A comparison of teacher preparation, resources, and students' continued college music study between urban and non-urban high school band programs in Tennessee

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of high school band directors’ preservice preparation for teaching in urban schools, as well as determine what disparities exist between band program resources in urban schools and non-urban schools. Participants (N = 27) were high school band directors in West, Middle, and East Tennessee who completed a researcher-designed questionnaire. The researcher collected information on the inclusion of topics on teaching minority students and low SES students, directors’ perspectives on teaching minority students and creating culturally relevant instruction, and band program resources that promote student success. To measure student success, data were correlated with the number of music majors that had come from the high school band programs in the past three years. Results showed that the majority of band directors (93%) never or very rarely had topics included on teaching minority students in their undergraduate coursework, and 59% very rarely had topics included on teaching students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Most participants (70%) did not feel prepared to teach in urban schools, but were generally comfortable creating instruction relevant to the interests of minority students. Band resources by program demographics were unequal. Significant findings showed that band programs with fewer minority students had more students taking private lessons, more participation in ensembles outside of school, higher parental involvement in fundraising, more supplemental instructors, and received more student teachers than band programs with higher percentages of minority students. Band programs with more minority students had more students using school-owned instruments. Significant findings also showed that band programs with lower percentages of minority students had more students become music majors after high school.