 cm. v. 1. Nos. 1-3.--v. 2. Nos. 4-6