Choral Directors’ Experiences with Gender-Inclusive Teaching Practices Among Transgender Students

As adolescent gender identity expands to encompass non-binary forms of gender expression in contemporary social contexts, some music educators are beginning to examine their role in fostering an environment that is affirming of gender diversity. Anecdotal observations of choral music practices in US schools indicate some changes occurring in the naming of ensembles, the categories used to describe voicing of choral music, the gender terminology used by choral directors during instruction, and overall program structure and function. The purpose of this study was to examine school choral directors’ self-reported gender-inclusive teaching practices and confidence in teaching transgender students. Gender inclusive teaching practices reported in extant research were used to develop an online survey instrument for data collection. The survey contained a total of 39 items including questions regarding experience teaching singers who identify as transgender, gender inclusive instructional practices, and confidence in teaching students who identify as transgender. Study participants were choral directors (N = 227) currently teaching in secondary schools in the United States. Results indicated that a majority of participants were currently engaging in gender-inclusive teaching practices and that they had moderate confidence in the use of these approaches. Participants reported use of gender-inclusive language as an area of high confidence and the impact of medical and non-medical interventions on the singing voice as an area of least confidence. Results also suggested that choral directors who engaged in formal training experiences such as professional development, conference presentations, or in the context of a college course, reported higher levels of confidence in their ability to teach a singer who identified as transgender.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Music Education (UMKC)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri -- Kansas City

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Cates, Dustin Stephen

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Robinson, Charles R. (Charles Rufus)

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10355/68825

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/68825