"I Know You": First-Year Music Teachers' Experiences in a Majority–Students of Color District

• In Event: Race, Racism, and Representation in Music Education

Abstract

Participants in this study were first-year music teachers in an urban fringe, majority-SOC (students of color) district. Martin and Sarah were graduates of the same music teacher education program, though their K-12 backgrounds differed considerably. As a K-12 student, Sarah participated in youth orchestras and took private lessons in addition to her school orchestra classes, while Martin received no formal extracurricular music instruction prior to college. Commonalities in their collegiate preparation in combination with their contrasting backgrounds made these teachers ideal participants as I explored their a) commitment to teaching in MSD, b) reflections upon their own background experiences, c) experiences throughout their first year of teaching, and c) beliefs about their students’ potential for success in music.

Author

• Stephanie Prichard, University of Maryland - College Park