Date

8-6-2025

Department

School of Music

Degree

Doctor of Music Education (DME)

Chair

Spencer Lewis Byrd

Keywords

music education, teacher retention, teacher attrition, teacher induction, mentorship, communities of practice, adult ensembles, professional development, narrative inquiry, teacher leadership

Disciplines

Education | Music

Abstract

The relationship between music educators' participation in adult ensembles and any perceived benefits to their teaching careers remains underexplored. At a time when teacher recruitment and retention rates are unsustainable, this information can help provide ways to engage educators in a way that benefits both themselves and the academic success of their students. This qualitative study examines the perspectives of music educators across a wide variety of ages and grade levels. This study compares explicitly the formal, mandated support of California’s teacher induction program with the informal, voluntary support found in adult ensembles. Many music educators in California began their musical journeys by having a positive experience in a primary or secondary-level large ensemble class, therefore, these positive experiences likely led them to pursue music as a career in their undergraduate studies. This study examines how similar benefits can be utilized at the adult level to continue inspiring music educators throughout their careers, thereby maximizing their longevity and effectiveness in the profession. Findings indicate that while formal induction provides a necessary credentialing pathway, its efficacy is often hindered by a lack of subject-specific relevance; in contrast, the informal community of an adult ensemble offers vital pedagogical enhancement and personal rejuvenation.

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