The primary purpose of this article was to establish the current state of mental health among music education majors. Music education majors across the United States ( N = 1137) self-reported indicators of depression, anxiety, and stress. According to the results, music education majors are highly busy, enrolling in an average of 16.5 credit hours (not including zero-credit courses) and rehearsing 9.75 hours a week; a majority of them also work for an average of 13 to 15 hours a week. Participants reported elevated levels of stress, with 57% exhibiting moderate to severe depression and over 70% exhibiting moderate to severe anxiety. We discuss the findings, provide implications for music teacher education, and share suggestions for future research.
The purpose of this survey study was to examine current admissions processes and assessment practices for music programs of National Association of Schools of Music member institutions. Representatives from 95 institutions responded to a researcher-designed questionnaire. Music education programs were perceived as being comparable to performance programs on admissions standards. We describe the current state of candidate assessment practices from matriculation through degree conferral, consider a range of assessment measures including gateway or barrier instruments, and pose critical questions about the use of such assessments to determine whether music education candidates are appropriately qualified to become P–12 music educators.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the existence and impact of budgetary cutbacks to music teaching positions and district funding in three Midwestern states, namely Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri. The results revealed cuts to staffing and district funding of music programs without a reduction in student enrollments in 2011-2012 following a downward trend the previous 3 to 4 years. Increases in teaching responsibilities and student fees were also trends. Based on collected data, staffing and budgetary reductions will continue to increase teacher workloads. Recommendations are provided for music education advocates, music teacher education programs, and state music education organizations to adapt to changing fiscal realities and needs of schools.
School–university partnerships continue to be of growing interest across the United States, especially in music education. This article examines a specific case of how engagement theory was used as a framework for establishing a musical collaboration in a current school–university partnership. As a result of this collaboration, the school, the university, and the community have equally embraced Instrument Night. The process from inception to delivery is described, and quotes are included from the director, superintendent, and preservice teachers in the program. When constructed carefully and thoughtfully, collaborative opportunities can be valuable connections that are mutually beneficial for universities and school districts.
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.
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