Perceived preparedness to teach over time: A longitudinal case study of instrumental music teachers

Abstract

Music teacher education programs are an integral part of preparing novice music teachers for a successful start to their careers. Despite that, many studies show that music educators often feel unprepared by their education. This three-and-a-half year longitudinal case study examined instrumental music educators’ perceptions of the preparation provided by their education as they completed university coursework and entered the profession. Participants were four instrumental music education majors who were in their upper-level courses at the beginning of the study and participants completed five focus group discussions. Participants were four instrumental music education majors who were in their upper-level courses at the beginning and participants completed five focus group discussions starting at the end of their third year, continuing through both semesters of their final year, and at the end of their first 2 years in the classroom. I identified three emergent themes from the data: the importance of authenticity and contextualization; the core practices of classroom management, secondary instrument knowledge/skills, and rehearsing ensembles were central to feelings of preparedness; and a shifting focus over time. Findings indicated various perceptions of preparedness and their connection to music teacher education experiences, including implications for future research.