“I’ve Sat in Your Seat Before”: The Lived Experiences of Three Black Women Music Educators

• In Event: Music Teacher Experiences and Retention

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of three Black women music educators through the framework of Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005). Analysis of data collected through Seidman’s (2006) 3-stage phenomenological interview model revealed three themes which represent the “essence” of participants’ experiences. The first, “Path to Teaching,” represented the formative experiences that shaped participants’ development. The second, “Navigating the Academy,” represented the experiences of participants during their collegiate programs. The final theme, “Pedagogical Approach,” represented the ways that participants wove aspects of their individual capital and experience into their pedagogical approach. Alignment of the data with the framework of Community Cultural Wealth and implications for music education are discussed.

Authors

• Marjoris V. Regus, Rutgers University

• Kate Fitzpatrick, University of Michigan

• Sean Grier, Durham, North Carolina