Date of Award
8-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Teaching and Learning
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Alison Leonard
Committee Member
Dr. Golnaz Arastoopour-Irgens
Committee Member
Dr. Susan Cridland-Hughes
Committee Member
Dr. Kristen Duncan
Committee Member
Dr. Jacquelynn Malloy
Abstract
This qualitative study investigated the influence of middle school band directors’ past experiences on their instructional decision-making and implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP). Embedded in Ladson-Billings’s (1995, 2014) CRP framework and Lortie’s (1975) apprenticeship of observation theory, this study explored the relationship between middle school band directors’ past experiences, their beliefs about CRP, and their instructional practices.
Music education in the United States has historically focused on Western European classical traditions that overlook the cultural diversity of today’s students and reinforce dominant pedagogical norms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six middle school band directors. Participants discussed their musical backgrounds, their beliefs about culturally relevant teaching, and how these beliefs and experiences interact to inform their instructional decisions. Data analysis used inductive and deductive coding through the lens of Brown-Jeffy and Cooper’s (2011) five principles of CRP.
Findings revealed that a combination of replicating and modifying past experiences shaped the directors’ instructional decisions. While all six band directors expressed a desire to be culturally relevant, performance expectations, community traditions, and their own educational backgrounds influenced their teaching practices. Student-teacher relationships emerged as a theme for effective implementation of CRP, but were often disconnected from instructional decisions and practices. Participants identified limitations in teacher preparation programs that hindered their ability to fully implement CRP.
Recommended Citation
Peterson, Jessie Lynn, "The Influence of Past Experiences on Middle School Band Directors’ Instructional Practices" (2025). All Dissertations. 4001.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4001
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-5022-3072