The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support
abstract: This study utilized symbolic interaction as a framework to examine the impact of mobility on four veteran elementary general music teachers' identities, roles, and perceptions of role support. Previous research has focused on teacher identity formation among preservice and novice tea...
Other Authors: | |
---|---|
Format: | Doctoral Thesis |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2011
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.8937 |
id |
ndltd-asu.edu-item-8937 |
---|---|
record_format |
oai_dc |
spelling |
ndltd-asu.edu-item-89372018-06-22T03:01:28Z The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support abstract: This study utilized symbolic interaction as a framework to examine the impact of mobility on four veteran elementary general music teachers' identities, roles, and perceptions of role support. Previous research has focused on teacher identity formation among preservice and novice teachers; veteran teachers are less frequently represented in the literature. Teacher mobility research has focused on student achievement, teachers' reasons for moving, and teacher attrition. The impact of mobility on veteran teachers' identities, roles, and perceptions of role support has yet to be considered. A multiple case design was employed for this study. The criteria for purposeful selection of the participants were elementary general music teachers who had taught for at least ten years, who had changed teaching contracts and taught in at least two different schools, and who were viewed as effective music educators by fine arts coordinators. Data were collected over a period of eight months through semi-structured interviews, email correspondence, observations, review of videotapes of the participants' teaching in previous schools, and collection of artifacts. Data were analyzed within and across cases. The cross-case analysis revealed themes within the categories of identity, role, and role support for the participants. The findings suggest that the participants perceived their music teacher roles as multi-dimensional. They claimed their core identities remained stable over time; however, shifts in teacher identity occurred throughout their years as teachers. The participants asserted that mobility at the start of their careers had a positive impact because they each were challenged to solidify their own teacher identities and music teacher roles in varied school contexts. Mobility negatively impacted role and teacher practices during times when the participants adjusted to new school climates and role expectations. Role support varied depending upon school context, and the participants discovered active involvement in the school community was an effective means of seeking and acquiring role support. Reflection experiences in music teacher preparation programs, as well as mentoring and professional development geared toward teacher identity formation and role maturation, may assist teachers in matching their desired school context with their teacher identities and perceptions of the music teacher role. Dissertation/Thesis Gray, Lori Frances (Author) Stauffer, Sandra (Advisor) Schmidt, Margaret (Advisor) Stauffer, Sandra (Committee member) Schmidt, Margaret (Committee member) Sullivan, Jill (Committee member) Bush, Jeffrey (Committee member) Tobias, Evan (Committee member) Arizona State University (Publisher) Music Education Teacher Education Higher Education Identity Mobility Music Teacher Role Role Support Symbolic Interaction eng 349 pages D.M.A. Music Education 2011 Doctoral Dissertation http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.8937 http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ All Rights Reserved 2011 |
collection |
NDLTD |
language |
English |
format |
Doctoral Thesis |
sources |
NDLTD |
topic |
Music Education Teacher Education Higher Education Identity Mobility Music Teacher Role Role Support Symbolic Interaction |
spellingShingle |
Music Education Teacher Education Higher Education Identity Mobility Music Teacher Role Role Support Symbolic Interaction The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support |
description |
abstract: This study utilized symbolic interaction as a framework to examine the impact of mobility on four veteran elementary general music teachers' identities, roles, and perceptions of role support. Previous research has focused on teacher identity formation among preservice and novice teachers; veteran teachers are less frequently represented in the literature. Teacher mobility research has focused on student achievement, teachers' reasons for moving, and teacher attrition. The impact of mobility on veteran teachers' identities, roles, and perceptions of role support has yet to be considered. A multiple case design was employed for this study. The criteria for purposeful selection of the participants were elementary general music teachers who had taught for at least ten years, who had changed teaching contracts and taught in at least two different schools, and who were viewed as effective music educators by fine arts coordinators. Data were collected over a period of eight months through semi-structured interviews, email correspondence, observations, review of videotapes of the participants' teaching in previous schools, and collection of artifacts. Data were analyzed within and across cases. The cross-case analysis revealed themes within the categories of identity, role, and role support for the participants. The findings suggest that the participants perceived their music teacher roles as multi-dimensional. They claimed their core identities remained stable over time; however, shifts in teacher identity occurred throughout their years as teachers. The participants asserted that mobility at the start of their careers had a positive impact because they each were challenged to solidify their own teacher identities and music teacher roles in varied school contexts. Mobility negatively impacted role and teacher practices during times when the participants adjusted to new school climates and role expectations. Role support varied depending upon school context, and the participants discovered active involvement in the school community was an effective means of seeking and acquiring role support. Reflection experiences in music teacher preparation programs, as well as mentoring and professional development geared toward teacher identity formation and role maturation, may assist teachers in matching their desired school context with their teacher identities and perceptions of the music teacher role. === Dissertation/Thesis === D.M.A. Music Education 2011 |
author2 |
Gray, Lori Frances (Author) |
author_facet |
Gray, Lori Frances (Author) |
title |
The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support |
title_short |
The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support |
title_full |
The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support |
title_fullStr |
The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Impact of Changing Teaching Jobs on Music Teacher Identity, Role, and Perceptions of Role Support |
title_sort |
impact of changing teaching jobs on music teacher identity, role, and perceptions of role support |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.8937 |
_version_ |
1718699267206414336 |