Abstract
Existing research suggests that the high school ensemble experience is often a strong influence in the decision to teach music and that the majority of music education students plan to teach in a secondary ensemble setting. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore the experiences and beliefs of one male undergraduate music education student who chose a student-teaching placement (and subsequent career) in an elementary general music setting rather than his original intent to become a band director. Analysis of interviews, email correspondence, teaching videos, and journal entries revealed four emergent themes in his decision to teach elementary general music: (a) the influence of undergraduate coursework, (b) the participant’s tendency to be student-centered, (c) the need for broadening students’ musical skills and understanding, and (d) dissatisfaction with the current band culture. Findings suggest that music teacher education and future music education research might focus on teacher/director role perceptions, beliefs about the purpose of music education, and critical incidents that can impact career decisions in preservice music teachers, as well as the role of music education coursework in music teacher identity development.
