Students with disabilities (SWDs) in the United States have a right to the least restrictive learning environment as enshrined in federal law. Until recently, conceptions about educating SWDs have drawn from medical models of disability (i.e., that the student must be accommodated to interact with the environment) rather than a social model of disability (i.e., that the environment can be cultivated for all kinds of individual needs). Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that music educators can use to shift their planning and instructional practices surrounding SWDs to encompass a social model of disability. Here, we define UDL principles, describe UDL implementation in music classroom contexts, and provide resources for further reading.

Repertoire selection is one of the most impactful responsibilities music educators undertake, and the music an educator chooses for students to experience reveals implicit and explicit philosophical values. When ensemble instructors select repertoire, their decisions are often informed by an eclectic mixture of competing practical and aspirational considerations. Backward design is an instructional strategy that aligns philosophical and instructional goals and allows music instructors to purposefully select high-quality repertoire and materials as means to an end rather than an end in themselves.

Music teacher preparation programs typically provide preservice music educators (PMEs) experiences working with many student populations, including students with disabilities. Researchers have shown the positive impact field experience and coursework has on PMEs preparation to teach music to students with disabilities (SWD). Yet, few music education programs provide PMEs with experiences teaching SWD. The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine the influence of a 6-week online field experience, in combination with content-specific coursework, on PME’s perceptions related to teaching music to SWD. From pretest to posttest, participants reported a significant decrease in these perceptions. In subsequent interviews, the authors found that participants’ perceptions may have decreased due to feelings of inadequacy and the desire for more experience. Participants stated that the field experience was the most meaningful part of the course overall. Implications for preservice music teacher education are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to explore music teacher migration through the lens of job fit. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, we surveyed music teachers who were in their current positions for at least 2 years and had held a previous position for at least 2 years (N = 74). Participants completed a questionnaire consisting of quantitative measures of current and previous job fit, then responded to qualitative items about the positive and negative aspects of their current and previous jobs. Results indicated that music teachers typically exhibited better fit in their current jobs than in their previous jobs. However, qualitative responses suggested that fulfillment of basic needs may have been more influential in their occupational decisions than job fit. We also determined that job fit involves multiple layers of influence including position features, local contexts, and general contexts. Implications are discussed for in-service music teachers and music teacher education.