Ta Ble of Contents

An Investigation of Factors that Contribute to Discontinuing Instrumental Music Instruction in Middle School

Megan R. Evans East Carolina University

A Capstone project submitted to the School of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music Education

Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2011 ii

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following people who have given me assistance:

Dr. Juchniewicz: I could not have completed this Capstone project without your support, guidance, advice and revisions.

My husband Chad: Your help in revising, showing me different ways to think about something, and overall support as I completed this project was greatly appreciated. I love you!

My parents and sister: All of the help you have given me (and all the papers you have proof- read) throughout not only my Capstone project but my entire graduate degree did not go unnoticed and I could not have done it without you. iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables iv Abstract v

1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 1 Recruiting 1 Retention 6 Summary 10

2. METHOD 12 Participants 12 Materials 12 Procedure 14

3. RESULTS 15

4. DISCUSSION 18 Purpose Statement 18 Discussion of Results 18 Limitations of the Study 22 Implications of the Findings 23 Recommendations for Future Research 24 Summary 25

APPENDICES 26 A. Student Consent Form 26 B. Parent Consent Form 28 C. Survey 30 D. Principal Approvals of Survey 32 E. Approval from East Carolina University’s 35 Institutional Review Board F. Responses for Why Students Are Discontinuing 37

Middle School Band Instruction

REFERENCES 40 iv

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Responses for Why Students Are Discontinuing 17 Middle School Band Instruction v

ABSTRACT

While it is important for every band director to be aware of the retention rate of their program, identifying the factors that affect this retention of students is of paramount importance to alleviate these concerns within the band program. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the rationale behind middle school band students’ decision to discontinue instrumental music instruction. Sixth and seventh grade students (N = 123) from two schools in central North

Carolina were asked to complete a survey, answering whether they were planning on continuing with band the following year and then to list what factors influenced their decision. Thirty-one students (n = 31) indicated they would not be continuing with band the following year, producing a retention rate of 75%. All comments from the surveys of students who did not intend to continue in band were analyzed and then placed into a taxonomic structure based on similar themes. Analysis of the responses revealed two groups that emerged from the data:

“Internal Classroom Factors” and “External Classroom Factors.” The most frequent “Internal

Classroom Factor” was “Loss of Student Interest,” with ten students stating that band was boring or not enjoyable and three commenting that not wanting to complete practice charts was a contributing motive to discontinue instrumental music. The most recurrent “External Classroom

Factor” was “Scheduling,” with 17 students stating that they had a desire to take other classes during the school day, such as Spanish or art, and therefore would need to discontinue middle school band in order to fit these into their schedule. Implications of these findings, suggestions for alleviating factors that affect discontinuation of music instruction, and future research possibilities are made. 1

CHAPTER ONE

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Two of the greatest challenges that band directors are presented with when building a successful program are recruitment and retention. Because a band program cannot exist without effective strategies for recruiting and retaining students, lack of participation in instrumental music education programs is a primary concern to the majority of band directors (Fischer &

Hamburg, 2001). Directors often come to a realization at the beginning of each school year that their program enrollment is declining but may consider the process too far along to make considerable adjustments at the start of a new school year. An effective recruitment process can be a solution to this common problem, but the full results may not be visible for several years.

Thus, recruitment is a task that all band directors must continuously undertake to ensure a successful program. Further, once students have joined the program, it is the teacher’s responsibility to implement effective strategies to retain these students in the program.

Therefore, in order to more clearly understand factors that affect recruiting and retention in middle school band programs, it appears warranted for researchers to specifically investigate why students decide to discontinue middle school band instruction.

Recruiting

A review of the extant music education literature has revealed a number of strategies used by band directors to effectively recruit new students into their music programs. In order establish an effective recruiting process, recruiting cannot simply be a one time event, but rather should occur frequently throughout the year (Cole, 2010; Romines, 2003). Additionally, enrollment numbers are more likely to be enhanced the earlier the recruiting process starts in the 2 school year (Hayes, 2005). Therefore, a plan of recruitment must be carefully thought out in order to effectively recruit new students (Romines, 2003). The development of this functional plan should include three steps: (a) defining goals for the particular program, (b) creating a plan to reach these goals, and (c) evaluating the plan once a year or more for its effectiveness (Bazan,

2009). Thus, a detailed recruiting plan is an essential tool for the band director, and should illustrate a course of action for recruiting new students into the band program.

As part of a recruiting plan, directors should be actively involved in establishing open communication with teachers, parents, and students. Researches and pedagogues have found that frequent communication between elementary and middle school music teachers can assist in easing the difficulties a number of students have during the transition to middle school and may also encourage students to join the band program (Bayley, 2004; Mixon, 2005). Band directors should also be aware of how elementary school students perceive the middle school band program in order to alleviate any negative perceptions that may arise (Albert, 2006; Fischer &

Hamburg, 2001). Additionally, because parents play an enormous role in the decision of whether students will enroll in instrumental music education programs in public schools (Albert,

2006; Hamann, n.d.; Hurley, 1995), open communication with parents about the benefits of music instruction can assist in increasing enrollment numbers (Mixon, 2005; Schilf, 2008).

Specifically, Fischer and Hamburg (2001) found that while parents may not initially encourage their students to join instrumental programs, providing parents with more information and knowledge about particular programs may increase the likelihood they will persuade their child to join. Subsequently, providing parents the correct information about rehearsal schedules and meeting times may help to offset the perception that students do not have the time to participate.

Further, Mixon (2005) asserts that informing parents of the potential benefits of music education, 3 including the building of self esteem during the transition between grade levels, can also help parents to realize the importance of participating in music. Finally, providing a brief video presentation that contains these important aspects of music participation, as well as testimonials by former students, clips of previous concerts, and other relevant information such as how to obtain an instrument, may represent a unique and effective method to communicate with parents and students and to make the music program more attractive overall (Romines, 2003; Schilf,

2008).

Open communication with parents and students can also help to recruit students at every level, from high achieving students to students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Because researchers have indicated that higher achieving students may be more attracted to band programs (Fitzpatrick, 2006), socioeconomic status is another aspect that directors should be mindful of during the recruitment process in public schools. In fact, students from low socioeconomic households are less likely to enroll in an instrumental music program than students from households with higher socioeconomic status (Wolfe, 1969). Researchers have also determined that factors such as educational opportunities and two-parent versus single- parent homes translate into higher or lower socioeconomic status and can impact a student’s participation in music. Specifically Brandstrom and Wiklund (1996) found that children of parents who graduate from college are twice as likely to begin instrumental music instruction as children of parents who did not begin or complete college. Similarly, students who reside in a two parent home are more likely to begin and continue music studies through middle school than their peers who come from a single-parent household (Kinney, 2010). Corenblum and Marshall

(1998) postulate that this may occur because students who originate from families with higher socioeconomic status are more likely to attend a public school that provides a great deal of 4 support to programs in the arts. Additionally, parents with higher socioeconomic status may be able to provide more parental support at school, and can also influence whether students begin studying in an instrumental program (Corenblum & Marshall, 1998). Therefore, it is critical that band directors understand the effects of socioeconomic status on music participation in order to focus efforts to effectively recruit students from every background.

A number of researchers and pedagogues have concurred that one of the most effective recruiting strategies for attracting and recruiting students is to be a highly visible teacher at the feeder schools (Bazan, 2009; Davis, 2009; Hurley, 1995; Mixon, 2005; Romines, 2003;

Sedburry, 2008). Because students are more likely to enroll in a beginning class with a teacher that they are familiar with and have a favorable view of (Fischer & Hamburg, 2001; Mixon,

2005), building quality relationships with as many students individually as possible will translate into a greater interest in joining the band program (Fischer & Hamburg, 2001; Hayes, 2005;

Rowley, 2011; Schilf, 2008). It is also important for middle school directors to focus on developing positive relationships with elementary school students of all ages, not just the students who will be transitioning to middle school at the beginning of the next school year.

These initial interactions are vital, as often younger students will carry first impressions of the band program with them as they get older (Schilf, 2008). Furthermore, because the average dropout rate during the transition between middle and high school is 50% (Hamann, n.d.; “How

Many Students,” 2004; Wolfman, 2003), it is important for high school band directors to be highly visible within the middle school band classes as well. Thus, all band directors should understand the importance of establishing positive interactions with students at lower grade levels in order to reduce the dropout rate of students during the transition to higher grade levels. 5

In addition to establishing positive relationships at the elementary school level between teacher and students, researchers and pedagogues have revealed other effective recruiting strategies to encourage students to join a middle school instrumental program, including exposing elementary students to the middle school program (Albert, 2006; Sedburry, 2008), using current and former band students with positive experiences from the program to talk to prospective students (Bazan, 2009; Fischer & Hamburg, 2001; Sedburry, 2008), and providing question and answer sessions to disseminate information about the program (Bazan, 2009;

Bazan, 2005). Because of the close proximity of age and similar interests, peers have a large influence over their younger classmates and can often be more effective than the director in convincing students to join band (Bazan, 2009; Hurley, 1995; “The Continuous Battle,” 2010).

In this manner, students are exposed to the social aspects of participating in band in addition to the musical experiences they will receive (Baker, 2009). Thus, informing students of both the social and musical aspects of the band program, such as field trips and concerts, represents an effective strategy for encouraging students to join the program (Wolfman, 2003).

Performing recruiting concerts at all feeder schools is another effective method for allowing younger students to see the older students involved musically in the band program and to catch a glimpse of what their participation in the band program will be like (Sedburry, 2008).

However, certain strategies during the concert can make for a more valuable and effective recruiting strategy. Fischer and Hamburg (2001) and Sedburry (2008) concur that the music performed should be fun, familiar, and entertaining for children to listen to and should be culturally relevant for students from a variety of different backgrounds. In fact, many students surveyed stated they did not sign up for band because of uninteresting music performed at recruiting concerts (Fischer & Hamburg, 2001). Additionally, because female students are more 6 likely than male students to initially enroll in band (Kinney, 2010), it is important for directors to show elementary students the instrumental program is for everyone (Cole, 2010). Thus, during the concerts, directors should be vigilant to represent males and females equally when selecting current students to speak and display their instruments to the prospective students (Cole, 2010).

Because the ultimate goal of a recruiting concert and tour is to persuade students to join the band program, a hands-on session with instruments is extremely important to have as early as possible (Bazan, 2009; Bazan, 2005). As Bazan (2005) asserts, the matching of student to instrument is often a large determinant in predicting the likelihood of success and retention in band. Additionally, the more exposure a student has to all of the instruments, the more informed a student’s decision about their instrument for beginning band will be. Therefore, the introduction of instruments to students and the initial process of selecting instruments for new students allow for the band director and new student to develop positive communication and interactions with one another and represent two of the most effective processes for recruiting these students into the band program.

Retention

Once students have enrolled in an instrumental music program, band teachers must continue to explore methods that encourage students to stay in the program. Unfortunately, retention of students in arts classes appears to be unique, as arts classes are elective in middle and high school and therefore are not required (Strouse, 2003). Further, researchers have found that once students have stopped taking classes in the arts they seldom enroll again in these types of classes (“How Many Students,” 2004). Thus, it is of critical importance for band directors to 7 employ effective strategies to encourage students to stay enrolled in band and help increase retention rates.

In a similar fashion as recruiting, teachers and parents have a great deal of influence on a student’s decision to continue with instrumental music education. Corenblum and Marshall

(1998) found that students who felt they had the support of their parents, teachers, and the school as a whole were more likely to continue their studies in band. Conversely, Cole (2010) revealed that once parents realized the benefits of the quality music instruction their student was receiving, their support increased as well. Within the classroom, students who have a band teacher who displays a positive and motivating personality and works to build positive relationships with all band students will be more likely to continue in band (Albert, 2006; Davis,

2009; Strouse, 2003). Person (2009) illustrates that teachers who are fair, dedicated, positive, and set high but reachable standards encourage students to stay in the program as well. Further, teachers must be constantly aware of the musical progress of each student, as students who feel as if they are not succeeding in instrumental music are less likely to continue (Hurley, 1995).

Thus, it is important for students to receive immediate and positive feedback, compliments, and a variety of rewards to encourage continuation with music instruction (Mixon, 2005).

Additionally, the band director can retain students’ interest in music instruction by creating an encouraging and challenging atmosphere in the classroom that facilitates the desire for students to continue to improve at their musical skills (Ackerley, 2009; Albert, 2006; Hurley, 1995;

Mixon, 2005; “The Continuous Battle,” 2010); a fun and interesting classroom can also increase retention rates (Hurley, 1995; Stewart, 2005).

Directors must also be aware of the role that scheduling can play in the success of a band program. Programs that are able to have set rehearsal times and defined class periods have 8 much higher retention rates than programs that must pull students out of another class for instructional time (Gamin, 2005). In addition, when instrumental music instruction began at the middle school level instead of during elementary school, retention rates were much higher

(Hartley, 2009). This can be attributed to the fact that middle school schedules often allow for a greater amount of practice time than at the elementary school level. A greater amount of rehearsal time during the week often leads to a more rapid advance of student learning, which can positively impact a child’s decision whether to continue with instrumental music. Therefore, it is essential that band directors express their thoughts and concerns about scheduling and the band program in general to counselors, scheduling secretaries, and principals (Wolfman, 2003).

Increasing the entire school faculty’s knowledge and awareness about the instrumental program can only benefit the program and may also help to decrease scheduling conflicts.

In order to effectively retain all instrumental students, directors must focus on equal support of all students, regardless of ability, academic achievement, gender, spoken language, or socioeconomic background. Since students perceived by their teachers as possessing adequate musical skills are more likely to continue with their instrumental studies (Corenblum &

Marshall, 1998), it is important for teachers to nurture musical skills in all students and provide frequent help to students who struggle the most. Gamin (2005) and Hurley (1995) reported that one of the most frequent reasons for a student discontinuing instrumental music instruction is difficulty on their chosen instrument. Thus, encouraging students to take private lessons and even providing lessons at no cost can illustrate one method to improve performance on an instrument and increase students’ desire to continue with music (Hamann, n.d.; Stewart, 2005).

Academic problems in other subject areas can also lead students to discontinue with band

(Gamin, 2005). Kinney (2010) and Klinedinst (1991) found that reading and math achievement 9 can often predict student retention in band, and concur that incorporating these skills frequently into the music classroom will benefit all students, including those who are having academic difficulties. Additionally, because females are more likely than males to continue with band throughout middle school (Kinney, 2010; McCarthy, 1980), directors should consider encouraging males as especially important. Fortunately, race does not appear to play a role in the retention rate of middle school band programs (McCarthy, 1980). However, in many instances band directors need to work to resolve language barriers to effectively communicate with their students. Mixon (2005) asserts that bilingual teachers can be very useful resources to communicate with families where English is not the primary language.

Because students from higher socioeconomic status households are more likely to continue instrumental instruction throughout middle school than students from lower status households (Kinney, 2010) and urban settings (McCarthy, 1980), socioeconomic status serves as a more effective predictor of student retention over ability in both core subjects and music

(Klinedinst, 1991). In order to reduce this chasm between students from families with low and high socioeconomic statuses, it is essential that band teachers be aware of the musical needs, interests, and strengths of the community of the particular school where they teach in order to combine knowledge learned in the music classroom with the students’ personal lives. Building on these strengths and interests may be enough to keep disadvantaged students from dropping out of band (Corenblum & Marshall, 1998), which may include incorporating non-traditional instruments and music into a more traditional music class (Mixon, 2005). Directors may also be able to encourage all students to continue with instrumental music instruction by providing basic instrumental necessities free of charge to all students with financial needs, including (a) instruments, (b) sticks/mallets, (c) method books, (d), reeds, and (e) valve oil (Albert, 2006; 10

Fischer & Hamburg, 2001; Mixon, 2005). Further, because required practice time is another reason why students discontinue instrumental music instruction (Gamin, 2005), scheduling individual practice time at school would help students achieve success while taking away the burden of having to take instruments home or find time outside of school to practice (Mixon,

2005). This is especially crucial for students with unstable home lives, students who must work in the evenings, or students who take care of siblings after school. Although providing these resources and time would affect a director’s budget and time schedule, these factors could provide students and families with a lower socioeconomic status opportunities to continue with their music studies.

In order for retention in a program to occur, instrumental music programs music appeal to and be accessible for all students, not just children from high socioeconomic status households

(“The Continuous Battle,” 2010). Therefore, directors must be aware of the circumstances specific to their school as to why students discontinue instrumental music instruction. Since every school is made up of a unique population of students, directors must be willing to examine aspects of student retention that are specific to their school’s population. Therefore, investigations are warranted for researchers to specifically investigate why students decide to discontinue middle school band instruction in order to more clearly understand factors that affect student retention in middle school band programs.

Summary

Effective recruiting practices must be established by band directors that suit the needs of their particular program. Researchers and pedagogues have posited that a recruiting process can be aided by (a) building positive relationships with potential students, (b) effectively 11 communicating with both future students and parents, (c) using current students to encourage potential students to join the instrumental program, and (d) performing recruiting concerts at all feeder schools. However, directors must realize that past strategies may not work as effectively in the future. Thus, band directors must be willing to utilize a plethora of strategies in order to meet the ultimate goal of providing music instruction to every child. Similarly, retention of middle school students can be affected by multiple factors, including (a) scheduling, (b) social factors, (c) gender, (d) success on a particular instrument, (e) socioeconomic status, (f) academic problems, and (g) required practice time at home. However, because each band program is idiosyncratic in nature, it is vital for the band director to identify the factors that affect retention within their own program and work to alleviate these factors in order to retain as many students as possible. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify specific factors that middle school students identified as reasons for why they are discontinuing middle school band. Specific questions addressed were:

1) What percentage of students decide to discontinue middle school band?

2) What are the specific factors that affect the discontinuation of middle school band?

CHAPTER TWO

METHOD

Participants

The initial phase of this study required the identification of a large pool of middle school band students to serve as potential participants. One hundred sixty sixth and seventh grade students currently enrolled in band from two different middle schools in a central North Carolina county were selected as potential participants. These schools were selected for this study for their representation of a variety of demographics, including diversity with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status (Corenblum & Marshall, 1998; Kinney, 2010;

McCarthy, 1980). All potential participants were explained the procedures of the study and were given an opportunity to ask questions. Subsequently, students and their parents/guardians were given the consent forms to voluntarily agree to participate in the study (see Appendices A & B).

Participants were given ten days to return the consent forms to the researcher. Of the original

160 students selected as potential participants for the study, one-hundred twenty-three students

(N = 123) completed the consent forms and participated in the study. Of the 123 total participants, 71 were sixth graders and 52 were seventh graders. Additionally, 77 participants were female and 46 were male. The breakdown of participants also indicated 100 students were

Caucasian, 7 were African-American, 6 were Hispanic, 7 were multi-racial, and 3 were other.

Materials

A questionnaire for this study was developed to provide a method for investigating factors for why middle school students discontinue middle school band. In order to effectively identify these factors from the viewpoint of each student individually, the researcher decided to 13 utilize both a qualitative and quantitative approach. A copy of this questionnaire is located in

Appendix C. The questionnaire included demographic information asking each participant to indicate their gender, race, and current grade level. This was followed by the two research questions. First, students were asked to indicate whether they had intentions to continue with instrumental music study the following year. Because researchers have previously revealed a plethora of factors which lead to students’ decisions to discontinue music instruction (Albert,

2006; Davis, 2009; Gamin, 2005; Hamann, n.d.; Hurley, 1995; Mixon, 2005; Person, 2009;

Strouse, 2003; Stewart, 2005), an open ended question was then constructed to allow each participant the freedom to interpret this question individually and to respond without the bias of predetermined answer categories (Madsen & Duke, 1999; Madsen & Kelly, 2002). Therefore, the open-ended essay question asked students to list what factors influenced their decision of whether or not to continue with their instrumental music studies. Students were further instructed to provide as much detail and to be as specific as possible when responding.

Following the construction of the survey, two public school band directors and a collegiate band director were asked to provide feedback on the survey in order to ensure that the questions were asked in age appropriate ways and that the survey would provide feedback appropriate to the research questions. From this feedback, the wording of the open ended question was altered for clarity. All documents related to the research study, including the (a) student consent form, (b) parent consent form, (c) survey, and (d) letters from the principals from each of the participating schools were submitted to East Carolina University’s Institutional

Review Board for approval (see Appendix A-D). Approval for the study was granted on March

28, 2011. A copy of the IRB approval letter is located in Appendix E. 14

Procedure

All participants were administered the survey at the end of a regular class period. A short introduction was read to all participants by the researcher immediately prior to completing the questionnaire.

In just a moment, you will be handed a survey to complete. This survey will help me to better understand why students decide to continue or not to continue instrumental music study in middle school. You will notice that there are questions asking you to identify gender, race, and grade. These are only for research purposes to look for any sub-group data. If you are not comfortable answering these, please leave them blank. Please do NOT write your name on the surveys so they can remain anonymous. Be as detailed and specific as possible with the last question, which asks you to list reasons for either continuing or discontinuing participation in band. If you do not understand a question, I will be happy to explain it to you. Please complete the survey individually. If you decide not to complete the survey after it has already started, you may stop at any time without penalty to your grade.

Because of the qualitative nature of one of the questions, no time limit was given to complete the survey. However, most participants completed the survey in ten minutes or less. After completion, students placed their survey into an unmarked envelope in order to further protect their anonymity.

CHAPTER THREE

RESULTS

Of the 160 sixth and seventh grade students who were eligible to participate, 123 students

(N = 123) returned their consent forms and participated in the survey. Therefore, the response rate was 77%. However, because this investigation was primarily interested in determining factors that affected the discontinuation of middle school band instruction, the data were analyzed for the responses of those students who responded that they would not continue with instrumental music the following year. Of the 123 respondents, 31 (n = 31) indicated that they would not participate the following year, comprising 25% of the total participants.

From the 31 participants who indicated they would not be continuing with middle school band the following year, a total of 63 individual comments were listed on the survey. A complete list of all student comments can be found in Appendix F. Based on a previously established qualitative approach, the responses were grouped into a taxonomic structure based on categories that became evident when analyzing the data (Juchniewicz, 2010; Kelly, 2000;

Madsen & Kelly, 2002). The researcher analyzed each individual comment in detail and combined similar responses into the categories of the initial taxonomic structure. An independent observer reviewed the categories and discussed minor changes that should be made with the researcher until both parties were in agreement. In order to establish reliability, an additional outside observer was then given a random selection of 20% of all student responses and placed each response into the established taxonomic structure. Reliability was determined to be .85 by using the formula of agreements divided by the sum of agreements plus disagreements

(Madsen & Madsen, 1998). 16

While analyzing and grouping the data, two categories emerged when determining the reasons students discontinue middle school band instruction (see Table 1). All responses were grouped into either “Internal Classroom Factors,” containing 48% of all responses, or “External

Classroom Factors,” containing 52% of all responses. After this initial classification, the responses were further grouped according to similar factors that emerged. Within the category

“Internal Classroom Factors,” three factors materialized: “Loss of Student Interest,” “Classroom

Concerns,” and “Teacher Influence.” Within “External Classroom Factors,” “Scheduling,”

“Time Constraints,” and “Miscellaneous” were the three factors that emerged. Specifically,

“Wanting to try other classes/extra curricular activities at school” was the most cited reason for why students are discontinuing instrumental music the following year, constituting over 26% of the total responses.

Table 1 Responses for Why Students Are Discontinuing Middle School Band Instruction

Category Responses

INTERNAL CLASSROOM FACTORS 30

Loss of Student Interest 15 Band is boring/not fun/ do not want to continue 10 Do not like practice charts 3 Do not want to put in the effort involved 1 Do not want to let any other students down 1

Classroom Concerns 11 Band causes physical pain (headaches, mouth pain) 3 Too difficult/cannot keep up in class 2 Class is too easy 2 Class is too rushed 1 Frustrated with other students not practicing 1 Instrument is often broken, which is frustrating 1 Do not like chosen instrument 1

Teacher Influence 4 Quitting is not because of the teacher 4

EXTERNAL CLASSROOM FACTORS 33

Scheduling 17 Want to try other classes/extra curricular activities at school 17

Time Constraints 14 Band conflicts with other activities 8 No time to complete practice charts 6

Miscellaneous 2 Family does not want me to continue with band 1 Do not want to have to carry instrument around 1 18

CHAPTER FOUR

DISCUSSION

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this study was to identify specific factors that middle school students identified as reasons for why they choose to discontinue middle school band. Specific questions addressed in the research study were:

1) What percentage of students decide to discontinue middle school band?

2) What are the specific factors that affect the discontinuation of middle school band?

Discussion of Results

From the results in the present research study, 25% of all middle school band students intend to discontinue music instruction the following year. This corresponds with the wide range of drop-out rates, from 23% to 75%, discovered previously by Gamin (2005). The retention rate during a transition time, either from elementary to middle school or from middle to high school, can be as low as 50% (Hamann, n.d.; Hartley, 2009; “How Many Students,” 2004; Wolfman,

2003), so this is a critical figure to band programs. In the present study, the retention rate was found to be 75%, which is a very encouraging result because demonstrates a higher rate than previously found by researchers.

The comments from all of the surveys of students who did not plan on continuing with band were divided into two evenly balanced categories: “Internal Classroom Factors” and

“External Classroom Factors.” Of the 63 survey comments from students who would not continue with band the following year, 30 responses were categorized as “Internal Classroom

Factors,” equating to 48% of all responses. Of the comments in this category, the largest factor 19 was “Loss of Student Interest,” constituting half of the responses. Many of these comments consisted of students stating they would not be continuing with band at least partly due to the fact that they did not find band to be fun or enjoyable or were bored in the class, which is consistent with previous conclusions that the classroom must continually be a fun and interesting place in order to increase retention rates (Hurley, 1995; Stewart, 2005). Other students reported a dislike for turning in practice charts and not wanting to put in the effort needed to be successful as their reasons to discontinue band instruction the following year, which Gamin (2005) also found to be a common reason for students discontinuing music instruction. Of additional interest was that one student wrote she would not be continuing with band because she did not want to let anyone in the class down.

“Classroom Concerns” was another major component that comprised over 36% of

“Internal Classroom Factors,” containing 11 of the 30 responses. The most frequent comment within this category found that the class caused physical pain of some kind, including mouth pain or headaches. One possible solution to this problem could be to switch a child who reported pain to another instrument to reduce this factor. Other responses included that some students found band to be too difficult, while others felt like they already knew everything that was taught and did not feel challenged. While difficulty on a chosen instrument is cited in previous research as one of the most frequent reasons for a student discontinuing instruction (Gamin, 2005; Hurley,

1995), little has been found on students not feeling challenged in class as a reason for discontinuation. While it can be complicated to constantly monitor the progress of every student, it is essential for directors to be able to determine which students need more challenging material to keep their interest up as well as which students need additional help beyond traditional class time to be successful. One student commented through the survey that problems with the 20 instrument and the frustrations this caused were the principal reasons for discontinuing middle school band instruction the following year. Reinforcing the need to parents to rent or purchase quality instruments may eliminate frustration with instruments that frequently break or stop working. Additionally, another student commented that she did not like her chosen instrument.

Allowing students to switch to another instrument after a certain time period (possibly a semester or the school year) may take away this dissatisfaction for some students and may prevent these students from dropping out of the band program.

The third factor within “Internal Classroom Factors” was “Teacher Influence.” Four students commented on their surveys that discontinuing instrumental music was not related to the band teacher. While this finding is encouraging because of the numerous researchers who demonstrated the importance of the band director in retention rates (Albert, 2006; Davis, 2009;

Hurley, 1995; Stewart, 2005; Strouse, 2003), it can also cause frustration for directors who establish effective relationships and promote an encouraging classroom but have students discontinue instrumental music instruction regardless. Thus, directors should be mindful of how students are influenced by their band teacher and should use this factor to their advantage by always being a positive personality in and out of the classroom.

“External Classroom Factors” encompassed 52% of all responses from students not intending to continue with instrumental music the following year. Within this category, the majority of comments focused on “Scheduling” factors, in which students cited scheduling conflicts that hindered their continuation with band instruction the following year. These findings which demonstrate the large role of scheduling on retention rates is consistent with previous research (Gamin, 2005). In the two particular schools involved in the study, students are only allowed to take two enhancement classes; one of these is physical education, a state 21 requirement in North Carolina. The students surveyed are all enrolled in band as their other enhancement. Therefore band students are not able to take other enhancement classes because of scheduling constraints and would need to discontinue band in order to fit these different classes in their schedule. Seventeen students responded that this was their intention in order to take

Spanish, art, or computers. Unfortunately, scheduling is a concern that cannot be altered by the researcher or other band directors in the area. Because of testing requirements, no more time during the school day can be allotted for additional enhancement classes for band students.

Students at the two schools who participated in the present study have the ability to take classes in addition to physical education and band during an enrichment block, but only if the student does not need additional remediation in tested subjects or does not choose to participate in clubs not offered during enhancement time, such as Battle of the Books, robotics, or dance.

In addition to “Scheduling,” “Time Constraints” was another “External Classroom

Factor” frequently cited by respondents. Specifically, eight students reported that band conflicts with other activities with which they are involved while six students responded that they had no time to complete practice charts. Of particular interest is that even though band is a class that meets during the regular school day, which previous researchers have determined increases retention rates of music programs (Gamin, 2005), these 14 students still perceived this class as interfering with after school activities, such as sports. Therefore, while practicing is an essential part of being successful in band, finding creative ways to allow students to practice without interfering with evening activities may be a way to reduce drop-out rates from students who say they do not have enough time to participate.

Finally, there were two comments that were related to “External Classroom Factors” but did not correspond with any other comments and thus were grouped together in “Miscellaneous.” 22

One student cited that her family did not want her to continue to participate and would therefore be discontinuing with band for the following year, which is consistent with findings that parental support led to an increase of retention rates (Corenblum & Marshall, 1998). Another student commented that she did not want to carry her instrument back and forth from home because it was too heavy, and thus contributed to her decision of not continuing with band the following year. It is possible that allowing students to stay after school to practice or lending a student a school instrument for use at school while keeping a personally owned instrument at home with which to practice would decrease the burden of students carrying instruments back and forth and could potentially keep these students enrolled in the band program (Mixon, 2005).

Limitations of the Study

While 123 students from two schools were surveyed, only comments from 25% of the surveys were analyzed because of the response that those students did not intend to continue with instrumental music the following year. While the data of those 31 students was useful toward answering the research questions, a larger pool of students who planned on discontinuing music instruction may have been helpful in order to get a larger variety of responses. Data from a greater number of students may also have reinforced the findings found in this study that scheduling and the keeping students engaged had the largest influences on retention rates. A more diverse population, including students from a variety of geographic regions as well as larger representation from all ethnic and racial groups, may have been beneficial in order for the findings of this study to be generalized to all middle school band programs, regardless of demographics. In addition, surveying middle schools that provide students with the opportunity to enroll in more than two enhancement classes may also produce important findings. Thus, 23 continued examination into factors that affect the discontinuation of music instruction from a variety of middle school band programs is warranted.

Implications of the Findings

Based on this study, it appears evident that the two largest influences on middle school students as they decide whether they will continue with instrumental music are the scheduling practices of the school and whether students feel engaged in the class. Band directors should pay special attention to these factors in their individual programs in order to determine if these factors may impact their own students. Being responsive to these factors may help to reduce their impact as much as possible. While scheduling, especially at the middle school level, is often a factor outside of a band director’s control, becoming as involved as possible in the process to ensure students are able to take as many enhancement classes as possible may increase retention rates (Wolfman, 2003). This may also help recruiting efforts as potential students would not have to choose between band and other enhancement classes. In addition, involving students in curricular decisions when possible, such as choices about literature and other activities, may increase student interest in the band program which could ultimately increase both recruiting and retention efforts. While loss of student interest will likely never be a factor that is completely eliminated, reducing this cause of student discontinuation as much as possible will benefit every instrumental music program (Hurley, 1995; Stewart, 2005).

Although this study was conducted using middle school students, the findings can be applied to high school settings as well. Many high school band directors often encounter the same scheduling obstacles that middle school directors face. Because many high school classes are only offered one period, some students may choose not to take band in lieu of an advanced 24 class in order to receive college credit or to increase their grade point average. Therefore, taking an active role in the scheduling process may keep these conflicts to a minimum. Offering atypical classes in middle or high school, such as a percussion ensemble or a piano class, may also help keep students involved and reduce loss of interest in the music classroom.

Recommendations for Further Research

While analyzing the results of this research study, it is apparent that further research is especially warranted in the area of successful scheduling. Middle schools with successful band programs, including high retention rates and a schedule permitting band students to have the opportunity to take several enhancement classes, need to be located and then applied as a model in order to eliminate the scheduling factor as a major reason why students discontinue middle school band. Identifying programs with high retention rates could also be beneficial in order to determine what strategies are used to continuously engage and excite students in order to reduce loss of student interest. A more detailed investigation analyzing the percentage of students who do not continue with band and the common reasons for this decision in regard to individual ethnic, gender, or racial groups may also be warranted to determine the most frequent rationale for a variety of demographic groups to discontinue middle school band. This could provide beneficial information for band directors in order to be able to alleviate these factors and increase retention rates for all middle school band students, especially in schools with diverse populations. 25

Summary

This study provided beneficial feedback to the researcher as to what factors have the largest influence when students decide whether to discontinue middle school band instruction and also helped identify what elements of the band program could be modified in order to potentially increase the retention rate of band students. An open ended essay question was an effective method by which to conduct this research as evidenced by the variety of responses provided by the middle school students who completed the survey. Middle school students are often candid with their opinions, and that honesty was what is needed during this process in order for effective change to occur. 26

APPENDIX A

STUDENT CONSENT FORM 27 28

APPENDIX B

PARENT CONSENT FORM 29 30

APPENDIX C

SURVEY 31

Directions: Please do not write your name on this survey. For questions 1-4, please circle your response. For question 5, please list all reasons for your answer for question 4 and be as detailed as possible in your answers.

Thanks so much for taking this survey! 

1) Gender (circle one): Male Female

2) Race (circle one): White/Caucasian Black/African American Hispanic/Latino Asian Multi-Racial Other

3) Grade (circle one): 6 7

4) Are you currently planning on being in band again next year (circle one): Yes No

5) Please write in your own words what factors have influenced your decision to participate or not participate in band next year. (Be as detailed as possible and use the back if necessary!) 32

APPENDIX D

PRINCIPAL APPROVALS OF STUDY 33 34 35

APPENDIX E

APPROVAL FROM EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY’S INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD

APPENDIX F

RESPONSES FOR WHY STUDENTS ARE DISCONTIUING MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND INSTRUCTION 38

Responses for Why Students Are Discontinuing Middle School Band Instruction

1. If I were to quit band next year, it would be because of practice charts. Because a lot of kids have busy schedules and have a hard time working around. 2. I do not want to participate any more because I don’t want to put the effort need to be a skilled musician. 3. Hard to practice a lot (have other activities) 4. Hard to fill in minutes 5. Too rushed 6. There are other classes I’d rather participate in besides band. 7. My teacher is a good teacher. 8. There’s more things I want to do. 9. My mouth hurts a lot. 10. The sound of the other instruments bother me. 11. I love band. I really really want to play again next year but I would like to have computers and art. Which you can not get if you do band. 12. The reason I don’t want to be in band next year is because I have played scince 2nd grade and my band teacher doesn’t really care. All I can do is go home print out music and/or play what I have. She really just takes advantage of me. 13. Because my mom don’t want me to. 14. Because I don’t want to 15. Because I always forget to turn in my practice charts. 16. I am a cheerleader for Acro And BAYAA football, and I want to try out for the school cheerleading team. I love band but I enjoy cheerleading better. 17. I also think it is a lot of work to do both [cheerleading and band] 18. It’s fun but I just want to do art next year because I like to do something new. 19. It’s not fun any more because of practice records. 20. I like Spanish better. 21. I want to be in Spanish. 22. I don’t want to lug around a answer [instrument]. 23. Because it messes with my sports 24. I get lots of headaches from the sounds. 25. Because I do not enjoy band. 26. I would rather be in a different class because I would have more friends in any othere class. 27. My teacher is a great teacher she is a excellent band teacher and she pushes you to the limit you are capable of. 28. I would like to join other class 29. Not participating would give me a chance to experience other areas of extra activities. 30. Going to be doing a lot of sports next year like football, baseball, basketball, wrestling, and other things 31. I am switching off with art and band 32. I want to do art next year. 33. I just think practicing the same song over, and over again gets boring. 34. I am not doing band next year because I do not enjoy playing any of the instruments I was told to choose from. 39

Responses for Why Students Are Discontinuing Middle School Band Instruction (continued)

35. From trying it, I have found that I know all of the concepts that were taught to me in the class. 36. It has got a lot harder. 37. I think I find it very dull and boring to be in band. I don’t enjoy it. 38. I never really can learn anything because no one practices. 39. I think the band teacher is great. 40. I don’t have time for other activities. 41. Although I still love the teacher, I just want to try something different. 42. I wanted to try every enhancement at my school. I would like to do band again next year. But I don’t want to stay in one enhancement for at least two years. 43. I would like to persue a different class that I would like more. 44. I don’t wont to be in band next year because I feel like sometimes my instrument wont play and she dosen’t help me. 45. I am geting bord of band it dosen’t exsit me anymore. 46. I love my teacher she is a great band teacher. It’s me she is doing every thing right. 47. I just can’t keep up with it. 48. I’m just alway’s doing something els in my free time. 49. I don’t want to let eny one down. 50. This year I had Spanish in wih [wheel]. 51. I haven’t been doing well in other classes and I have soccer after school. 52. I need to be focused on high school. If I quit band, I will be able to focus and have more time to do important things. 53. I never have time to practice because of basketball. 54. It’s not fun. 55. I really don’t have a lot of time to practice and I just couldn’t find any time. 56. I don’t like band. It’s boring. 57. Don’t like practicing 58. I do not like band. 59. Other classes are better than this and I do not plan on being in band ever again. 60. I don’t want to be in band. 61. I don’t want to be in band next year. It gets kind of boring. 62. I don’t like to turn in my practice charts. I don’t have time to do practice charts, I have many things to do. 63. I would love to do art but band doesn’t allow me to because I have to take computers.

Note. The researcher did not alter any of the student responses based on spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. 40

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