The Learning Communities of Exemplary Mid-Career Elementary General Music Teachers

Learning communities were essential to the teaching practices of exemplary mid-career elementary general music teachers. Meaningful stories contributed insight into the teachers’ communities, career development, attitudes, and resilience. Accounts at a specific time in the teachers’ careers initiated documentation of elementary general music teachers’ career life cycle. Twenty-four exemplary mid-career elementary general music teachers were selected with combination criterion and snowball method. Teachers participated in a pre-interview descriptive survey and an interview. Most teachers allowed a classroom observation without students and submitted documents reflecting the incorporation of their learning community into their teaching. Research questions resulted in a description of their learning communities, meaningful experiences from their learning community, and how theses events influenced their teaching and their students’ learning. Data emerged in two forms: individual teacher profiles and four broad themes across all interviews: (a) Multiple Learning Communities, (b) Membership Rationale, (c) Professional Development, and (d) Job Satisfaction. The exemplary mid-career elementary general music teachers (a) were dedicated, (b) loved music and loved teaching music, (c) practiced systematic reflection, (d) responded to change, (e) revealed an intrinsic drive towards being a life-long learner, (f) sought their own professional development, (g) reflected upon their professional development needs, and (h) valued sharing with other teachers. The teachers’ learning communities were (a) diverse, (b) rich, (c) multiple, and (d) involved greatly with the teachers’ practices. Inspiration and adaptation to change were themes associated with lifelong learning. Developing teacher biography would lead to further knowledge about resilience and lifelong learning. Further research into the use of learning communities for sustainable professional development is requisite due to the high interest of the exemplary mid-career elementary general music teachers.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Pelletier, Christina L.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Flowers, Patricia

• Music Education
• Teacher Education
• Education
• Music Teachers
• Mid-Career Teachers
• Professional Development
• Learning Community
• Career Development
• Teacher Career Cycle
• Teacher Biography
• Lifelong Learning

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1365004386

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1365004386