Research on adults who identify as “tone deaf” suggest that their poor musical self-concept is shaped by a view of themselves as nonsingers even when their perceptual skills and singing ability are not significantly worse than the general population. Many of these adults self-selected out of further participation as children but expressed regret as adults for lost opportunities. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the role of musical self-concept, attitude, and related variables in predicting students’ decisions to participate in elective music instruction in junior high and whether those same variables were related to their assessed singing ability. Findings suggest that family music participation and positive attitudes toward music, particularly their view of themselves as musicians, can predict with 74% accuracy which students choose to continue in elective music. Musical self-concept was also a unique predictor of singing accuracy performance, suggesting a connection between students’ actual singing ability and their view of themselves as musicians.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine variables that contribute to burnout among Texas choral teachers. Specific research questions included: (1) What demographic variables predict burnout in Texas choir teachers? and (2) How do perceptions of teacher agency impact Texas choir teachers’ experience of burnout? After providing demographic information, participants ( N = 151) completed a researcher-designed questionnaire assessing perceived teacher agency and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. We conducted three multiple regression analyses for each of the three dimensions of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Four variables (perceived teacher agency, teaching at a Title 1 school, years of teaching experience, and outside employment work hours) significantly predicted emotional exhaustion. Perceived teacher agency, gender, teaching at a Title 1 school, and years of teaching experience significantly predicted depersonalization. Perceived teacher agency and years of teaching experience significantly predicted personal accomplishment. When perceived teacher agency was lower, teachers experienced greater emotional exhaustion, more depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Women experienced more depersonalization compared to men, and teachers who taught at Title 1 schools reported more emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Years of teaching experience correlated negatively with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but positively with personal accomplishment.

Since the arrival of the first charter school in Minnesota in 1991, charter schools have become one of the largest movements in educational reform. In recent years, research has emerged that has compared the effectiveness of charter schools with their traditional school counterparts. The purpose of this study was to compare the extent of music offerings between charter schools and traditional public schools in the same urban district and geographic location within the city. Results indicated that while all schools in the sample offered significantly less music than national averages, significantly more charter schools offered music during the school day. Charter schools were more likely to offer traditional music (band, choir, orchestra) as electives. Schools with music programs, regardless of school type, had higher test scores and higher attendance rates even when controlling for differences in socioeconomic status between music and non music schools. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the charter school movement, arts education policy, and suggestions for future research.

In adolescence, many students align their music participation choices with the expectations for their gender group. While cultural norms may explain gender disparities in music activities, there is no empirical evidence of how gender salience may influence students’ perceptions of music activities. The purpose of this study was to experimentally test the influence of gender salience on adolescents’ perceptions of music activities. Using a quasi-experimental design, middle school participants ( N = 246) were assigned to either a primed condition where students were asked to consider their gender identity or a control condition; all participants took a survey on interest in music activities. Participants in the experimental condition rated music activities, including stereotypical masculine and feminine activities, significantly more positively than the control group. Music students rated music activities significantly higher than their non-music peers. Gender was only identified as having a significant relationship with feminine music activities, as ratings of stereotypical masculine activities were statistically similar between boys and girls. This experiment provides evidence that gender salience can impact students’ perceptions of music activities. With a more complete understanding of how gender operates within the environment, music educators can understand how gendered messages within the environment may impact perceptions of music activities.

The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to examine personal and professional self-care practices reported by K–12 music teachers while also exploring the relationships between self-care and age, gender, years of experience, and several other contextual variables. The research team designed an instrument, based on a previous measure created by psychologists, to examine self-care behaviors. A sample of 337 music educators completed the instrument. We found very few meaningful relationships between self-care and demographic or contextual variables, although some patterns in common self-care practices were identified. Across both personal and professional domains, teachers reported a high level of activity in maintaining interpersonal relationships. Within the professional domain, participants reported activities most often that pertained to professional development. The least reported behaviors within the personal domain pertained to promotive habits for physical well-being such as taking time off when ill, regularly exercising, or healthful eating.