“So Much Better Now”: A Longitudinal Exploration of Early-Career Music Teachers’ Persistence

• In Event: Music Teacher Experiences and Retention

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore circumstances surrounding early-career music teachers’ persistence in their first three years of teaching. Specifically, I sought to understand the nature of teachers’ experiences with entering the profession in a time of crisis and the ways in which they navigated professional experiences throughout their first three years of teaching. Findings included a) stability of professional commitment in spite of fluctuation in teaching efficacy beliefs, b) importance of professional relationships and mentoring, and c) innovation in teaching and relationships as a facet of early-career teachers’ persistence. This study addresses the need for detailed, empirical accounts of early-career teachers’ experiences, in particular, the ways in which beliefs and experiences impact their persistence in the profession.

Author

• Stephanie Prichard, University of Maryland