ONE ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER'S BELIEFS ABOUT MUSICAL ABILITY: CONNECTIONS ...

241 Pages·2013·1.24 MB·English

by  Heather Shouldice

ONE ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER’S BELIEFS ABOUT MUSICAL ABILITY:
CONNECTIONS TO TEACHING PRACTICE AND CLASSROOM CULTURE

By
Heather Nelson Shouldice

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

Music Education—Doctor of Philosophy

2013
ABSTRACT

ONE ELEMENTARY MUSIC TEACHER’S BELIEFS ABOUT MUSICAL ABILITY:
CONNECTIONS TO TEACHING PRACTICE AND CLASSROOM CULTURE

By
Heather Nelson Shouldice
With the intent of improving the musical experiences and opportunities provided to
students in school music programs, the purpose of this research was to explore one elementary
music teacher’s beliefs about the nature of musical ability and the ways in which these beliefs
relate to actions and lived experiences in the classroom. The guiding research questions for this
study were as follows: (1) What is the nature and extent of the beliefs about students’ musical
abilities and capabilities held by one elementary music teacher who believes all students have the
capacity to be musical? (2) How do beliefs about musical abilities manifest themselves in this
teacher’s actions and decision-making in the classroom? (3) How do beliefs about musical
abilities manifest themselves in this teacher’s interactions with students and, more broadly, in the
classroom culture she creates? (4) What is the relationship between this teacher’s beliefs about
musical ability and her beliefs about the purpose of music education, specifically of elementary
general music?
This investigation was a case study of one elementary general music teacher, Deena
Ridge, who believes all of her students are musical. Data were collected using ethnographic
techniques for a period of over two months. Multiple sources of data included extensive
classroom observations documented through fieldnotes and video footage, audio-recorded semi-
structured interviews, teacher journal entries, teaching artifacts (e.g., lesson plans, assessment
tools), and researcher memos. Data were coded and analyzed for emergent themes.
Trustworthiness was enhanced through prolonged engagement in the field, collection of multiple
data sources, participant member checks, and peer review of analysis.
Four themes emerged from the data: (1) Beliefs about musical ability, (2) Treating
students as individuals, (3) Power of the learning environment, and (4) Encouraging lifelong
engagement with music. The first theme focuses on Deena’s core belief that all students have
musical ability, her expectation that all students will develop some level of musical competence,
and the factors to which she attributes observed differences in students’ abilities. The second
theme pertains to the ways in which Deena provides learning opportunities that are responsive to
students as individuals in order to help them all achieve some level of musical success. The third
theme involves Deena’s belief that helping students to succeed musically depends on building a
positive classroom environment and her practice of establishing an environment in which
students feel safe, supported, and empowered. The final theme centers on Deena’s larger goal of
enabling all students to continue on to a lifetime of musical engagement by helping them become
musically independent and providing them with positive and fulfilling musical experiences.
The findings of this study suggest that music educators’ beliefs about students’ musical
abilities relate to their actions in the music classroom and interactions with students as well as to
their beliefs about the purpose of music education. Music educators should reflect on these
beliefs, the ways in which they relate to teaching practice, and the impact they may have on
students’ musical achievement and musical identity development. Additionally, music teacher
educators should consider the role they might play in helping pre-service (as well as in-service)
music teachers examine and possibly reshape their existing beliefs about music teaching and
learning. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.
Copyright by
HEATHER NELSON SHOULDICE
2013
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to extend my greatest thanks to my advisor, Dr. Cynthia
Taggart. My life was forever changed when I set foot in your classroom in the fall of 1999 and
again a few years later when you offhandedly commented, “You know, you should really think
about doing your Ph.D.” Thank you for starting me on this path and for all the wisdom and
encouragement you have provided along the way. You continue to be one of my greatest role
models as a teacher, scholar, and human being.
My deepest appreciation also goes to the other members of my committee: Dr. Mitchell
Robinson, for your never-ending support and sage advice; Dr. Michael Largey, for fueling my
interest in ethnomusicology and helping me learn to “find the insight”; and Dr. Sandra Snow, for
your passion and willingness to help in any way you are able.
To my favorite fellow Spartans—Adam, Andrea, Anna, Carolyn, Gina, John, Julie,
Nancy, Robin, Ryan, Siobhan, and Stephen: I can’t think of a better group of folks to share that
tiny office with! Thank you for all the laughter and memories.
I am extremely grateful for my wonderful husband, Jim, without whom I could not have
survived this crazy process. I love you!
My sincerest gratitude goes to my parents, Thomas and Rosanne Nelson. I would not be
where I am today if it weren’t for you and will be forever grateful for all the opportunities you
have provided me.
Finally, I would like to thank “Deena Ridge” for welcoming me into her classroom and
the openness and thoughtfulness with which she participated in this project. You are a
phenomenal music educator and a true model for the profession.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................................................ix

LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................................x

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
Ethnomusicological Studies of Musical Talent....................................................................6
Questioning the Talent Paradigm.......................................................................................10
Characteristics of Beliefs...................................................................................................11
The Impact of Teacher Beliefs...........................................................................................13
The Impact of Talent Beliefs in Music Education.............................................................15
Purpose Statement and Research Questions......................................................................19

CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED RESEARCH.................................................................21
Beliefs About Musical Ability/Talent................................................................................21
Talent Beliefs Held by the General Population.....................................................21
Effects of Talent Beliefs........................................................................................28
Talent Beliefs Held by Music Teachers.................................................................32
Connections Between Teacher Beliefs and Practice..........................................................39
Teacher Beliefs and Practice in General Education...............................................39
Teacher Beliefs and Practice in Music Education.................................................45
Teacher beliefs about the purpose of elementary general music...............45
Teacher beliefs about assessment/evaluation in
elementary general music..............................................................46
Summary of Related Research. .........................................................................................53

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................55
Design................................................................................................................................55
Participant Selection..........................................................................................................56
The Participant...................................................................................................................57
Procedures..........................................................................................................................59
Data Collection..................................................................................................................60
Data Analysis and Trustworthiness...................................................................................63
Researcher Lens.................................................................................................................64
Limitations.........................................................................................................................66

CHAPTER 4: “EVERYBODY HAS SOMETHING”: BELIEFS ABOUT MUSICAL
ABILITY........................................................................................................................................68
All Students Are Musical...................................................................................................68
Musical Ability vs. Musical Potential................................................................................69
Influences on Musical Ability............................................................................................70
Prior Musical Experiences.....................................................................................70
Practice and Progress over Time............................................................................74
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Effort......................................................................................................................77
Confidence and Self-esteem..................................................................................78
Differences in Musical Ability...........................................................................................79
All Students Can Improve..................................................................................................81
Many Ways to Be Musical.................................................................................................83
Summary............................................................................................................................84

CHAPTER 5: “THEY’RE ALL SO DIFFERENT!”: TREATING STUDENTS AS
INDIVIDUALS..............................................................................................................................85
Students as Individuals......................................................................................................85
“Everybody is at Different Places” .......................................................................87
Success is Different for Each Student....................................................................89
Providing Opportunities for Success.................................................................................90
Success for All: Different Difficulty Levels..........................................................91
Activities of varying difficulty...................................................................92
Individualization of instruction within an activity.....................................93
Providing multiple parts.............................................................................95
Success for All: Different Activities......................................................................98
Knowing Her Students.....................................................................................................103
Responding to Student Needs..............................................................................103
Responding to Student Interests...........................................................................106
Student Engagement Can Look Different............................................................108
Individual Response and Assessment..................................................................111
Surprise................................................................................................................114
Summary..........................................................................................................................119

CHAPTER 6: “I TRY TO MAKE THE MUSIC CLASSROOM A POSITIVE ONE”: THE
POWER OF THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.....................................................................120
A Safe Place to Learn......................................................................................................121
Freedom to Make Mistakes..................................................................................124
A Supportive Place to Learn............................................................................................129
Teacher-Student Relationship..............................................................................130
Building Student Confidence and Self-esteem....................................................132
Focus on what they CAN do....................................................................132
Persistence and conveying confidence.....................................................134
Student Interactions.............................................................................................136
Students helping one another...................................................................137
Celebrating success..................................................................................138
An Empowering Place to Learn.......................................................................................141
Student Voice and Contribution...........................................................................141
Honoring student ideas/opinions..............................................................142
Allowing students to make decisions.......................................................145
Special helper...........................................................................................146
Creating/composing.................................................................................147
Developing Musical Identity................................................................................150
Summary..........................................................................................................................152
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CHAPTER 7: ENCOURAGING LIFELONG ENGAGEMENT WITH MUSIC......................154
Musical Independence.....................................................................................................155
Not Performing with Students.............................................................................156
Multiple Parts Against the Teacher......................................................................158
Multiple Parts Among the Students.....................................................................159
Small Group Activities........................................................................................161
Individual Response.............................................................................................166
Student Engagement........................................................................................................170
Student Enjoyment...............................................................................................170
Student Motivation...............................................................................................172
Musical Engagement Outside of Class................................................................175
Summary..........................................................................................................................177

CHAPTER 8: SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE
RESEARCH.................................................................................................................................179
Summary of the Study.....................................................................................................179
Purpose and Research Questions.........................................................................179
Methodology........................................................................................................179
Overview of Findings..........................................................................................180
Beliefs about musical ability....................................................................180
Treating students as individuals...............................................................180
The power of the learning environment...................................................182
Encouraging lifelong engagement with music.........................................183
Implications for Practice..................................................................................................185
Defining Musical Talent and Other Terms..........................................................185
Attributions for Musical Success or Failure........................................................187
Beliefs About Musical Ability: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy? .............................189
Responding to Individual Differences.................................................................192
Providing a Nurturing Environment for Musical Growth....................................194
Development of Musical Identity........................................................................197
Relationships Between Beliefs............................................................................199
The Role of Music Teacher Education................................................................200
Suggestions for Future Research.....................................................................................202
Music Teacher Beliefs and Practice.....................................................................202
Experiences and Beliefs of Students....................................................................203
Closing Thoughts.............................................................................................................205

APPENDICES.............................................................................................................................209
Appendix A: Participant Consent Form..........................................................................210
Appendix B: Preliminary Interview Questions...............................................................212
Appendix C: Email Journal Questions............................................................................214
Appendix D: Codebook...................................................................................................218
Appendix E: Permission for Reprints..............................................................................221

BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................223
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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Parallels between Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Deena’s Components of a Positive
Learning Environment………………………………………………………………….…….195
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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Tonal pattern prompts of varying difficulty……………………………………….…..95
Figure 2. Ostinati of varying difficulty.………………………………………………………….96
Figure 3. “The Ghost of John” song notation…………………………………………………..160
Figure 4. Vocal ostinati for “The Ghost of John”………………………………………………160
Figure 5. Simple tonic ostinato………………………………………………………………....161

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