Encouraging Students to Consider Music Education as a Future Profession. Issue 2 (February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Porter, Ann M.; Payne, Phillip D.; Burrack, Frederick W.; Fredrickson, William E.
• Is Part Of: Journal of music teacher education. Volume 26:Issue 2(2017:Feb.)
• Page Start: 12
• Page End: 24
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Subjects: preservice teachers -- in-service teachers -- music education majors -- music teacher preparation -- recruitment; School music -- Instruction and study -- Periodicals; Music teachers -- Training of -- Periodicals; 780.71
• DOI: 10.1177/1057083715619963
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1057-0837

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes, communication, and opportunities provided by music teachers to encourage consideration of the music teaching profession. Survey participants ( N = 436) were music educators from the Southeast (235), Midwest (51), and Southwest (149) National Association for Music Education regions of the United States. Fifty-two percent of respondents reported encouraging students to explore the music teaching profession, one third reported uncertainty about their encouragement of a music education career, and 21% indicated active discouragement. Personal job satisfaction, student music abilities, and constraints/forces outside the profession were factors for respondents who discourage students from the profession. A majority reported providing opportunities to explore the profession as a viable career option and those experiences reflected the authentic practices of the teaching profession. Professional development opportunities for in-service teachers in the encouragement of students toward music teaching should be strongly considered.